College Graduate - How does health reform help me?

Uploaded by eHealthInsurance on Jun 1, 2010
This video outlines how health reform helps people who are graduating college. Starting in 2014, health reform will require everyone to buy health insurance and provide tax subsidies to help people with qualifying low-incomes cover the cost of health insurance. Beginning in the Fall of 2010, young people under the age of 26 will have the option to stay on their parents health insurance plan, or to take advantage of new consumer protections in the non-group / individual health insurance market. Although these types of plans already exist in many states, starting in 2014, young people will also have the option to buy additional new, low-cost, catastrophic health coverage with high deductibles to cover the cost of a major illness or injury.




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How To Get All The Patient Referrals You Can Handle!!!As a health care provider you know that the majority of your new patients come from referrals from existing patients and other physician practices.
How would you like to be able to send cards like these to your patients and referrals sources automatically with the click of a button? Just think how much that would grow your patient base and increase your revenue!!!

Click for more information: https://www.sendoutcards.com/129125/


Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.
To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at
http://atlanticfinancial.us or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.

MMSEA 111 What's New

This section will provide an at-a-glance listing of new information, updates and changes to the MMSEA111 web page.

Important Note: To comment or make inquiry regarding a Mandatory Insurer Reporting document and/or posting, please utilize the designated mailbox only. PL110-173SEC111-comments@cms.hhs.gov.



August 9, 2011

Please note the following information for the August 10, 2011 Policy & Technical and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA)Teleconference:

•The call in number for the August 10, 2011 Policy & Technical Call is: (800) 603-1774; The pass code is: SECTION 111
This information will also be posted on the GHP section page.

August 1, 2011

The following town hall teleconferences have been scheduled. The notice and agenda containing the call in information will be posted ont he GHP and NGHP section pages.

•August: GHP Technical/Policy – 8/10; NGHP Policy – 8/24
GHP Unsolicited Alerts coming in September

•September: GHP HRA – 9/7; NGHP Technical – 9/21
GHP and NGHP TIN Validation coming in October

•October: GHP Technical/Policy –10/5; NGHP Policy – 10/19
GHP and NGHP Tin Validation requirements are now operational
___________________________________________________________
How To Get All The Patient Referrals You Can Handle!!! As a health care provider you know that the majority of your new patients come from referrals from existing patients and other physician practices.


How would you like to be able to send cards like these to your patients and referrals sources automatically with the click of a button? Just think how much that would grow your patient base and increase your revenue!!!


Click for more information:  https://www.sendoutcards.com/129125/

Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.

To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at

http://atlanticfinancial.us  or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.

Reporting a WC case and Obtaining Conditional Payment Information

All Workers' Compensation (WC) occurrences that involve a Medicare beneficiary should be reported to the Coordination of Benefits (COB) Contractor. If you would like to report a WC case, obtain conditional payment information, or have a general WC question, please contact the COB Contractor by phone or mail. Customer Service Representatives are available to provide you with quality service Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, except holidays. The COB Contractor's toll free number is 1 (800) 999-1118 or TTY/TDD: 1 (800) 318-8782 for the hearing and speech impaired.
Written reports of WC occurrences should be addressed to:

Medicare—Coordination of Benefits
MSP Claims Investigation Project
P.O. Box 33847
Detroit, MI 48232

NOTE: This mailing address is for reporting a WC occurrence, not for the submission of Workers' Compensation Medicare Set-aside Arrangement (WCMSA) proposals.  WC settlements that include a proposed WCMSA for review should be sent to CMS C/OCoordination of Benefits Contractor, P.O. Box 33849, Detroit, MI 48232-5849.
When contacting the COB Contractor to report a new WC occurrence by phone or by mail, please be sure to have the following information available:

• Your client's name
• Your client's Medicare Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) or SSN
• Date of incident
• Nature of illness/injury
• Name and address of the WC insurance carrier
• Name and address of the legal representatives
• Name of insured
• Policy/claim number

Once this information is received, the COB Contractor will apply it to the claimant's Medicare record, assign the case to a Medicare contractor, and inform you and your client of the applicability of the MSP program and Medicare's recovery rights. You will receive a notice advising you of the Medicare contractor assigned to handle the specifics of the case for recovery, Medicare's right of recovery and a beneficiary consent to release form. Once this process is completed, all further inquiries must be made through the assigned Medicare contractor. Please note that Medicare's interests cannot be determined until the claimant's record has been annotated with the specifics of the WC occurrence.
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How To Get All The Patient Referrals You Can Handle!!! As a health care provider you know that the majority of your new patients come from referrals from existing patients and other physician practices.


How would you like to be able to send cards like these to your patients and referrals sources automatically with the click of a button? Just think how much that would grow your patient base and increase your revenue!!!


Click for more information:  https://www.sendoutcards.com/129125/

Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.

To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at

http://atlanticfinancial.us  or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.

Medicare Provides Assistance to Help Low-Income Beneficiar​ies Get Big Savings on Prescripti​on Drug Costs

Some Medicare beneficiaries could qualify for assistance with their prescription drug costs, and be eligible this year to pay no more than $2.50 for generic drugs and $6.30 for each brand name drug. The steps and requirements beneficiaries can take to check if they qualify for the Medicare Low-Income Subsidy Program (also known as LIS or “Extra Help”) are simple and may be done by phone or online.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimates that more than 2 million people with Medicare may be eligible for the subsidy, but are not currently enrolled to take advantage of these savings.

Changes resulting from the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) of 2008 made it easier for Medicare beneficiaries to qualify for “Extra Help” by changing the way income and assets are counted. As of last year, the Social Security Administration, which determines eligibility for the program, does not count life insurance policies as a resource for eligibility purposes. In addition, help received from family and friends to pay for household expenses like food, mortgage, rent and utilities does not count as income.

“The eligibility requirements are more flexible than they were a couple of years ago, ‘Extra Help’ can be lifesaving for someone who needs prescription drugs and needs help with the cost,” said Dr. Don Berwick, CMS Administrator. “If you were turned down for ‘Extra Help’ in the past due to income or resource levels, you should reapply. If you qualify, you will receive help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage premiums, copayments and deductibles.”

To qualify, Medicare beneficiaries’ incomes must be less than $16,335 a year (or $22,065 for married couples) and have resources limited to $12,640 (or $25,260 for married couples). Resources include bank accounts, stocks, and bonds, but do not include a beneficiary’s house, car, or life insurance policy.

There is no cost to apply for “Extra Help.” Medicare beneficiaries, family members, trusted counselors or caregivers can apply online in English and Spanish at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp. Beneficiaries may also call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778) and ask for the Application for Medicare’s Part D Extra Help.

Medicare beneficiaries can also receive assistance in their local communities from their State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), the Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) and many tribal organizations. For information about contacting your AAA, ADRC or SHIP go to www.eldercare.gov. Local SHIP contact information can be found online at www.medicare.gov/contacts/organization-search-criteria.aspx. All information provided is confidential.

To learn more about Medicare prescription drug coverage, visit www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

___________________________________________________________
How To Get All The Patient Referrals You Can Handle!!!As a health care provider you know that the majority of your new patients come from referrals from existing patients and other physician practices.
How would you like to be able to send cards like these to your patients and referrals sources automatically with the click of a button? Just think how much that would grow your patient base and increase your revenue!!!
Click for more information:  https://www.sendoutcards.com/129125/


Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.

To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at

http://atlanticfinancial.us  or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.

Health care reform some important changes for children and young adults

Uploaded by HighmarkHealthy on Feb 14, 2011
This video outlines health care coverage changes for children and young adults resulting from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as health care reform.


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How To Get All The Patient Referrals You Can Handle!!!As a health care provider you know that the majority of your new patients come from referrals from existing patients and other physician practices.
How would you like to be able to send cards like these to your patients and referrals sources automatically with the click of a button? Just think how much that would grow your patient base and increase your revenue!!!

Click for more information: https://www.sendoutcards.com/129125/


Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.
To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at
http://atlanticfinancial.us or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.

2010-2011 Influenza Season Week 30 ending July 30, 2011

U.S. Virologic Surveillance:

WHO and NREVSS collaborating laboratories located in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. report to CDC the number of respiratory specimens tested for influenza and the number positive by influenza type and subtype.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/?source=govdelivery
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How To Get All The Patient Referrals You Can Handle!!! As a health care provider you know that the majority of your new patients come from referrals from existing patients and other physician practices.
How would you like to be able to send cards like these to your patients and referrals sources automatically with the click of a button? Just think how much that would grow your patient base and increase your revenue!!!


Click for more information:  https://www.sendoutcards.com/129125/

Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.

To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at

http://atlanticfinancial.us  or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.

CMS launches tools and initiatives to help improve American health care quality

Efforts give consumers information to inform their care The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new tool for patients and caregivers and other enhanced initiatives today to empower consumers to make informed choices about their health care, and to help improve the quality of care in America’s hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, and other health care settings.

“These tools are new ways CMS is making sure consumers have information about health care quality and important information they need to make the best decisions about where to receive high-quality care,” said Dr. Don Berwick, the CMS Administrator. “These efforts are designed to also encourage providers to deliver safe, patient-centered care that consumers can rely on and will motivate improvement across our health care system.”
The steps announced today include:

· A Quality Care Finder to provide consumers with one online destination to access all of Medicare’s Compare tools -- comparison information on hospitals, nursing homes and plans: www.Medicare.gov/QualityCareFinder.

· An updated Hospital Compare website, which now includes data about how well hospitals protect outpatients from surgical infections and whether hospitals care for outpatients who are treated for suspected heart attacks with proven therapies that reduce death: www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov

· An enhanced Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) program under which QIOs provide technical assistance and resources to health care providers across the country to assist them in changing how care is delivered in hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, and across care settings.
CMS has also updated data for outcomes of inpatient hospital care on Hospital Compare. Today’s update includes new 30-day mortality rates and 30-day readmissions rates for inpatients admitted with heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia. These rates encompass three full years of claims data (from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010).

This year, the national 30-day mortality rates for heart attack have continued to decline, falling by 0.3 percent from the 2006 through 2009 rate of 16.2 percent to the more recent 2007 through 2010 rate of 15.9 percent. Mortality rates for heart failure and pneumonia increased slightly over the same period, showing an increase from 11.2 to 11.3 percent for heart failure and 11.6 to 11.9 percent for pneumonia, respectively.

Also this year, national 30-day readmissions rates for heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia showed small changes in their updated rates. The new 2007 through 2010 rates for these three conditions are 19.8 percent, 24.8 percent, and 18.4 percent, respectively. These rates were slightly higher for heart attack in 2006 through 2009, at 19.9 percent, and slightly lower for pneumonia, at 18.2 percent, and heart failure, at 24.5 percent.

“Both sets of inpatient measures are risk-adjusted, taking health conditions into account to ‘level the playing field’ among hospitals and to help ensure accuracy in performance reporting,” Dr. Berwick said.

Hospital Compare also includes 10 measures that capture patient experience with hospital care. After two years of reporting these patient experience measures, hospitals have shown modest but meaningful improvement on most experience measures. The degree of this improvement has been relatively uniform across most measures and hospitals.

The website also contains 25 process-of-care measures and three children’s asthma care measures. The site also features information about the volume of certain hospital procedures performed and conditions treated for Medicare patients and what Medicare pays for those services.

Consumers have relied on Hospital Compare since 2005 to provide information about the quality of care provided in over 4,700 of America’s acute-care, critical access and children’s hospitals. So far this year, Hospital Compare has received about 1 million page views each month. More information about Hospital Compare is online at www.hospitalcompare.hhs.govse 


The QIOs will integrate and coordinate care across settings within communities, improve community health by promoting preventive services, and make health care costs sustainable in the long term by supporting care that keeps patients safe from costly and dangerous complications and harm. The works supports the administration’s National Quality Strategy and its Partnership for Patients, designed to build collaborative models to improve health care quality, reduce hospital-acquired conditions and lower hospital readmissions.

“Patient-centeredness means that every decision that’s made and every program that’s established is focused on patients and their families,” said Patrick Conway, M.D., M.Sc., CMS chief medical officer and director of the agency’s Office of Clinical Standards and Quality. “QIOs will promote this concept by including beneficiaries and front line clinicians in quality improvement initiatives, learning and action networks and communications. Listening to the voices of patients and staying focused on their outcomes and experiences are essential to achieve care centered on the patient.”

More information about the QIO Program is on the CMS website at www.cms.gov/qualityimprovementorgs.
_______________________________________________________
How To Get All The Patient Referrals You Can Handle!!! As a health care provider you know that the majority of your new patients come from referrals from existing patients and other physician practices.


How would you like to be able to send cards like these to your patients and referrals sources automatically with the click of a button? Just think how much that would grow your patient base and increase your revenue!!!
Click for more information:  https://www.sendoutcards.com/129125/

Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.

To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at

http://atlanticfinancial.us  or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.