Please print out this page and fill out the following registration form and fax (909) 985-8581, or copy and paste the form into an email and send to the MOASC office at moasc@moasc.org. Please fill out one form for each reservation.

We hope to see you there!

MOASC Office

At this time there is a vacancy on our Board of Directors for the position of Nursing Vice President.

The time commitment involves the following:

• 2 Industry Circle Roundtables followed ny the MOASC General Membership Meeting:
• 11 Telephone conference meeting, annually;
• Annual ONS chemo certification program:
• Participate on Clinical Subcommittee

If you are interested in this position, please contact the MOASC office at (909) 985-9061, or email your resume to moasc@moasc.org.

Physicians Encouraged to Submit Claims to Medicare

Physicians are encouraged to submit to Medicare claims for billed charges, rather than billing at 2005 or 2006 fee schedule rates. Only physicians who submit claims for billed charges will be eligible for retroactive payments, once Congress has reimplemented the higher 2005 payment levels.

Physicians will be paid by NHIC, California’s Medicare carrier, at the reduced 2006 rates until Congress returns and passes legislation reimplementing the 2005 fee schedule. If the measure is retroactive, as proposed, NHIC will then make appropriate payment adjustments, including retroactive payments. Physicians will not have to resubmit claims. Physicians who bill at the lower 2006 fee schedule will not receive retroactive payment increases, if indeed Congress returns physician payments to the higher 2005 levels.

CMS To Pay Claims If Freeze Passes

ASCO Adapting to Changes in Medicare 2006

ASCO's national audioconference entitled Adapting to Changes in Medicare 2006 took place Jan. 9, 2006. The call was recorded and is available at: http://www.asco.org/2006_Audiocall. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is attached.

ASCO also has a new webpage with tools specifically for the Medicare 2006 coding and guideline changes.

COA launches "Monitoring Patient Impact"

With the implementation of the 2006 MMA Regulations, the Community Oncology Alliance has created a system for tracking patient access to community cancer care. COA is requesting the assistance of all community oncology practices.

COA asks that the information be given in weekly increments. The documentation will be used for educational purposes and to report trends in access to our Congressional Representatives in Washington and government agencies involved in the implementation of the MMA and Part D benefit programs. To participate in the program click here or go to the COA Web Site at http://www.communityoncology.org.



Reference Guide on Part B v. Part D Drugs

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Pharmacy/Downloads/partsbdcoverageissues.pdf

On Tuesday January 24, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services held a call to discuss coverage of Medicare Part B drugs as it relates to Medicare Part D. 

Here is the MedLearn Matters article from CMS on how to define "incident to".

• In both the skilled nursing facility (SNF) and nursing facility (NF) settings, qualified non-physician practitioners (NPP), may provide covered medically necessary visits prior to and after the physician performs the initial visit. (CR 4246)
  
  
• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will no longer accept the Surrogate UPINs (e.g., OTH000, RES000, VAD000, PHS000, and RET000) on claims submitted by a supplier enrolled as an Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities (IDTF) (CR 4096)
  
  
• This article provides information on the oncology demonstration project for 2006 . (CR 4219)
  
  
• The complete list of X12N 835 Health Care Remittance Advice Remark Codes and X12N 835 Health Care Claim Adjustment Reason Codes, including changes made from March 1, 2005 through June 30, 2005, can be found at http://www.wpc-edi.com/codes . (CR 4123)
  
  
• There is a delay in the implementation and availability of a new Provider Remittance Advice (RA) Remark Code to replace the current MA02 code and pending deactivation of the MA03 code. (JSM 06168)
  
  
• This article discusses the revision to the Medicare Claims Processing Manual (Pub. 100-04, Chapter 12, Section 30.6.10) for the new CPT codes for 2006 to use for consultation follow-up visits and second opinion evaluations beginning January 2006. (CR 4215)
  
  
• This article provides information about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Physician Voluntary Reporting Program (PVRP) . It will assist physicians in understanding this new voluntary reporting program and the use of G-codes to report data about the quality of care provided to Medicare beneficiaries. (CR 4183)
  
  
• Correction to Chapter 17, Section 80.2.3 of the Medicare Claims Processing Manual regarding MSN/ANSI X12 denial messages for anti-emetic drugs . (CR 4001)
  
  
• Effective January 25, 2006 the Medicare interest rate for overpayments and underpayments has been changed to 11.875 percent. Historical Data available . (CR 4067)
  
• The article on outpatient vision rehabilitation demonstration project   was revised to change the CR release date, effective date, and the transmittal number. In addition, two codes (368.41 and 368.45) were added to the ICD-9-CM table.  (CR 3816)
  
  
• This article was revised to correct the effective date - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeks provider input on satisfaction with Medicare Fee-for-Service Contractor services survey . (SE0602)
  
  
• CMS has revised the links in many of the Medlearn Matters articles due to the changes of the CMS website. The Medlearn Matters articles are available at:
  http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedlearnMattersArticles/
  
  
• Smoking and Tobacco-Use Cessation Counseling Services: Common Working File (CWF) Inquiry for Providers. Transmittal 726, dated October 21, 2005, sent under CI-3460, is rescinded and replaced with Transmittal 818, dated January 24, 2006. Carriers and MCS were removed from the CR. This CR is being reissued as a FI/FISS CR only. All other information remains the same. (CR 4104)
  
  
• A new page on Durable Medical Equipment (DME) has been added to our website. It contains information for the July 1, 2006 Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) Jurisdiction A transition.
  
  
• Do you have general questions about topics such as Medicare coverage, billing information or clarification on Medicare policy? If so, you may now submit them by email or fax. The email form is located on the home page - Inquiries. The fax numbers are located on the Contacts page for California and New England . Please use ONLY fax numbers listed on the Contacts page for these general inquiries, otherwise you will not receive a reply.
  
  
• List of Medicare telehealth services   (CR 4204)
  
  
• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeks provider input on satisfaction with Medicare Fee-for-Service Contractor services. If you have been selected, you will receive a notification packet in the mail with background information about the survey, as well as an instruction sheet with information on how to access and complete the survey instrument via a secure Internet website. (SE0602)
  
  
• CMS has amended payment files to include a new G-code for intravenous infusion of immunoglobulin (G0332), new G-codes for the 2006 Oncology Demonstration Project, and changes to CPT code status indicators, global periods, and relative value units. (CR 4268)
  
  
• CMS has issued an article to define the DOS policy for laboratory tests on archived specimens , to clarify what is/or is not an archived specimen, and to revise the policy regarding a laboratory test that requires a specimen obtained from storage. (CR 4156)
  
  
• This article by CMS summarizes some of the key revisions to electronic data interchange (EDI) requirements contained in the Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 24. Some of these changes have already been reported in earlier Medlearn Matters articles and are mentioned here only as reminders. The EDI policy revisions are necessary for: HIPAA compliancy, including contingency plan termination, and free claim software changes; and Administrative Simplification Compliance Act (ASCA) compliancy, including unusual circumstance, “Obligated to Accept as Payment in Full” (OTAF) modification, and modified ASCA letters. (CR 4119)
  
  
• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it has awarded contracts for four specialty contractors who will be responsible for handling the administration of Medicare claims from suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics and orthotics. The new contracts awarded represent a first step in CMS' initiatives designed to improve service to beneficiaries and providers, support the delivery of coordinated and quality care, and provide greater administrative efficiency and effectiveness for fee-for-service Medicare. To view the entire press release, please visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?counter=1749 (CMS Message 200601-03)
  
  
• Smoking and Tobacco-Use Cessation Counseling Services Frequency Instructions (CR 3929)
  
  
• CMS issued an article about the addition of Hospice data to Health Care Eligibility Benefit Inquiry and Response transaction (270/271). Hospice will be part of the core data elements returned on the 271 response. (CR 4193)
  

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued revised instructions on the Physician Voluntary Reporting Program on December 23, 2005. 

These instructions (Pub 100-19, transmittal 35) may be viewed on the CMS website at the following link: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Transmittals/Downloads/R35DEMO.pdf. 

A revised Medlearn Matters article (MM 4183) titled "Physician Voluntary Reporting Program (PVRP) Using Quality G-Codes" is also available on the website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedlearnMattersArticles/downloads/MM4183.pdf.

CMS Announces Redsigned NPI Website

Announcing the redesigned CMS web page dedicated to providing all the latest NPI news for health care providers!  Visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand/ on the web.  This page also contains a section for Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) providers with helpful information on the Medicare NPI implementation.  A new fact sheet with answers to questions that health care providers may have regarding the NPI is now available on the web page; bookmark this page as new information and resources will continue to be posted.

For more information on private industry NPI outreach, visit the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) NPI Outreach Initiative website at http://www.wedi.org/npioi/index.shtml on the web.

New LCDs for Oncotype DX

The Local Coverage Determinations (LCD) for Oncotype DX Test - Breast Cancer Prognosis has been finalized and released for 45 day notice.

Northern California - 31140
Southern California- 31146

MM4268 - Emergency Update to the 2006 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS)
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedlearnMattersArticles/downloads/mm4268.pdf

MM4173 - Stem Cell Transplantation 
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedlearnMattersArticles/downloads/mm4173.pdf

SE0602 - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Seeks Provider Input on Satisfaction with Medicare Fee-for-Service Contractor Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedlearnMattersArticles/downloads/se0602.pdf

MM4256 - Claim Status Category Code and Claim Status Code Update
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedlearnMattersArticles/downloads/MM4256.pdf

SE0605 - Explanation of Systems Used by Medicare to Process Your Claims
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedlearnMattersArticles/downloads/SE0605.pdf

MM4183 - Physician's Voluntary Reporting Program (PVRP)
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedlearnMattersArticles/downloads/MM4183.pdf

Update on Medicare Part D

The new Medicare Part D outpatient prescription drug coverage program went into effect January 1, and patients and practices are facing issues with drug coverage and implementation as the program is getting off the ground. CMS is attributing some of these problems to a surge in enrollment that occurred at the end of 2005, which has caused back-ups in issuing cards to subscribers.  CMS acknowledged some of these issues in an open letter to partners.