New Feature in This Week’s eNews

The MLN Connects® Provider eNews contains important news, announcements, and updates for health care professionals. Thursday, October 22, 2015 Editor's Note: New feature! Accessing content that interests you is even easier. Click on any title in the Table of Contents and jump directly to that article in the posted eNews. Take a minute to let us know how you like this new feature. Can't view the image? Read the eNews! View this edition as a PDF New Feature: Click to View Articles! ICD-10 Learn How to Assign an ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code with MLN Connects Videos Video Slideshow from August 27 MLN Connects Call Available 5 Ways to Check Your Claim Status Contact List for ICD-10 Questions MLN Connects® National Provider Calls and Events Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test Payment System Proposed Rule Call — Registration Now Open New MLN Connects National Provider Call Audio Recording and Transcript Other CMS Events EHR Incentive Programs: Recording from Final Rule Webinar Available Announcements HHS Awards more than $240 Million to Expand the Primary Care Workforce HHS Awards up to $22.9 Million in Planning Grants for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics 2016 Value Modifier: Informal Review Request Period Open through November 9 2016 PQRS Payment Adjustment: Informal Review Request Period Open through November 9 IRF Quality Reporting Program Data Submission Deadline: November 15 LTCH Quality Reporting Program Data Submission Deadline: November 15 MACRA Request for Information: Comments Accepted through November 17 Dialysis Facility Compare: Submit your Comments through December 4 New Survey Process for Duodenoscopes/ Endoscopes/ Reusable Medical Devices Hospice Quality Reporting Program: New Training Modules Available Claims, Pricers, and Codes Mass Adjustments of IRF PPS Claims that Require a Special Wage Index Medicare Learning Network® Educational Products "Infection Control: Environmental Safety” Web-Based Training Course — Released "Infection Control: Injection Safety” Web-Based Training Course — Released “PECOS for Provider and Supplier Organizations” Fact Sheet — Revised Like the eNews? Have suggestions? Please let us know! The Medicare Learning Network®, MLN Connects®, and MLN Matters® are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ICD-10 News: Checking Your Medicare FFS Claim Status

News Updates | October 20, 2015
Checking Your Medicare FFS Claim Status With the recent transition to ICD-10, you may wonder how soon you will know whether your Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claim was paid. Generally speaking, Medicare FFS claims take several days to be processed and must also – by law – wait two weeks before payment is issued. You can check your Medicare FFS claim status by: Interactive Voice Response (IVR): IVR gives providers access to Medicare claims information through a toll-free telephone number. Visit your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) website for information on the Provider Contact Center and IVR user guide. Customer Service Representative (CSR): Visit your MAC website for information on the Provider Contact Center only if you are unable to access claims information via IVR. MAC portal: Visit your MAC website for portal features and access. Direct Data Entry (DDE): Providers that bill institutional claims are also permitted to submit claims electronically via DDE screens. Visit yourMAC website for more information. ASC X12: The ASC X12 Health Care Claim Status Request and Response (276/277) is a pair of electronic transactions you can use to request the status of claims (via the 276) and receive a response (via the 277). Visit yourMAC website for more information. Keep Up to Date on ICD-10 Visit the CMS ICD-10 website and Roadto10.org for the latest news and resources, including the ICD-10 Quick Start Guide. Sign up for CMS ICD-10 Email Updates andfollow us on Twitter.

Reminder – Preview Your Physician Compare Measures!

Physician Compare Preview Period: October 5-November 6, 2015 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) opened the Physician Compare quality measure preview period on October 5th. The 30-day preview period provides an opportunity for individuals and group practices to review their 2014 quality measures before they are reported on Physician Compare later this year. You can access the secured measures preview site now through the PQRS portal—Provider Quality Information Portal (PQIP). To learn more about which measures will be publicly reported and how to preview your measures, visit the Physician Compare Initiative page. If you have any questions about Physician Compare, public reporting, or the 2014 quality measure preview period, please contact us at PhysicianCompare@Westat.com.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has sent this Medicare.gov- Physician Compare Update. To contact Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) go to our contact us page

Primary Care Makes Strides in Improving Quality & Costs

The MLN Connects® Provider eNews contains important news, announcements, and updates for health care professionals. Thursday, October 15, 2015 Can't view the image? Read the eNews! View this edition as a PDF In This Edition: ICD-10 Use ICD-10 Now ICD-10 Ombudsman and ICD-10 Coordination Center Support Your Transition Needs Qualifiers for ICD-10 Diagnosis Codes on Electronic Claims MLN Connects® National Provider Calls and Events Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act Call — Last Chance to Register Stay Informed about Medicare Program Changes Other CMS Events Long-Term Care Hospital Quality Reporting Program Provider Training Announcements CMS Launches New ACO Dialysis Model New Medicare Utilization and Payment Data Available for Medical Equipment, Supplies Primary Care Makes Strides in Improving Quality and Costs CMS to Release a Comparative Billing Report on Optometry Services in October EHR Incentive Program: 2016 Payment Adjustments and Reconsiderations Medicare Learning Network® Educational Products "Medicare Quarterly Provider Compliance Newsletter [Volume 6, Issue 1]" Educational Tool — Released Medicare Learning Network Products Available in Hard Copy Format Medicare Learning Network Product Available In Electronic Publication Format Like the eNews? Have suggestions? Please let us know! The Medicare Learning Network®, MLN Connects®, and MLN Matters® are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ICD-10 News: Contact List for Providers with Questions About Medicare and Medicaid

News Updates | October 14, 2015
Contact List for Providers with Questions About Medicare and Medicaid On October 1 the United States health care community transitioned to ICD-10. Recognizing that providers may still need help with the transition, CMS has issued a new ICD-10 Resource Guide and Contact List to help them find answers to their questions. CMS remains committed to working with the community on the transition. Help is available if you experience any challenges using ICD-10. To locate ICD-10 information and contacts quickly: Step 1 Find resources on our CMS ICD-10 website and Road to 10 online tool. Step 2 Contact your MAC for Medicare claims questions. Your MAC is your first line for Medicare claims help. MACs cannot respond to questions about Medicaid or commercial health plans. If you have a Medicaid claim question contact your state Medicaid agency. If you have a commercial or private health plan claim question, please contact your health plan directly. The new ICD-10 Resource Guide and Contact List gives MAC and Medicaid contact info organized by state. Step 3 Contact the ICD-10 Ombudsman for questions. The ICD-10 Ombudsman is an impartial advocate with a dedicated team of experts to answer your questions. Responses will typically be sent within 3 business days of receipt. Keep Up to Date on ICD-10 Visit the CMS ICD-10 website and Roadto10.org for the latest news and resources, including the ICD-10 Quick Start Guide. Sign up for CMS ICD-10 Email Updates andfollow us on Twitter.
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ICD-10 News: Use ICD-10 Now – Here’s How

News Updates | October 9, 2015
Use ICD-10 Now – Here’s How On October 1 the United States health care community transitioned to ICD-10. CMS wants providers to be successful in using ICD-10 and remains committed to working with industry on the transition. To give providers a quick reference, we’ve posted the Use ICD-10 Now infographic below on our website. (To access the links in the infographic, please use the version on our website.) Coding Claims: When to Use ICD-10 versus ICD-9 Use of ICD-10 versus ICD-9 on claims is based on dates of service—not on dates that claims are submitted. For dates of service before October 1, 2015, use ICD-9 codes. For dates of service on or after October 1, 2015, use ICD-10 codes. For example, if you submit a claim for services provided on September 30, 2015, use ICD-9, even if you are submitting the claim in October 2015 or beyond. For hospital inpatient claims, use date of discharge rather than date of service to determine whether to code in ICD-10 or ICD-9.   Important Note About Physician’s Orders For orders written with ICD-9 codes before October 1, CMS is not requiring the ordering provider to rewrite the original order with the appropriate ICD-10 code for lab, radiology services, or any other services. For more see the new Physician’s Orders FAQ 12625.   Splitting Claims Many health plans require claims with dates of service spanning October 1 to be split into two claims, one with ICD-9 and the other with ICD-10 codes. A Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claim cannot contain both ICD-9 codes and ICD-10 codes. Medicare will not pay claims containing both ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. CMS has issuedguidance for providers dealing with claims spanning the compliance date. Accessing Codes See the ICD-10 Coding Resources fact sheet to find out about accessing ICD-10 codes, ICD-9/ICD-10 mappings, and clinical documentation tips. Other Resourcess Find the latest resources at the official CMS ICD-10 website. Visit Roadto10.org to build a customizable action plan, and to see common codes, documentation tips and clinical scenarios for your specialty. Find additional ICD-10 resources at low or no cost through medical and trade associations. Keep Up to Date on ICD-10 Visit the CMS ICD-10 website and Roadto10.org for the latest news and resources, including the ICD-10 Quick Start Guide. Sign up for CMS ICD-10 Email Updates and follow us on Twitter.
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