First Friday of the Month Conference Call - April 6, 2018

The next Genius Solutions First Friday of the Month Conference Call is scheduled for Friday, April 6 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.

Planned topics for the conference call (so far) are:

• New Medicare Cards Coming! - Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI)
• MIPS Preliminary Feedback Now Available (not final)
• Final comments

New Medicare Insurance Numbers - 2018

New Medicare Insurance Numbers - 2018

I am sure you have heard about the upcoming change to Medicare Patient Insurance numbers. (If not, starting in April all of your Medicare patients will begin receiving new Medicare insurance cards with new Medicare numbers - they are finally retiring the social security number from the cards.)

Make sure you update your eTHOMAS to the most current version, then you will be prepared to go through and set up your THOMAS system - insurance and patient policies to take in and begin using the new Medicare cards.

Here is the "HOW TO" document to walk you through the process in your THOMAS system. 

New Medicare Insurance Numbers 2018

Genius Solutions' September 1st Friday Conference Call

The next Genius Solutions First Friday of the Month Conference Call is scheduled for Friday September 4th at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.

Planned topics for the conference call (so far) are:

ICD-10 Flexibilities

In case you somehow missed the e-mails or announcements...

In early July, the the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the American Medical Association (AMA) issued a joint statement about having some additional flexibility in the ICD-10 claims reporting process to help physicians with the transition, by making it just a tad easier.  Since then they've received and answered a lot of questions and have put together a document of important, need to know, information...  The new document is called:

"Clarifying Questions and Answers Related to the July 6, 2015 CMS/AMA Joint Announcement and Guidance Regarding ICD-10 Flexibilities"

CMS also reminds you to bookmark and regularly check their ICD-10 resources to help keep you in the know and in the flow for ICD-10.

ICD-10 website

Roadto10.org

And sign up for CMS ICD-10 Industry Email Updates

Genius Solutions First Friday of the Month Conference Call (Feb 2015)

The Genius Solutions First Friday of the Month Conference Call is scheduled for Friday February 6th at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.


Planned topics for the conference call (so far) are:

• Anything new with ICD-10?
• BCBSM new ICD-10 testing starting 2/3/15 for top vendors
• BCBSM DME claims after 1/15 rejecting when POS=12
• Medicare 1% penalty for no EHR - Track or not?
• How to help protect against Crypto Virus malware
• ADAMS Appointment clients should AutoUpdate to eTHOMAS 9.4.23
• We miss Chris Andrews
• Final comments

2014 is OVER! 2015 is in Full Swing. Are you?

As of Jan 1, 2015, the 2014 EHR incentive and meaningful use year is finished.  You must attest for 2014 by Feb 28, 2015.

Also, as of Jan 1, 2015, the 2015 EHR incentive and meaningful use year has begun.  This includes the beginning of Stage 2 reporting for those who have completed two years of Stage 1 reporting already.

For more and complete information - please visit the CMS website.

When to Complete a Security Risk Analysis

When to Complete a Security Risk Analysis - New CMS Guidance

As part of the HIPAA requirements, don’t forget that a security risk analysis must be completed prior to attestation. Review CMS FAQ #10754 , and learn more about this meaningful use requirement below.  A security risk analysis needs to be done whether you are attesting for Stage 1 or Stage 2.  It is part of the Meaningful Use requirements.  For more information, read the updated FAQ.

Per CMS:

• Conducting a security risk analysis is required when certified EHR technology is adopted in the first reporting year
• In subsequent reporting years, or when changes to the practice or electronic systems occur, a review must be conducted.

They also provide many helps:

• HIPAA Security Rule
• Stage 1 and Stage 2 requirements
• Security Risk Analysis Tipsheet
• Educational Resources
• ONC’s Security Risk Assessment (SRA) tool
• ONC's User Guide and Tutorial are also available
• Main Medicare/Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs Website

And definitely SUBSCRIBE to their e-News and you will get this sort of news in your in box!

Got Scribe?

If not, you might want to consider one (or more).

With documentation becoming more than just a word and EHR becoming a reality, most offices are trying to find ways to work more efficiently.  EHRs just don't seem like awesome replacements for sliced bread, especially if you've been practicing just fine without them for your entire professional career.  However, they are taking over, whether you want them to or not.  One of the best ways to cope with and EHR and its additional documentation and coding, yet still keep your sanity and your patient satisfaction can be for the doctor to continue being a doctor and dealing with patients face-to-face, while someone else scribes (or documents) patient encounters for the doctor – getting down all of the vital patient information, the doctor findings and responses, and any work done, as well as the recommended treatment plan.  

Finally! CMS Announces New ICD-10 "GO" Date

FINALLY!  CMS announces ICD-10 "GO" date IS now October 1st, 2015!

Interesting, the article doesn't note anything about a comment period, it simply says, this is the date.  I guess nothing but bumping the date ahead, might not need an additional comment period as it had been done before.

So, what are you doing now to prepare?

Shared Genius: April 2014

Shared Genius Practice Solutions From one genius to another.
April 2014 support special includes: ICD-10 delay, NDC updates, Railroad Medicare

Available now!

http://www.geniussolutions.com/emailcamps/AAFC.html

dTHOMAS/THOMAS Lite Users!

	dTHOMAS v9.06 New CMS-1500 Form The time is now!
Version 9.06 of dTHOMAS We are pleased to announce the release of Version 9.06 of dTHOMAS! This version includes the ability to prepare and print the new CMS-1500 (02-12) claim form for the April 2014 deadline.

Genius ICD-10 Seminars- On the Road

Ok, so my hair isn't this short, but we do put this much work into our presentations! :D

We started off last Friday to a packed house of Medical Specialties.  April is already half-full and we are still trying to look and schedule additional seminars as quickly as possible.  So far, here is the current Schedule:

• March 14 was Medical Specialties, in Warren - FULL!
• March 21 is for Podiatrists, in Warren - Still some spaces left.
• March 27 is for Chiropractors, in Warren - FULL!

• April 4 is for everyone, at Soaring Eagle in Mt. Pleasant (We've already exceeded, doubled the size of this one, and exceeded it again) - Super FULL!
• April 16 is for everyone, Troy-  FULL!
• April 23 is for everyone,  Warren - Still have space.
• April 29 is for everyone,  Grand Rapids - Still have space.

We are currently looking at Pensacola, FL in May (still trying to secure a location).
And we are looking for additional areas in Michigan (if you have an awesome suggestion, please feel free to add it in the comments).

For those who aren't in Michigan or Florida, we are also looking at doing some sort of epic online conference for you.... We're still investigating the best way to do this.

As soon as we add more dates and locations, we will definitely post them on the website (under EVENTS), on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Although we do have lots to share, we are looking at what more we can add to help you prepare for ICD-10, HIPAA compliance, and more - I will also let you know if the agenda or guests change as we work towards October and the end of the year.

As always - we are looking forward to visiting with you soon!  :D

Do you send Medicare Part B to MN, WI, or IL?

Attention electronic and paper submitters for MN, WI, and IL:

Do you currently send Medicare Part B paper and/or electronic claims for the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Illinois? Changes to the claims address and payer ID will need to be made effective September 7, 2013.  All claim files or claim status inquiry files submitted after 4:00 p.m. CT on September 6, 2013 with the any of the WPS legacy payer IDs listed above will be rejected with the X12 999 transaction with the IK403 value of I12 (Implementation Pattern Match Failure). These files will need to be corrected and resubmitted to National Government services with the correct J6 payer ID. The final WPS legacy ERAs will have a paid late of September 6, 2013 and will be available on Monday, September 9, 2013. All subsequent ERAs will show the J6 payer ID as the Medicare payer identifier.

If you did not receive the letter we mailed out to you - and you need help making these changes in your system, please call support at 586.751.9080

Billing Provider Contact Information- In Claims

Change is Inevitable.

Beginning April 15th,2013,  new edits will be going out to BCBSM EDI users:

A3 85 127 F906 BILLING PROVIDER COMMUNICATION NUMBER IS MISSING OR INVALID.
A3 85 127 P940 BILLING PROVIDER COMMUNICATION NUMBER IS MISSING OR INVALID. 
A3 85 127  F907 BILLING PROVIDER COMMUNICATION NUMBER IS MISSING OR INVALID.
A3 85 127  P941 BILLING PROVIDER COMMUNICATION NUMBER IS MISSING OR INVALID.

All of the new edits are triggered by the incorrect reporting of billing provider contact information (phone/fax/e-mail).

Per BCBSM EDI, "Submitters may avoid receiving one or more of the edits by ensuring that they report telephone numbers and fax numbers in the correct format - 10 numeric only, without spaces or special characters."

Per BCBSM EDI, these edits will definitely apply to Medicare Advantage claims.

Why did I put this in here generally - instead of just marking it for Michigan only?  Because this is probably a trend.  You need to read your EDI bulletines regularly to know what changes are being made in your area.  There are always changes.  Also, something like this "contact info" change, is the kind of trend that you will see spreading fast.

So-

1. Check your bulletins (and feel free to send us a note about any changes in your local area- you may be saving fellow offices a lot of grief, and
2. Make sure your provider contact information is correct and accurate.

Got Compliance? What’s in your Office Manual?

As we are quickly approaching the end of the year and you are considering beginning or updating your office compliance manuals… These are some important items to be aware of, especially if you haven’t heard of them or were unsure what they really were.  These three items desperately need to be included in your office practices, policies, and compliance plan, or they could be devastating to both you and your office:  The Sunshine Act, The Medicare Enrollment Revalidation Initiative, and ACA Overpayments.  Also be advised, as each of the legal pages I read stated: the following are guidelines and best understanding.  For any actual legal advice particular to office and procedures, you should seek final guidance from your own legal guides.

 

Punctuation in THOMAS-New Medicare Errors

In the past it has been our practice to train users NOT to use punctuation in THOMAS, except in very specific places like the dashes used in phone numbers or social security numbers.  The reason was, because with electronic files being sent and read by computers many times those other keyboard characters meant something entirely different to the computer reading your file.  Sometimes they were even commands telling the other computer to do something.  Well, those days are changing.

If you haven't already seen this error, you may well soon-

PATIENT NAME AND MEDICARE NUMBER DO NOT MATCH

 

BCBSM (Michigan) Edit for MR and RRMR

Over the last couple of weeks we've been getting calls about BCBS Michigan edits regarding Medicare, RR Medicare, DMERC etc.

***********************
Per BCBSM:

"Effective 9/28/2012, Medicare implemented new front-end edits for
all Medicare Part B and Medicare DMERC professional claims. The edits are triggered by Medicare for claims reporting a Group Name in
Loop 2000B SBR04. Edits are returned on 277CAW and 277CAM reports and 277CA transactions:

A8 663 IL Entity's Group Name
A8 732 IL Information submitted inconsistent with billing guidelines"

***********************
Michigan THOMAS clients must take out what they have in plan name and group name for MR (Medicare) and RRMR (Rail Road Medicare) policies only, to comply with the Medicare guidelines.

If you have additional questions, or have done this and are still receiving these edits, please call support.

Meaningful Use Stage 2 – Yes, it is here, for better or worse

Meaningful Use Stage 2 (also known as 2014 Edition Standards & Certification Criteria (S&CC)Final Rule) is in the bag so to speak.  The next stage has been officially finalized and will be hitting your computer (and your EHR programs) over the next couple of years.  First off the new name (2014 edition) clues you into the first change- Stage 2 is going into effect one year later than previously decided per the original ARRA documentation.

URGENT: WPS J8 MAC Medicare change starts at 2:00 Thursday 7/12/2012

This is for MICHIGAN - as part of the J8 Medicare WPS for Mich Part B BCBSM has announced they will stop taking Medicare claims with the current payor id on Thursday July 12 at 2pm.Claims sent after 2pm will reject with P935 PAYER ID FOR MEDICARE IS INVALID.

Pay cuts and ICD-10 Updates

The last month has seen some more sitting around by the government, whether it is for good or ill will take time to tell.  Two big issues were touched: the Medicare pay cuts and ICD-10.  To say they were addressed would be a misnomer.