2012 Medicare Fee Schedule Set
Congress has extended the current fee schedule for the duration of 2012, avoiding a 27.4% cut that was scheduled for March 1st.
Preliminary ICD-10 Delay Announced
Although no details have been released, it appears likely that the planned conversion to ICD-10 will be delayed beyond the current implementation deadline of October 1st, 2013.
Blue Shield Offering New Contract Terms
Blue Shield of California is in the process of re-contracting with physicians across the state and their new contracts are being received by physicians in the East Bay now.
Federal Judge Blocks 10% Medi-Cal Cuts
A federal judge has issued a ruling blocking California from implementing a 10 percent Medi-Cal reimbursement rate cut for physicians, dentists, pharmacists and other Medi-Cal providers.
CalHIPSO Can Help You Achieve Meaningful Use
Bay Area primary care physicians still have the opportunity to receive subsidized technical services to implement and effectively use an EHR, although slots are filling quickly!
CalHIPSO Can Help You Achieve Meaningful Use
Bay Area primary care physicians still have the opportunity to receive subsidized technical services to implement and effectively use an EHR, although slots are filling quickly!
Medi-Cal EHR Incentive Funds Still Available for 2011
Medi-Cal has finally established its enrollment system for physicians to sign up to collect the Medi-Cal incentive funds (part of the Federal IT initiative adopted in 2009) that are available for implementing an EHR system.
CMA Endorses Ballot Measure to Increase Revenue
Citing California's ongoing fiscal crisis and its adverse impact on California's health care delivery system, the CMA has endorsed Governor Jerry Brown ballot measure to temporarily increase sales and income taxes.
Training Program for Physician Leaders: March 8-10 in San Diego
IMQ/PACE Platinum Training Program for Physician Leaders addresses the most challenging decisions facing medical staff leaders
HIPAA 5010 Standards Are Now in Effect
The HIPAA 5010 standards went into effect January 1st, 2012, and as a result may impact claims payments and other HIPAA-covered electronic transactions if either you or your trading partners have not yet made the required changes.
Former CMA President named to Medical Board of California
Former CMA president Dev GnanaDev, MD, has been appointed to the Medical Board of California by Governor Jerry Brown.
CMA Objects to Volume and Tone of Palmetto Audits
CMA is objecting to Medicare pre-payment medical review audits currently being conducted by Palmetto GBA.
DHCS Announces Plans to Recoup Medi-Cal Payments
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Two Month Delay on Medicare Cuts Buys Congress until March 1st
Congress bought itself 2 months by approving a two-month extension of the 2011 Medicare fee schedule and avoiding a 27.4% Medicare fee-for-service cut on January 1st.
New Member Benefit! Free Secure Messaging
ACCMA recently announced DocBookMD – a unique smartphone application just for members that allows you to instantly communicate with fellow ACCMA members in a secure, HIPAA-compliant environment.
Update on Negotiations to Stop 24.7% Medicare SGR Cuts
Congress continues to work to get an agreement on stopping the 27.4% Medicare fee-for-service SGR cuts before they take effect on January 1, 2012. While leaders in both the House and the Senate are publicly committed to stopping the cuts, it is less clear is how they will do so before the end of the year.
Planned Medicare Reimbursement Tax Eliminated
Congress has passed and the President has signed a bill that prevents a planned 3 percent tax withholding from physician Medicare reimbursements, which was a provision of the health care reform bill passed in 2009.
Weighing Your Medicare Participation Options
Physicians have until December 31st to change your Medicare participation status for 2012. Find out more information about what your options are.
HIPAA 5010 Deadline Right Around the Corner
Physicians should NOT expect a delay in the HIPAA 5010 compliance deadline of January 1, 2012, and should expect claims that are not in compliance with the new standards to be rejected on January 1st.
CMA Files Lawsuit in Response to Medi-Cal Cuts
CMA has filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over the recent approval of a 10 percent reimbursement rate cut for Medi-Cal providers.
Final Month to Qualify for Subsidized HIT Assistance
This is the final month for primary care physicians to qualify for federally-subsidized assistance with electronic health record adoption and implementation.
Tell Congress to Fix the Medicare SGR Formula Once and for All
The Congressional "super committee" has until Thanksgiving to develop $1.5 trillion in spending cuts/revenue increases, which may be organized medicine's last opportunity in the foreseeable future to eliminate the SGR once and for all before a planned 27.4% Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) payment cut before its takes effect on January 1st.
Time is Running Out to Claim E-Rx Penalty Exemption
Physicians only have until October 31st to apply for an exemption from the 1% penalty that will be imposed in 2012 on providers who did not meet Medicare's electronic prescribing reporting requirements in the first six months of 2011.
Campaign Underway to Permanently Repeal Medicare SGR – Act Now!
Please help urge the Joint Congressional Super Committee on Deficit Reduction to eliminate the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula once and for all and to stop further cuts to California’s Medi-Cal program. All California physicians are requested to take immediate action!
Nationwide Medicare Revalidation Begins
East Bay physicians are beginning to receive letters from Palmetto GBA (California’s Medicare contractor) requesting revalidation of their Medicare enrollment information. These letters are the first round of a national initiative to have all providers revalidate Medicare enrollment by the Spring of 2013.