New Medicare Card
Beginning in April 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will mail new Medicare cards to all people with Medicare on a flow basis by geographic location and other factors. Additional details on timing will be available as the mailings progress. Mailing Schedule April -…
AMA Releases Results of Prior Authorization Survey
In December 2017, the American Medical Association conducted a survey of 1000 practicing physicians (40% primary care/60% specialists) to gain more insight and data on the extent to which prior authorization requirements delay or interfere with patients receiving timely care AND the burden PA requirements place on physician…
PBPM Payments
AMS has learned from the Medicaid program that a capitation payment (PBPM) for Quarter 1 of 2018 was generated to PCMHs on March 10 with a settlement date of March 16 and some of those checks were paid incorrectly. According to DXC some of these PBPM payments from…
Prepare for New Medicare Cards
The new Medicare card is a result of MACRA's requirement that CMS issue Medicare cards that do not display Social Security numbers to address the risk of beneficiary identity theft. New Medicare cards will be issued beginning in April 2018 and physician offices must be prepared to accept…
Social media & HIPAA: When sharing is not caring
Social media is an increasingly common presence within the healthcare industry - among providers and consumers alike - but despite the potential benefits it can offer both parties, it introduces many risks. Paging Dr. Google It’s no exaggeration to say that the internet has completely transformed the way…
CDC HEALTH ADVISORY: Influenza
Seasonal Influenza A(H3N2) Activity and Antiviral Treatment of Patients with Influenza Summary The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing: a notice about increased influenza A(H3N2) activity and its clinical implications; a summary of influenza antiviral drug treatment recommendations; an update about approved treatment drugs and…
Member Benefit Update: DocbookMD
Due to feedback from users, DocbookMD, a fully encrypted, exclusive messaging service for AMS members, has discontinued the "CareTeam" feature for new enrollees. "Care Team" allowed physicians to add other medical staff to their DocbookMD account and share messages. Members who have already been using it will be…
The Seventh Rule
The day was drawing to an end and Charlie - my third year medical student - and I were struggling to see the last patients when my pager went off. Being involved in examining a patient I asked Charlie to get it for me. He came back saying that Mrs.…
Arkansans for Jobs and Justice Launches Campaign for Real Tort Reform in Arkansas
Little Rock - A coalition representing a diverse group of Arkansans has joined together to support commonsense reforms that will help make Arkansas more competitive with surrounding states and protect everyday Arkansans. Paperwork was filed today for Arkansans for Jobs and Justice to advocate for the passage of…
ABCBS Reduces Reimbursement for Individual Market Plans
AMS has learned that the state's largest insurance carrier, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield will reduce reimbursements to its provider network effective January 1, 2018. The reduction applies only to the carrier's individual metallic health plans (i.e. not group health plans), which include the Arkansas Works Medicaid…
Arkansas’ Upgrade to a New Medicaid Management Information System
New MMIS Healthcare Portal Official Go-live Date is November 1, 2017. This is the new way claims will transmitted to Medicaid. In preparation for this transition, many activities leading up to November 1 will be taking place. Learn more in the October issue of the ARMedicaid Insider. The issue…