Medicare Update from Colorado

Hello Everyone,

Please enjoy the information contained in this edition of Frontier Focus. Please be sure to share it with your members, colleagues, providers and office billing staff. Thank you for your continued efforts to broadcast Medicare information to the providers in Region VIII.





Table of Contents



1. New From the Medicare Learning Network



2. 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative National Provider Call



3. Latest version of “Information and Education Resources for Medicare Providers” PowerPoint Presentation Now Available



4. CMS Announces First Results of Hospital Quality Reporting for Outpatient Services



5. CMS Announces Sites for a Demonstration to Encourage Greater Collaboration & Improve Quality Using Bundled Hospital Payments



6. CMS Strengthens Efforts to Fight Medicare Waste, Fraud and Abuse



7. Medicare Part B Drugs CAP – Reminder about CAP Claims Submission Deadlines and Unused CAP Drugs



8. CMS Reissues Attachment D to Chapter 8 of the OASIS Implementation Manual



9. Internet-Based Medicare Enrollment Expanded for Medicare Physicians & Non-Physician Practitioners



10. Medicare Contractor Inpatient and Long Term Care Hospital Medical Review Initiatives



11. Modifications to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Code Set



12. Review of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Devices



13. January Flu Shot Reminder



14. January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month



15. Extra Help for Beneficiaries Paying for Prescription Drugs



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1. New From the Medicare Learning Network



The ABC’s of Providing the Initial Preventive Physical Examination (January 2009) quick reference information resource is now available in downloadable format. This handy reference tool can be used by Medicare fee-for-service physicians and qualified non-physician practitioners as a guide when providing the initial preventive physical examination (IPPE) (also known as the "Welcome to Medicare" Physical Exam or the "Welcome to Medicare" Visit). The two-sided reference identifies the components and elements of the IPPE; provides eligibility requirements, procedure codes to use when filing claims, FAQs, and suggestions for preparing patients for the IPPE; and lists references for additional information. To view, download and print this resource, please go to the CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN) at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MPS_QRI_IPPE001a.pdf.





The Medicare Preventive Services (January 2009) Quick Reference Information resource is now available in downloadable format. This two-sided resource gives Medicare fee-for-service physicians, providers, suppliers, and other health care professionals a quick reference to Medicare's preventive services. To view, download and print this resource, please go to the CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN) at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MPS_QuickReferenceChart_1.pdf.





The Expanded Benefits Brochure (January 2009) is now available in downloadable format. This tri-fold brochure provides health care professionals with an overview of Medicare's coverage of three preventive services: the initial preventive physical examination (IPPE), also known as the Welcome to "Medicare Physical" Exam or the "Welcome to Medicare" visit, ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms, and cardiovascular screening blood tests. To view, download and print the brochure please go to the CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN) at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/Expanded_Benefits.pdf.





The Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Resources for Indian Health Care Professionals CD Rom, which provides descriptions of and links to various MLN products that can help Indian health care professionals and their staff gain a better understanding of the Medicare fee-for-service program is now available to order. To view content of CD Rom, select the CD title from the "Downloads" section below. To view a PDF file of the content found on the CD Rom, please go to the CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN) at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/wIndianHealthFS102908f.pdf. To order a copy, free of charge, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/01_Overview.asp, scroll down to “Related Links Inside CMS” and select “MLN Product Ordering Page.”



The publication titled Medicare Billing Information for Rural Providers, Suppliers, and Physicians (revised October 2008), which consists of charts that provide Medicare billing information for Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Home Health Agencies, Critical Access Hospitals, and Swing Beds, is now available in print format from the Medicare Learning Network. To place your order, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/01_Overview.asp, scroll down to “Related Links Inside CMS” and select “MLN Product Ordering Page.”





Try the NEW Guided Pathways (DEC2008) Medicare Learning Network (MLN) products! These three booklets incorporate existing Medicare Learning Network (MLN) products and other CMS resources into well organized sections that can help Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) providers and suppliers find information to understand and navigate the Medicare Program. The three Guided Pathways booklets guide learners to resources that provide a fundamental overview of Medicare knowledge, as well as detailed FFS policies and requirements. Click here to access the Guided Pathways educational web guide and booklets.

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2. 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative National Provider Call



2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative

National Provider Call with Question & Answer Session



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Provider Communications Group will host the first in a series of national provider conference calls on the 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). This toll-free call will take place from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., EST, on Wednesday, January 14, 2009.



The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) made the PQRI program permanent, but only authorized incentive payments through 2010. Eligible professionals who meet the criteria for satisfactory submission of quality measures data for services furnished during the reporting period, January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009, will earn an incentive payment of 2.0 percent of their total allowed charges for Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) covered professional services furnished during that same period. The 2009 PQRI consists of 153 quality measures and 7 measures groups.



Following a short presentation on what’s new for the 2009 PQRI, the lines will be opened to allow participants to ask questions of CMS PQRI subject matter experts.



Educational products are available on the PQRI dedicated web page located at, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI , on the CMS website, in the Educational Resources section. Feel free to download the resources prior to the call so that you may ask questions of the presenters, Dr. Michael Rapp and Dr. Daniel Green.



Conference call details:

Date: January 14, 2009

Conference Title: 2009 PQRI- National Provider Call

Time: 1:30 p.m. EST



In order to receive the call-in information, you must register for the call. It is important to note that if you are planning to sit in with a group, only one person needs to register to receive the call-in data. This registration is solely to reserve a phone line, NOT to allow participation. If you cannot attend the call, replay information is available below.



Registration will close at 1:30 p.m. EST on January 13, 2009, or when available space has been filled. No exceptions will be made, so please be sure to register prior to this time.

To register for the call participants need to go to: http://www2.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/011409


Fill in all required data.


Verify your time zone is displayed correctly the drop down box.


Click "Register".


You will be taken to the “Thank you for registering” page and will receive a confirmation email shortly thereafter. Note: Please print and save this page, in the event that your server blocks the confirmation emails. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check your spam/junk mail filter as it may have been directed there.


For those of you unable to attend, a replay option will be available shortly following the end of the call. This replay will be accessible from 2:30 p.m. EST 1/14/2009 until 11:59 p.m. EST 1/21/2009. The cal- in data for the replay is (800) 642-1687 and the passcode is 79451256.



If you require services for the hearing impaired please send an email to: Medicare.TTT@PalmettoGBA.com.

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3. Latest version of “Information and Education Resources for Medicare Providers” PowerPoint Presentation Now Available



The latest version of the Provider Communications Group’s “Information and Education Resources for Medicare Providers” PowerPoint Presentation has been posted and is available for use. This revised edition includes updated information on:





· A/B MAC Award Update

· The Physician Quality Reporting Initiative

· E-Prescribing Incentive Program





The PowerPoint Presentation is posted at:

http://cmsnett.cms.hhs.gov/hpages/cmm/pcg/pcg_outreach_support.asp as well as

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ContractorLearningResources/

.



Please remember that the “Information and Education Resources for Medicare Providers” PowerPoint Presentation was developed to assist CMS staff and Medicare Contractors who are giving presentations to provider audiences regarding Medicare education and outreach information. The first and last slides should be edited to include the speaker’s name and title. The presentation also includes many website addresses that make it a useful tool when navigating through the CMS Website. Therefore, it may be helpful to print and distribute the slides to attendees. The presentation is updated regularly to ensure that it contains the most current and relevant provider-related information. If you have any questions, please contact me at robin.sutton@cms.hhs.gov .

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4. CMS Announces First Results of Hospital Quality Reporting for Outpatient Services



MORE THAN 99 % OF PARTICIPATING HOSPITALS TO RECEIVE FULL PAYMENT UPDATE FOR 2009



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has notified more than 3,000 of the nation’s hospitals that they will receive the full payment update for calendar year (CY) 2009 as part of the new Hospital Outpatient Quality Data Reporting Program.



The successful hospitals represent 99.3 percent of all hospitals that participated in the program that began in 2008 as an effort to strengthen the tie between the quality of care furnished to people with Medicare in hospital outpatient departments and the payments hospitals receive for those services.



To view the entire Press Release dated January 8, 2009, go to the following link on the CMS website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp.

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5. CMS Announces Sites for a Demonstration to Encourage Greater Collaboration & Improve Quality Using Bundled Hospital Payments



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced site selections for the Acute Care Episode (ACE) demonstration. ACE is a new hospital-based demonstration that will test the use of a bundled payment for both hospital and physician services for a select set of inpatient episodes of care to improve the quality of care delivered through Medicare fee-for-service.

Baptist Health System in San Antonio, Texas; Oklahoma Heart Hospital LLC in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colo.; Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla.; and Lovelace Health System in Albuquerque, N.M., have been selected to participate in the demonstration.

To view the entire Press Release dated January 7, 2009, go to the following link on the CMS website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp.

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6. CMS Strengthens Efforts to Fight Medicare Waste, Fraud and Abuse



CMS STRENGTHENS EFFORTS TO FIGHT MEDICARE

WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE

Medicare Issues Final Rule Requiring Surety Bonds for DMEPOS Suppliers and

Takes Next Step in Fighting Home Health Fraud



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it is requiring certain durable medical equipment suppliers to post a surety bond. In addition, CMS announced that it has revoked the billing privileges of more than 1,100 medical equipment suppliers in south Florida and southern California and is suspending payments to home health agencies in the Miami-Dade, Fla. area. To view the entire Press Release dated 12/29/2008, go to the following link on the CMS website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp.

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7. Medicare Part B Drugs CAP – Reminder about CAP Claims Submission Deadlines and Unused CAP Drugs



The following is a reminder about upcoming CAP deadlines. It is very important that participating CAP physicians understand and comply with these deadlines because failure to do so will affect physicians’ ability to be reimbursed.

CAP Drugs Administered during 2008

CAP drug claims must be submitted on or before January 30, 2009. CAP drug claims and corresponding physicians’ drug administration claims must have a date of service on or before December 31, 2008.
CAP drugs that have not been administered by December 31, 2008 are the property of the Approved CAP Vendor.
Do not submit CAP claims for dates of service after December 31, 2008 because they will be denied.
CAP Drugs NOT Administered by December 31, 2008

CAP physicians must return any unused CAP drugs to the Approved CAP Vendor by February 28, 2009.
CAP drugs are the property of the Approved CAP Vendor. Therefore, physicians who have not returned these drugs to the Approved CAP Vendor on or before February 28, 2009 will be liable for the cost of drugs.
Please note that CAP physicians may contact the Approved CAP Vendor to discuss the option of purchasing unused CAP drugs.
Emergency Restocking of CAP Drugs for Dates of Services on or before December 31, 2008

When permitted under the emergency restocking provision, physicians may submit a prescription order for a CAP drug to replace what they used from their own stock (the emergency restocking provision). Physicians may request replacement drugs ONLY if the date of service is on or before December 31, 2008, AND the corresponding drug administration claim has been submitted on or before January 30, 2009.
Physicians must request replacement drugs by January 30, 2009.
The Approved CAP Vendor will not send replacement products under the CAP emergency restocking provision (J2 modifier claims) after February 28, 2009.
CAP physicians who have not submitted a prescription order and a request for replacement drugs under the emergency restocking provision as described above will not be able to bill Medicare under the ASP system for the CAP drugs that they administered on or before December 31, 2008 from their private stock.
For more information

Physicians who participated in the CAP during 2008 are encouraged to contact the Approved CAP Vendor and reconcile their inventories as soon as possible. Contact information for the Approved CAP Vendor, BioScrip, is available on their website at www.bioscrip.com.

Additional information on the 2009 CAP Postponement is available on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CompetitiveAcquisforBios/01_overview.asp

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8. CMS Reissues Attachment D to Chapter 8 of the OASIS Implementation Manual



“Attachment D” to Chapter 8 of the “Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) Implementation Manual” has been reissued to promote accurate selection and assignment of the patient’s diagnosis on the current OASIS (OASIS B1 [1/2008). This document clarifies the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expectations specific to the assignment of diagnosis codes to the OASIS as dictated by the revised ICD-9-CM coding guidelines effective October 2008, and the Home Health PPS refinements effective January, 2008. Attachment D addresses the diagnoses items that pertain to the home health episode (i.e., M0230, M0240 and M0246) and is currently posted in the “Downloads” section of the “OASIS B1 User Manual” web page on the CMS website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HomeHealthQualityInits/14_HHQIOASISUserManual.asp

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9. Internet-Based Medicare Enrollment Expanded for Medicare Physicians & Non-Physician Practitioners



MEDICARE PHYSICIANS AND NON-PHYSICIAN PRACTITIONERS

INTERNET-BASED MEDICARE ENROLLMENT IS AVAILABLE

in 44 STATES and the DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA



IT’S FAST, SECURE, and EASY



December 29, 2008



Now there’s a better way for physicians and non-physician practitioners to enroll or make a change in their Medicare enrollment information. The Internet-based Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) will allow physicians and non-physician practitioners to enroll, make a change in their Medicare enrollment, view their Medicare enrollment information on file with Medicare, or check on the status of a Medicare enrollment application via the Internet.



Previously, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Internet-based PECOS is available to physicians and non-physician practitioners in District of Columbia and the following States:





Alaska
Kansas
New York
Washington

Arizona
Kentucky
North Carolina
West Virginia

Connecticut
Maryland
North Dakota
Wisconsin

Delaware
Michigan
Ohio
Wyoming

Florida
Minnesota
Oregon


Hawaii
Missouri
Pennsylvania


Idaho
Montana
South Carolina


Illinois
Nebraska
South Dakota


Indiana
Nevada
Tennessee


Iowa
New Jersey
Utah



Today, CMS is announcing the expansion of Internet-based PECOS for physicians and non-physician practitioners in the following States:



Alabama Louisiana Mississippi Vermont

Arkansas Massachusetts New Hampshire

Georgia Maine Rhode Island



Physicians and non-physician practitioners in the States shown above and the District of Columbia who wish to access Internet-based PECOS may go to https://pecos.cms.hhs.gov.



CMS will expand the availability of Internet-based PECOS for physicians and non-physician practitioners to all States over the next 2 months. In addition, CMS will make Internet-based PECOS available next year to all providers and suppliers (except durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers).





Fast



By submitting the initial Medicare enrollment application through Internet-based PECOS, a physician or non-physician practitioner’s enrollment application can be processed as much as 50 percent faster than by paper. This means that it will take less time to enroll.



Physicians and non-physician practitioners are required by regulation to report certain changes in their enrollment information within specified timeframes. Internet-based PECOS will allow them to update, make corrections, and check on the status of their Medicare enrollment applications —again, as much as 50 percent faster than by paper. Changes include a change in practice location, ownership, or final adverse action (e.g., medical license suspension or revocation.) For additional information about the types of changes that must be reported, go to the download section of www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll.



Secure



Internet-based PECOS meets all required Government security standards in terms of data entry, data transmission, and the electronic storage of Medicare enrollment information. Only authorized individuals can enter enrollment information into PECOS or view PECOS data from the Internet. Authorized individuals include physicians and non-physician practitioners. Their User IDs and passwords protect the access to their enrollment information. After physicians or non-physician practitioners create User IDs and passwords or change their passwords, they should keep this information secure and not share it with anyone. By safeguarding their User IDs and passwords, they are taking an important step in protecting their enrollment information. CMS does not disclose Medicare enrollment information to anyone except when we are authorized or required to do so by law.



Easy



Internet-based PECOS is a scenario-driven application process with front-end editing capabilities and built-in help screens. The scenario-driven application process will ensure that physicians and non-physician practitioners complete and submit only the information necessary to enroll or make a change in their Medicare enrollment record. In contrast to the information collected on the CMS-855I, physicians and non-physician practitioners will no longer see questions that are not applicable to their enrollment scenarios when using Internet-based PECOS.



Note: Physicians and non-physician practitioners are still required to sign and date the Certification Statement and mail the Certification Statement and all supporting paper documentation to the Medicare contractor.



A Medicare contractor will not process an Internet enrollment application without the signed and dated Certification Statement and the required supporting documentation. In addition, the effective date of filing an enrollment application is the date the Medicare contractor receives the signed Certification Statement that is associated with the Internet submission.



Additional Information



For information about Internet-based PECOS, including important information that physicians and non-physician practitioners should know before submitting a Medicare enrollment application via Internet-based PECOS, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll.

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10. Medicare Contractor Inpatient and Long Term Care Hospital Medical Review Initiatives



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wishes to inform the hospital community of the following three separate and distinct medical review activities:

(1) In August 2008, the Fiscal Intermediaries (FIs) and Part A/Part B Medicare Administrative Contractors (A/B MACs) started to perform medical review on acute IPPS and Long Term Care hospital claims. Please see the details in MLN Matters article MM5849 by going to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/2008MMAN/list.asp#TopOfPage and searching on the keyword R264PI. Contractors for FIs and A/B MACs are shown by State/jurisdiction at:

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareContractingReform/Downloads/CurrentMaps.pdf and

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareContractingReform/downloads/ABMACJurisdictionsMAP.pdf

These contractors have begun to request medical records as part of the medical review process. If you would like to learn more about that process, you can go to CMS Internet Only Manuals found at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/home/regsguidance.asp The guidance can be found in the Program Integrity Manual (100-8) in Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 6. For questions specific to your claims review, contact your FI or A/B MAC.

(2) In addition to the reviews described above, in a separate initiative required by law, CMS has contracted with Wisconsin Physician Services (WPS) to perform a limited number of medical reviews across the country of Long Term Care Hospital (LTCH) claims.

(3) CMS wishes to take this opportunity to inform the hospital community of its desire to continue hospital comparative utilization reports commonly known as PEPPER Reports. CMS will provide further details in the future, when the procurement process is complete.

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11. Modifications to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Code Set



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased to announce the scheduled release of modifications to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code set. These changes have been posted to the HCPCS website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HCPCSReleaseCodeSets/02_HCPCS_Quarterly_Update.asp in the Downloads section under “Other Codes, April 2009.” Changes are effective on the date indicated on the update.

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12. Review of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Devices



The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has partnered with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to commission a review of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) devices. The purpose of this review is to provide information to CMS for consideration in Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) coding decisions. Section 154(c) (3) of the Medicare Improvements for Patient and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) calls for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to perform an evaluation of the HCPCS codes for NPWT devices.

The HCPCS Level II coding system is a comprehensive, standardized system that classifies similar products that are medical in nature into categories for the purpose of efficient claims processing. Products are classified based on similarities in function and whether the products exhibit significant therapeutic distinctions from other products. This review will facilitate CMS' evaluation of HCPCS coding for NPWT by providing CMS with relevant studies and information for use in consideration of coding changes, as required by the MIPPA legislation. CMS will use this review in its assessment of whether existing HCPCS codes adequately represent the technology and comparative benefits of NPWT devices.



This review is one of several that are being conducted for the AHRQ Technology Assessment Program. It will include a review of all available literature on the topic and a solicitation from all interested stakeholders including health care professionals, scientific researchers, wound care organizations, biotech industry, and the patient wound care community for studies and other compelling clinical evidence regarding clinical outcomes associated with NPWT devices. We are particularly interested in those well-conducted clinical trials that describe the comparative benefits of these devices.

The solicitation for studies and evidence was made available to industry stakeholders on December 30, 2008, and requested stakeholders provide this information to AHRQ by February 06, 2009. Stakeholders who would like to provide information about studies or other compelling evidence related to comparative benefits and outcomes of NPWT devices should refer to http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/ta/npwtrequest.htm.

For the full HCPCS web page see http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medhcpcsgeninfo/ on the CMS website.

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13. January Flu Shot Reminder



It’s Not Too Late to Get the Flu Shot. We are in the midst of flu season and a flu vaccine is still the best way to prevent infection and the complications associated with the flu. Re-vaccination is necessary each year because flu viruses change each year. So please encourage your Medicare patients who haven’t already done so to get their annual flu shot--and don’t forget to immunize yourself and your staff. Protect yourself, your patients, and your family and friends.

Get Your Flu Shot – Not the Flu!



Remember - Influenza vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. Note that influenza vaccine is NOT a Part D covered drug. Health care professionals and their staff can learn more about Medicare’s coverage of the influenza vaccine and other Medicare Part B covered vaccines and related provider education resources created by the CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN), by reviewing Special Edition MLN Matters article SE0838 http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0838.pdf on the CMS website.

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14. January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month



January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month ~ In recognition of National Glaucoma Awareness Month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reminds health care professionals that Medicare provides coverage of a comprehensive annual glaucoma screening exam for seniors and others with Medicare at high risk for developing glaucoma.



Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the United States and while anyone can develop glaucoma, the risk of glaucoma increases with age. Early detection and treatment of glaucoma, before it causes major vision loss, is the best way to control the disease.



Medicare Coverage

Medicare beneficiaries in one of the following high risk groups are eligible for an annual glaucoma screening covered by Medicare:



Individuals with diabetes mellitus;
Individuals with a family history of glaucoma;
African-Americans age 50 and older; and
Hispanic-Americans age 65 and older.


A covered glaucoma screening includes:



A dilated eye examination with an intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement; and
A direct ophthalmoscopy examination or a slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination.


What Can You Do?

As a health care professional who provides care to seniors and others with Medicare, you can help protect the vision of your Medicare patients who may be at high risk for glaucoma by educating them about their risk factors and reminding them of the importance of getting an annual glaucoma screening exam covered by Medicare. Your reminder and referral for a glaucoma screening exam can help provide eligible Medicare beneficiaries with peace of mind and safeguard their vision.





For More Information

· CMS has developed a variety of educational products and resources to help health care professionals and their staff learn more about coverage, coding, billing, and reimbursement for preventive services and screenings covered by Medicare.



The MLN Preventive Services Educational Products Web Page ~ provides descriptions and ordering information for all provider specific educational products related to preventive services. The web page is located at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.asp on the CMS website.


Glaucoma Screening Brochure ~ This tri-fold brochure provides health care professionals with an overview of Medicare’s coverage of glaucoma screening services. To view online go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/glaucoma.pdf on the CMS website. To order copies of the brochure, go to the CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Product Ordering System located at: http://cms.meridianksi.com/kc/main/kc_frame.asp?kc_ident=kc0001&loc=5


The CMS website provides information for preventive service covered by Medicare. Go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov, select “Medicare”, and scroll down to the “Prevention” section.


· For information to share with your Medicare patients, visit http://www.medicare.gov

· For more information about glaucoma, visit The National Eye Institute http://www.nei.nih.gov/index.asp



· For more information about National Glaucoma Awareness Month, please visit http://www.preventblindness.org/



Thank you for helping CMS protect the vision of Medicare beneficiaries who are at higher risk for glaucoma by joining in the effort to educate beneficiaries about glaucoma, and the importance of early detection by taking advantage of the annual glaucoma screening benefit covered by Medicare.

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15. Extra Help for Beneficiaries Paying for Prescription Drugs



Do You Know Someone Who Is Having Trouble Paying For Prescription Drugs?

Medicare Can Help!



· If an individual has limited income and resources, they may qualify for extra help from Medicare. It could be worth over $3,300 in savings on prescription drug costs per year.

· Encourage people with Medicare to file for Extra Help online: https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps6z/i1020/main.html or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to apply over the phone.

· State Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP) offices can assist with the application. Find contact information for a local SHIP Counselor at http://www.medicare.gov/contacts/static/allStateContacts.asp or by calling

1-800-MEDICARE.

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Lucretia James

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Region VIII

1600 Broadway, Suite 700

Denver, CO 80202

(303) 844-1568

lucretia.james@cms.hhs.gov