San Juan IPA ALERT! Telehealth Information: Molina, Presbyterian- BH Only, MCR Telehealth FAQs/ MLN COVID-19 Telehealth & Non-Essential Procedures/ OCR- Guidance on Telehealth Remote Communications/COVID-19 HEDIS for BCBSNM

IPA                                          

The information contained within this message is for your use, in order to inform you of any changes that may be occurring at the San Juan IPA, or within the medical community. Please read each message carefully, as they contain important information that may directly affect your practice.

 

All Molina Contracted Members: COVID-19 Telehealth Provider Notice (see attachment)COVID_19 Telehealth Provider Notice

All Presbyterian Behavioral Health Contracted Members: Telehealth Provider Instruction (see attachment)March 2020 Presbyterian Network Connection Newsletter 

All Members & Staff: Medicare Telehealth Frequently Asked Questions (see attachment) Medicare Telehealth Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)_03172020 

All Presbyterian Contracted Members: Network Connection (see attachment)  PHP Telehealth Provider Instruction BH only

All Members & Staff: Medicare Learning Network COVID-19 Telehealth & Non-Essential Procedures

Provider Education Message: COVID-19: Telehealth and Non-Essential Procedures CMS Releases Telehealth Toolkits for General Practitioners and End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Providers Medicare FFS Response to the Public Health Emergency on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) — Revised COVID-19 Elective Surgeries and Non-Essential Procedures Recommendations   CMS Releases Telehealth Toolkits for General Practitioners and End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Providers On March 18, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released two comprehensive toolkits on telehealth that are specific to general practitioners as well as providers treating patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Under President Trump’s leadership to respond to the need to limit the spread of COVID-19, CMS has broadened access to Medicare telehealth services so that beneficiaries can receive a wider range of services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility. CMS is expanding this benefit on a temporary and emergency basis under the 1135 waiver authority and Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. Under this new waiver, Medicare can pay for office, hospital, and other visits furnished via telehealth across the country and including in patient’s places of residence starting March 6, 2020. A range of providers, such as doctors, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers, will be able to offer telehealth to their patients. These benefits are part of the broader effort by CMS and the White House Task Force to ensure that all Americans – particularly those at high-risk of complications from the virus that causes the disease COVID-19 are aware of easy-to-use, accessible benefits that can help keep them healthy while helping to contain the community spread of this virus. Each toolkit contains electronic links to reliable sources of information on telehealth and telemedicine, which will reduce the amount of time providers spend searching for answers and increase their time with patients. Many of these links will help providers learn about the general concept of telehealth, choose telemedicine vendors, initiate a telemedicine program, monitor patients remotely, and develop documentation tools. Additionally, the information contained within each toolkit will also outline temporary virtual services that could be used to treat patients during this specific period of time. You can find the Telehealth Toolkit for General Practitioners here: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/general-telemedicine-toolkit.pdf You can find the End-Stage Renal Disease Providers Toolkit here: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/esrd-provider-telehealth-telemedicine-toolkit.pdf CMS continues to monitor the developing COVID-19 situation and assess options to bring relief to clinicians. To keep up with the important work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19 visit the coronavirus.gov webpage. For complete and updated information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website. Medicare FFS Response to the Public Health Emergency on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) — Revised The MLN Matters Special Edition Article SE20011 on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Response to the Public Health Emergency on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) (PDF) was updated to cover the use of modifiers on telehealth claims and to explain that the DR condition code is not needed on telehealth claims under the waiver.   COVID-19 Elective Surgeries and Non-Essential Procedures Recommendations On March 18, at the White House Task Force Press Briefing, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that all elective surgeries, non-essential medical, surgical, and dental procedures be delayed during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. You can find a copy of the press release here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-recommendations-adult-elective-surgeries-non-essential-medical-surgical-and-dental You can find a copy of the guidance here: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/31820-cms-adult-elective-surgery-and-procedures-recommendations.pdf These recommendations, and earlier CMS guidance and actions in response to the COVID-19 virus, are part of the ongoing White House Task Force efforts. To keep up with the important work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19, visit the coronavirus.gov webpage for further information. For a complete and updated list of CMS actions, and other information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.   The Medicare Learning Network®, MLN Connects®, and MLN Matters® are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).        A message from:

Copyright © 2020 Novitas Solutions, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted into our mailing list Our mailing address is: Novitas Solutions 2020 Technology Parkway Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

All Members & Staff: OCR Issues Guidance on Telehealth Remote Communications Following Its Notification of Enforcement Discretion

 

 

 

 

March 20, 2020

OCR Issues Guidance on Telehealth Remote Communications Following Its Notification of Enforcement Discretion

 

Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidance on telehealth remote communications following its Notification of Enforcement Discretion during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency.

The Notification, issued earlier this week, announced, effective immediately, that OCR is exercising its enforcement discretion to not impose penalties for HIPAA violations against healthcare providers in connection with their good faith provision of telehealth using communication technologies during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency.

The new guidance is in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and clarifies how OCR is applying the Notification to support the good faith provision of telehealth.  Some of the FAQs include:

• What covered entities are included and excluded under the Notification?
• Which parts of the HIPAA Rules are included in the Notification?
• Does the Notification apply to violations of 42 CFR Part 2, the HHS regulation that protects the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records?
• When does the Notification expire?
• Where can health care providers conduct telehealth?
• What is a “non-public facing” remote communication product?

“We are empowering medical providers to serve patients wherever they are during this national public health emergency,” said Roger Severino, OCR Director.  “We are especially concerned about reaching those most at risk, including older persons and persons with disabilities,” Severino added.

The FAQs on telehealth remote communications may be found at:  https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/telehealth-faqs-508.pdf – PDF

The press release on telehealth remote communications may be found at: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/03/17/ocr-announces-notification-of-enforcement-discretion-for-telehealth-remote-communications-during-the-covid-19.html

The Notification of Enforcement Discretion on telehealth remote communications may be found at: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/emergency-preparedness/notification-enforcement-discretion-telehealth/index.html

For more information on HIPAA and COVID-19, see OCR’s February 2020 Bulletin:  https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/february-2020-hipaa-and-novel-coronavirus.pdf – PDF

###

All SJIPA Members and Office Staff: COVID-19 HEDIS for BCBSNM

 

Due to the presence of COVID-19 and the healthcare state of emergency in New Mexico, many facilities are limiting non-patient access for the safety of their staff and patients.  Similarly, BCBSNM and the San Juan IPA are limiting staff exposure to medical facilities.  Unfortunately, it is HEDIS season and records still need to be processed.  San Juan IPA and BCBSNM are asking for HEDIS records be to pulled and sent by your facilities.  At this time BCBSNM is not making this a mandatory request, but please be aware that contractually they may do so.  For clarity: should BCBSNM take that step it will become a contractual obligation for records to be pulled and sent.

 

Please send records by fax, secure email or by mail to:

 

• Fax to (800) 386-9132
• Secure email to NMHEDISCOMM@bcbsnm.com – please use your facilities email encryption feature.
• USPS and mail to:

Blue Cross Blue Shield of NM

5701 Balloon Fiesta Parkway NE

Albuquerque, NM  87113

Attention:  HEDIS – Commercial QI Department

If you have any questions regarding your HEDIS from the BCBS, please call Margie LaRue at (505) 564-7928, or Shirley Shippers with BCBS at (505) 816-4076.

 

GO TO ALL ALERTS