The document provides updates on Aetna's precertification list, drug precertification requirements, billing policies, and clinical coding policies. It also provides reminders on topics like notifying Aetna of observation stays over 24 hours, appropriate lab testing for patients on certain medications, and verifying member eligibility and coverage when patients seek out-of-state care. The document concludes with information on Aetna's disease management programs and improving quality of care for ADHD.
Meaningful Use in 2015: 6 things to do before the year’s endCureMD
What's in these slides?
1 ) Implementation timeline and requirements.
2 ) What measures have made it to the final list and how to achieve them?
3 ) A checklist of things to do before the year’s end.
4 ) What to expect from stage 3?
MA Appeals Overturn 75% Of Claims Denialsbrennaljan
The name of the company that made the redetermination (the company that handled the Medicare claim in Level 1). You can find this information on the Medicare Summary Notice or the redetermination notice.
Updated With a Second Option!
For practices not currently participating in the Medicare Physician Quality Reporting System, and who don’t want to use a qualified registry or electronic health record PQRS reporting mechanism, another Medicare penalty is looming. Take action now to sign up for a temporary mechanism to prevent it.
Want text, not a slide show? Go to http://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=27780
Certain insurance companies require prior approval to give coverage for medications. Prescribing physicians must gain approval before billing their claims to avoid denials.
Coordination of Benefits and its implications to Health PlansCitiusTech
Coordination of Benefits (COB) allows plans that provide health and/or prescription coverage with Medicare to determine their respective payment responsibilities (i.e. determine which insurance plan has the primary payment responsibility and the extent to which the other plans will contribute when an individual is covered by more than one plan). Member’s primary plan has the responsibility of paying claims first, followed by coverage by remaining plans. This process of splitting the costs across multiple coverage is called COB. This document introduces COB and how health plans and members benefit through COB regulations.
Meaningful Use in 2015: 6 things to do before the year’s endCureMD
What's in these slides?
1 ) Implementation timeline and requirements.
2 ) What measures have made it to the final list and how to achieve them?
3 ) A checklist of things to do before the year’s end.
4 ) What to expect from stage 3?
MA Appeals Overturn 75% Of Claims Denialsbrennaljan
The name of the company that made the redetermination (the company that handled the Medicare claim in Level 1). You can find this information on the Medicare Summary Notice or the redetermination notice.
Updated With a Second Option!
For practices not currently participating in the Medicare Physician Quality Reporting System, and who don’t want to use a qualified registry or electronic health record PQRS reporting mechanism, another Medicare penalty is looming. Take action now to sign up for a temporary mechanism to prevent it.
Want text, not a slide show? Go to http://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=27780
Certain insurance companies require prior approval to give coverage for medications. Prescribing physicians must gain approval before billing their claims to avoid denials.
Coordination of Benefits and its implications to Health PlansCitiusTech
Coordination of Benefits (COB) allows plans that provide health and/or prescription coverage with Medicare to determine their respective payment responsibilities (i.e. determine which insurance plan has the primary payment responsibility and the extent to which the other plans will contribute when an individual is covered by more than one plan). Member’s primary plan has the responsibility of paying claims first, followed by coverage by remaining plans. This process of splitting the costs across multiple coverage is called COB. This document introduces COB and how health plans and members benefit through COB regulations.
All You Need To Know About Insurance Prior Authorizations In HealthcareGaryRichards30
Prior authorization is the talk of the healthcare industry since the increase in specializations in healthcare. Any healthcare process has its own pros and cons. Prior authorization is no exception to that. A Health Insurance Company must verify if the patient is eligible for an insurance for a certain drug or procedure. Before the physician prescribes it to the patient, it is a common practice to parallely check for authorization from an insurance company. Watch to know more about insurance prior authorizations!
Mercy Hospital Freedom Program“Hospital Based Preventive Care Program coupled with Patient Financial Incentives”
William D. Kirsh, DO, MPH
Medical Director,Department of Preventive Medicine
Vee Technologies provides a host of hybrid and versatile solutions for credentialing services. Our team expertly handles payer enrollment and contracting for our clients, turning an arduous task into a quick and easy process.
https://www.veetechnologies.com/industries/healthcare-payer/provider-network-data-management/credentialing.htm
There are three main strategies for billing: becoming credentialed as a provider, obtaining preauthorization before submission, and submitting the claim without prior authorization. If a pharmacist is credentialed with the insurance carrier, he or she is already authorized to submit claims to the insurance company for those patients using the pharmacist’s program.
Providing and Billing Medicare for Transitional and Chronic Care ManagementPYA, P.C.
PYA Principal Martie Ross co-presented “Providing and Billing Medicare for Transitional and Chronic Care Management,” along with Robert Jarrin, Government Affairs Director of Qualcomm Life at the AHLA 2015 Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues program. Together they:
Briefly summarized research regarding advantages of care management services.
Explained the history of Medicare policy regarding care management services.
Provided detailed explanation of billing rules for transitional care management and level of reimbursement.
Provided detailed explanation of billing rules for chronic care management and level of reimbursement.
Highlighted unique arrangements for providing centralized care management services.
6 Chronic Care Management Software Companies That Can Help Your PracticeManny Oliverez
List of 6 Chronic Care Management Software companies that can help you with your practice’s CCM program.
Visit Our Website: http://www.CaptureBilling.com/
Claim denials are costly. Learn the basics of establishing a strong denial management process and strategies to place your focus on denial prevention. Learn to reduce your costs associated with collection on your claims, reduce your days in AR and maintain a healthier Revenue Cycle.
6 revenue cycle metrics you must be tracking nowango mark
Learn how you can improve the financial performance year on year. Leverage your practice revenue cycle metrics by setting benchmarks & KPIs for your billing department - http://bit.ly/2hwlqpm
The 340B Program and Implications of the Mega GuidanceCompleteRx
As the 340B Drug Pricing Program continues to undergo changes, our team has been following all the recent updates and how they impact hospital pharmacies. This presentation goes through the latest on the long awaited guidance of proposed changes that was posted by the Federal Register on August 28, 2015.
Dan Wellisch gave this presentation to the Chicago Technology For Vaue Based Healthcare Meetup at https://www.meetup.com/Chicago-Technology-For-Value-Based-Healthcare-Meetup/
Healthcare Industry Highlight: Revenue Cycle ManagementCascadia_Capital
In our most recent Healthcare Industry Highlight Report on Revenue Cycle Management, we outline the trends driving consolidation and increased market activity and make predictions on the outlook and future of the RCM ecosystem.
All You Need To Know About Insurance Prior Authorizations In HealthcareGaryRichards30
Prior authorization is the talk of the healthcare industry since the increase in specializations in healthcare. Any healthcare process has its own pros and cons. Prior authorization is no exception to that. A Health Insurance Company must verify if the patient is eligible for an insurance for a certain drug or procedure. Before the physician prescribes it to the patient, it is a common practice to parallely check for authorization from an insurance company. Watch to know more about insurance prior authorizations!
Mercy Hospital Freedom Program“Hospital Based Preventive Care Program coupled with Patient Financial Incentives”
William D. Kirsh, DO, MPH
Medical Director,Department of Preventive Medicine
Vee Technologies provides a host of hybrid and versatile solutions for credentialing services. Our team expertly handles payer enrollment and contracting for our clients, turning an arduous task into a quick and easy process.
https://www.veetechnologies.com/industries/healthcare-payer/provider-network-data-management/credentialing.htm
There are three main strategies for billing: becoming credentialed as a provider, obtaining preauthorization before submission, and submitting the claim without prior authorization. If a pharmacist is credentialed with the insurance carrier, he or she is already authorized to submit claims to the insurance company for those patients using the pharmacist’s program.
Providing and Billing Medicare for Transitional and Chronic Care ManagementPYA, P.C.
PYA Principal Martie Ross co-presented “Providing and Billing Medicare for Transitional and Chronic Care Management,” along with Robert Jarrin, Government Affairs Director of Qualcomm Life at the AHLA 2015 Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues program. Together they:
Briefly summarized research regarding advantages of care management services.
Explained the history of Medicare policy regarding care management services.
Provided detailed explanation of billing rules for transitional care management and level of reimbursement.
Provided detailed explanation of billing rules for chronic care management and level of reimbursement.
Highlighted unique arrangements for providing centralized care management services.
6 Chronic Care Management Software Companies That Can Help Your PracticeManny Oliverez
List of 6 Chronic Care Management Software companies that can help you with your practice’s CCM program.
Visit Our Website: http://www.CaptureBilling.com/
Claim denials are costly. Learn the basics of establishing a strong denial management process and strategies to place your focus on denial prevention. Learn to reduce your costs associated with collection on your claims, reduce your days in AR and maintain a healthier Revenue Cycle.
6 revenue cycle metrics you must be tracking nowango mark
Learn how you can improve the financial performance year on year. Leverage your practice revenue cycle metrics by setting benchmarks & KPIs for your billing department - http://bit.ly/2hwlqpm
The 340B Program and Implications of the Mega GuidanceCompleteRx
As the 340B Drug Pricing Program continues to undergo changes, our team has been following all the recent updates and how they impact hospital pharmacies. This presentation goes through the latest on the long awaited guidance of proposed changes that was posted by the Federal Register on August 28, 2015.
Dan Wellisch gave this presentation to the Chicago Technology For Vaue Based Healthcare Meetup at https://www.meetup.com/Chicago-Technology-For-Value-Based-Healthcare-Meetup/
Healthcare Industry Highlight: Revenue Cycle ManagementCascadia_Capital
In our most recent Healthcare Industry Highlight Report on Revenue Cycle Management, we outline the trends driving consolidation and increased market activity and make predictions on the outlook and future of the RCM ecosystem.
The information is this PDF file was collected from the internet. So, they do not reflect any political view of the composer, This PDF file is for training purposes for those who are interested to learn & develop their skills.
This is my talk at various NGOs, and refugee camps.
If you want to learn a new skill or help a community, and you don't know how or where to start, this is a quick starter guide that you should read
El taller práctico: 10 claves para la implementación de tendencias y enfoques innovadores, tiene como propósito que los docentes identifiquen el cambio paradigmático que se requiere para atender al desafío pedagógico que implica incorporar las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (tic) al aula y al currículo escolar.
IBM Connect 2017:
What do IBM Watson, Bluemix, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Wal-Mart, Match.com, eBay, eHarmony, and Amazon all have in common? They all have billions of records; and they all use Graph technology to manage those records. Graph excels at quickly processing huge numbers of records. Even if don't fully understand how Graph databases work, you will want to attend this session to learn how their amazing capabilities that are already built into the OpenNTF Domino API (ODA) can EASILY deliver unique solutions for your own Notes/Domino environment. This session will introduce the fundamentals of Graph, explain how Graph can be applied to NSF data using the ODA, and demonstrate some techniques to implement Graph on your next project.
Part ONE-1 page AMA format-due 917 by 1000 pm EST Evaluate m.docxdanhaley45372
Part ONE-
1 page AMA format-due 9/17 by 10:00 pm EST
Evaluate meaningful use regulations for recovery audit contractors (RACs) and electronic health records (EHRs), as well as the impact on either case management or performance incentives. What is the purpose of these regulations? How effective are they in meeting the purpose? Support your answer with course resources-attached
Part TWO
In response to your peer-provided below, agree or disagree with their assessments of the effectiveness of RAC and EHR meaningful use regulations. Be sure to justify your answer.
Classmate Chiwaula’s post:
Top of Form
MEANINGFUL USE REGULATIONS FOR RECOVERY AUDIT CONTRACTORS & ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS
IMPACT ON CASE MANAGEMENT OR PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES.
In 2015 the Board of Registration in Medicine introduced a set of regulations requiring physicians to demonstrate proficiency in the use of electronic medical records, as well as the skills to achieve the federal Meaningful Use standard. Under the regulations, physicians are considered to have demonstrated proficiency if they meet any one of the following conditions:
· Participating in the Meaningful Use program as an Eligible Professional
· Having a relationship with a hospital that has been certified as a Meaningful Use participant. This relationship would be satisfied by any oneof the following conditions:
. Employed by the hospital
. Credentialed by the hospital to provide patient care
. Having a “contractual agreement” with the hospital
· Completing at least three hours of accredited CME program on electronic health records. Such a program must, at a minimum, discuss the core and menu set objectives, as well as the clinical quality measures for Meaningful Use.1
The Recovery Audit Contractor, or RAC, program was created through the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) to identify and recover improper Medicare payments paid to health care providers under fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare plans. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is required by law to make the program permanent for all states by January 1, 2010, under section 302 of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006.2 The main goals for RAC include:
• Minimize Provider Burden
• Ensure Accuracy
• Maximize Transparency
RACs are authorized to investigate claims submitted by all physicians, providers, facilities, and suppliers—essentially, everyone who provides Medicare beneficiaries in the fee for service program with procedures, services, and treatments and submits claims to Medicare (and/or their fiscal intermediaries (FI), regional home health intermediaries (RHHI), Part A and Part B Medicare administrative contractors (A/B/MACs), durable medical equipment Medicare administrative contractors (DME MACs), and/or carriers.2
Benefits of Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
Providers who use EHRs report tangible improvements in their ability to make better decisions with more compreh.
Medical groups and individual practices in Georgia that struggle managing denials or write off denied claims as bad debts can now handle denial with the help of these strategies.
Using Quality Tools and Concepts to Improve SalesThomas Kaster
This is a white paper that I submitted for the 2009 Decision Science Institute (DSI) in New Orleans which documents a large scale quality project I undertook. In the project quality tools and concepts were used to analyze two virtual call centers and look for opportunities for sales improvement.
Healthcare Total Cost of Care Analysis: A Vital ToolHealth Catalyst
How can healthcare organizations set themselves up for success as the industry shifts from fee-for-service to value-based reimbursement? They need to understand risk of their patients and population to identify ways to reduce healthcare costs and improve quality of care. This makes total cost of care (TCOC) analysis a necessary skillset in this time of transition.
TCOC analysis leverages key elements of the healthcare analytics infrastructure to understand how money is being spent at the organization and identify the drivers of high cost:
An integrated EDW.
Payer reporting tools.
Claims and membership data.
Predictive capabilities.
Risk scores.
Scorecards and dashboards.
Analyst support.
Delivering Care Under the MACRA Final Rule: Implementation Considerations and...Epstein Becker Green
Presented November 18, 2016, by Mark Lutes, Robert F. Atlas, and Lesley R. Yeung of Epstein Becker Green and EBG Advisors.
http://www.ebglaw.com
http://www.ebgadvisors.com
Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program: Keys to SuccessHealth Catalyst
Avoidable readmissions are a major financial major problem for the healthcare industry, especially for government payers. To tackle this problem, CMS launched the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). While some hospitals may be able to absorb the financial penalties under HRRP, they still need to track increasingly complex reporting metrics. Most tracking solutions are inadequate for today’s complicated reporting needs. A healthcare enterprise data warehouse and analytics applications, however, are designed to solve the numerous reporting burdens. When used together, they also deliver a robust solution that enables hospitals to track and drive real cost and quality improvement initiatives, all without the need for users to be technical experts.
CPPS Part 2 Page 1 Community Patient Portal System (CPP.docxvanesaburnand
CPPS Part 2 Page 1
Community Patient Portal System (CPPS) Case Study Part 2
As previously discussed the CPPS need to provide general services for
patients that include the ability to schedule appointments; view lab and
other reports; view medical history; request prescription refills; update
contact information, check benefits and coverage; check account balances;
submit forms; and send messages to providers (doctors). In order to
provide these services, the system must also maintain the doctor’s
appointment schedule including the days and times the doctor is available.
Other information will come from the existing CPS (Community Patient
System) which maintains details on the patient including patient
employment, insurance, and other personal information. The system will
also need access to lab reports, patient’s medical history, prescription
details, account details, and other information.
The following describes some of the services provided:
Create CPPS Account
In order to use the CPPS, the patient will require an existing account and
then log in to the account. To create an account the patient will have to
provide first and last name, address (street, city, state, and zipcode),
username (account id), password twice (for security), and email account.
The patient can also set up a two-step verification process for signing in on a
new device or new location. If they already have an account, then they can
just log in. The username is the same as their Account ID which is issued to
each new patient.
Login to CPPS
If a patient already has an account, then they can just log in by entering
their user id and password into a login in area. The username is the same
as their Account ID which is issued to each new patient and must be verified.
Login verification, if set up, requires the user to complete a two-step
process: login and then a verification of predetermined information like a
verified phone number or a confirmed email address. The login information
must be validated.
Make an Appointment
In order to select the option to make an appointment, the patient must
already be logged in to the CPPS. Scheduling an appointment requires that
the system have access to the doctor’s appointment schedule including days
and times.
CPPS Part 2 Page 2
After logging in, the patient can select an option to make an appointment.
The system will display any currently scheduled appointment. Then the
patient and select an option to Schedule an Appointment. The system will
provide an Appointment Web Page where the patient can then select their
doctor, appointment type (like Office Visit), and enter an appointment date
by typing it in or using a calendar option to select a date. With a calendar
options, a calendar is displayed for the current month and with arrows to
scroll between months and years. The patient can scroll to the correct year
and month and then select a day of the mon.
This webinar continues the COVID-19 Insights webinar series. Topics include the loans and grants being offered by the government, how they differ, and how they may benefit your practice, including SBA Loans and Grants, HHS Grants, Medicare Advance/Accelerated Payments, and Telehealth Funding. The webinar also goes over the CareOptimize technology developed to assist with streamlining COVID-19 monitoring and reporting.
The Next Generation ACO Model team hosted an open door forum on Tuesday, March 28, 2017. The Next Generation Model features three payment rule waivers, referred to as benefit enhancements. This open door forum provided an overview of the Model’s three benefit enhancements.
- - -
CMS Innovation Center
http://innovation.cms.gov
We accept comments in the spirit of our comment policy:
http://newmedia.hhs.gov/standards/comment_policy.html
CMS Privacy Policy
http://cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Aboutwebsite/Privacy-Policy.html
Value-Based Purchasing: Four Need-to-Know Domains for 2018Health Catalyst
Health systems that meet the 2018 Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program measures stand to benefit from CMS’s $1.9 billion incentive pool. Under the 2018 regulations, CMS continues to emphasize quality. To reduce the risk of penalty and vie for bonuses, it’s increasingly critical that organizations leverage data to build skills and processes that meet more demanding reimbursement measures.
To thrive under value-based payment, healthcare systems must understand CMS’s four quality domains, and their associated measures, for 2018:
Clinical Care
Patient- and Caregiver-Centered Experience of Care/Care Coordination
Efficiency and Cost Reduction
Safety
Did you know that ALL of your Medicare reimbursements will be docked if you don't participate in the PQRS reporting program? This applies to mental / behavioral heath and substance abuse providers - get the full scoop in our guide.
1. Inside this issue
Policy and
Coding Updates 2-4
Office News 5-9
Learning Opportunities 10
Medicare 11
Pharmacy 12
Northeast News 13-14
Northeast Region
Options to reach us
Select Health Care
Professionals
Select “Log In/Register”
If you have questions after
viewing the information online,
call us:
• 1-800-624-0756 for
HMO-based and Medicare
Advantage plans
• 1-888-MDAetna
(1-888-632-3862) for all
other benefits plans
XX.XX.XXX.X NE (3/16)
March 2016 • Volume 13, Issue 1
Aetna
OfficeLink Updates
Updates to our National Precertification List
These changes to Aetna’s National Precertification List (NPL) will take effect
as noted below.
A new drug class, injectable respiratory drugs, will require precertification on July 1, 2016.
This class includes Nucala (mepolizumab) and Xolair (omalizumab) which currently
require precertification.
Reminders and updates
On January 14, 2016, the following new to market drugs required precertification:
• Coagedex (coagulation factor X [Human])
• Adynovate (antihemophilic factor [recombinant], PEGylated)
• Strensiq (asfotase alfa)
• Nucala (mepolizumab)
• Kanuma (sebelipase alfa)
Amevive (alefacept) and Iplex (mecasermin rinfabate) no longer require precertification.
You can find more information about precertification under the “General information”
section of the NPL.
Send observation notifications over 24 hours electronically
Use our secure provider website on NaviNet®
to notify us about observations over
24 hours. Here’s how:
• From Precertification Submission, enter the patient’s information.
• On the next screen, choose “Medical” then “Outpatient.”
• Select an outpatient place of service in step 3.
• In step 5, be sure to include an observation CPT code. Also include the number of hours
you’ve been observing the patient as of the time of your notification.
Remember — you don’t need to notify us until you’ve been observing the patient for more
than 24 hours.
www.aetna.com
2. 2Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Policy and Coding Updates
Clinical payment, coding and policy changes
We regularly adjust our clinical, payment and coding policy positions as part of our ongoing policy review processes. In developing
our policies, we may consult with external professional organizations, medical societies and the independent Physician Advisory
Board, which advises us on issues of importance to physicians. The chart below outlines coding and policy changes:
Procedure Effective date What’s changed
Modifier 59 — Distinct
Procedural Service
June 1, 2016 Effective June 1, 2016, our Modifier 59 policy will apply to facility claims.
When a procedure or service is billed with Modifier 59 on the same date
of service as another procedure, Aetna may consider both codes as eligible
for payment. Refer to the “Modifier 59 — Distinct Procedural Service”
payment policy and exceptions on our secure provider website under the
Claim Payment and Coding Policies section for more information.
Presumptive and
Definitive Drug Testing*
January 1, 2016 We will follow the 2016 CMS coding recommendations for definitive
and presumptive drug testing. The frequency limit for each (definitive
and presumptive) is 8 times per 365 days, from the time the service is
first rendered.
Procedure: Payment for
professional services
August 1, 2016 According to Aetna policy, professional services billed by a hospital on a UB
form are to be denied. When denied, we provide instructions for the services
to be rebilled on a HCFA form. This general policy has been in place for E&M
codes for several years. In 2008, we made updates to include professional fees
for minor surgery codes. But that update was only made to our HMO system.
We’re now updating our traditional system.
*Washington state providers: This item is subject to regulatory review and separate notification.
3. 3Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
DRG transfers policy expanding to more facilities and services
Our payment for transfers out of acute care facilities is changing effective June 1, 2016. This policy applies when Aetna Medicare
members are transferred earlier than the average length of stay for the Diagnosis Related Group (DRG).
We’ll pay per diem rates when patients are transferred from an acute care facility to one of these settings:
• Cancer Center
• Children’s Hospital
• Home Health Care Service
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility
• Psychiatric Hospital
Here are the criteria we’ll use for the facility transferring the patient:
• The transferring acute care facility has a contract based on DRG-defined payment rates and does not have defined rates for
transfers to the above-mentioned settings.
• The actual length of stay (LOS) is at least one day less than the average LOS for the DRG.
• The DRG is subject to post-acute care as defined by CMS.
How we’ll calculate the per diem:
• DRG contracted rate (divided by) the average LOS for the DRG = per diem rate
• Per diem rate (multiplied by) the patient’s actual LOS + 1 additional day = allowed amount
Note: The addition of transfers to these settings expands our current DRG transfers policy. This policy does not apply
in North Carolina.
When out-of-state patients seek your care
Some health insurance plans may not offer coverage outside the member’s home state. This means members will be financially
responsible for the care they receive from out-of-state providers.
How to help these members
• Verify eligibility and coverage before seeing patients.
• Use our provider online referral directory for referring patients to another provider. Some plans have smaller networks,
so make sure the provider you’re referring to is in the patient’s network.
Be aware of premium grace period for exchange members
Members who buy insurance on a public exchange may qualify for a subsidy to help pay for their coverage. Subsidized members
have different grace period rules as outlined below.
Once these members pay at least one full month’s premium, they qualify for a three-month grace period. This means if the
member can’t pay their monthly premium, they have three extra months to pay before we can cancel coverage.
If a member doesn’t pay their monthly premium:
• We’ll pay providers for services the member received during the first month of the grace period.
• We’ll pend claims for services the member received in the second and third months of the grace period.
• If we don’t get full payment by the end of the third month, the member’s coverage will be terminated retroactively to the
beginning of the grace period. We won’t pay any pended claims.
Verify eligibility
For a member who hasn’t paid his monthly premium, providers will receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) indicating the claim
was pended. Providers in the Southeastern PA, Northern VA Innovation Health, Charlotte and Phoenix markets may receive a
notice letter instead of an EOB. This will occur for all claims received during the second and third months of the grace period.
So, if coverage is terminated for lack of premium payment, it is the member’s responsibility to pay the provider directly for these
claims. We’ll pay claims as long as full payment is received before the end of the grace period.
4. 4Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Follow guidelines for appropriate lab testing
Your influence is crucial in helping members get recommended lab tests. We want to remind you of the evidence-based
recommendations for annual lab testing for patients who are prescribed certain categories of medication.
Here are recommended lab tests for each medication category1
:
Medication category Annual lab test(s)
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)
Serum potassium and serum creatinine or
Serum potassium and blood urea nitrogen
Digoxin Serum potassium and serum creatinine or
Serum potassium and blood urea nitrogen
Diuretics Serum potassium and serum creatinine or
Serum potassium and blood urea nitrogen
Anticonvulsants Serum concentration for the prescribed drug
1
HEDIS Technical Specifications, Volume 2
Member ID card on a smartphone is valid
If Aetna members show you their ID card on their smartphone or other mobile device, your office or facility should accept that as
valid proof of insurance coverage.
The digital ID card is an electronic version of the member’s ID card. It still allows you to easily get all of the information you need.
You should expect to see an increasing number of members using this technology in the future. Of course, many members will
continue to use ID cards in plastic or paper formats.
5. 5Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Office News
Use our secure site to update data about your office
To update your office’s demographic information, go to our secure provider website and sign in. Use this for:
• New e-mail addresses
• New mailing addresses
• New phone or fax numbers
• Name changes due to marriage or another life event
If you’ve been calling our Provider Service Center to make these changes, we ask you to use the secure site instead. The site lets
you confirm the information you submit. It prevents unauthorized individuals from submitting wrong information about your
office or facility.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires Medicare Advantage plans and Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) to
maintain accurate directories. Having your up-to-date information allows us to do that.
Electronic transactions
You also can do most electronic transactions through this website. This includes submitting claims, checking patient benefits and
eligibility and requesting precertifications.
NaviNet Security Officers have access to Aetna’s “Update Provider Profiles” function, through which they can submit demographic
changes. They also can authorize other users’ access to this feature as appropriate. To use the secure website you must register first.
Limiting radiation exposure in pediatric patients
Pediatric patients are at higher risk from radiation exposure during diagnostic CT scans. Children have an increased sensitivity
to radiation due to their young age and long lifespan.
We encourage you to:
• Be aware of the appropriate CT scan for your patients to reduce radiation exposure, limiting your scan order to only the area
of interest. For example, for a CT to evaluate the liver, order a CT abdomen only (without pelvis).
• Avoid unnecessary two-phase CT scans (non-contrast then contrast) which doubles the radiation dose. For example, a CT head
for headache is typically only done as single phase.
We support reducing the radiation dose for children. To learn more, visit the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric
Imaging website.
Our Office Manual keeps you informed
Aetna’s Office Manual for Health Care Professionals (Manual) is available on our website.
The Manual has information to help you serve your patients efficiently and accurately, including:
• Clinical Practice Guidelines and Preventive Service Guidelines. These are also on our secure provider website.
Once logged in pick “Clinical Resources” from the Aetna Support Center.
• Policies and procedures.
• Patient management and acute care.
• Case management and disease management programs.
• Special member programs/resources, including the Aetna Women’s HealthSM
Program and Aetna Compassionate CareSM
.
• Member rights and responsibilities.
• What utilization management is and how we make decisions, including our policy against financial compensation.
• How our Quality Management program can help you and your patients. We integrate quality management and metrics into
all that we do. You can find details on the program goals and how we’re progressing toward those goals.
To access the Innovation Health Manual, once on the website select “Physicians & Providers,” then “Practice Resources.”
If you don’t have Internet access, call our Provider Service Center for a paper copy.
6. 6Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Aetna Premier Care Network goes national
The Aetna Premier Care Network (APCN) is a provider network for employers with employees across the country. Employers can
now offer a single benefit strategy to all employees, regardless of their geographic location.
New for 2016
This year, in some locations we’re including our Aetna Whole Health (AWH) networks with the APCN network. However,
your APCN patients will still have a limited provider network in certain areas for specific types of care.
It’s important that they stay in network for their care. If not, they may pay more. You can identify these patients by their
member ID cards:
• Aetna Premier Care Network only
• Aetna Premier Care Network will be above the AWH provider logo (if an AWH network is included)
When you issue referrals or recommend a consult/procedure, refer members to these Premier Care network providers by going
to our provider online referral directory and then selecting “Aetna Premier Care” in the “Select a Plan” drop-down list.
For APCN questions, call our Provider Service Center at 1-888-MDAetna (1-888-632-3862).
NaviNet users can log in to send us questions through a secure connection.
Compassionate Care Program helps with end-of-life discussions
The Aetna Compassionate Care Program is enhanced care management program that can help your patients with advanced
illnesses make choices that are best for them.
Who’s eligible?
The program is free to our Medicare Advantage members enrolled in plans that include case management. Program services are
available regardless of whether or not the plan sponsor or employer offers hospice benefits. You’ll find more about the program
on our website.
Being “conversation ready”
To learn how you can hold more effective end-of-life conversations, read “’Conversation Ready’: A Framework for Improving
End-of-Life Care” on the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) website. Also consider enrolling in IHI’s free online course,
“Having the Conversation: Basic Skills for Conversations about End-of-Life Care.” You’ll earn continuing education when you
complete the course.
Note our utilization management policy
We use evidence-based clinical guidelines from nationally recognized authorities to make utilization management (UM) decisions.
Specifically, we review any request for coverage to determine if members are eligible for benefits, and if the service they request
is a covered benefit under their plan. We also determine if the service delivered is consistent with established guidelines.
Aetna does not specifically reward practitioners or employees for issuing denials of coverage or creating barriers to care or
service. Financial incentives for UM decision makers do not encourage decisions that result in underutilization.
7. 7Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Adhering to antidepressant medication treatment plans
Depression in adults is the most treatable behavioral health condition when patients follow their medication program.
Behavioral health providers can help increase adherence by educating patients at the start of treatment about:
• How antidepressants work
• Benefits of antidepressant treatment
• Expectations about symptom remission
• How long medications should be used
• Coping with medication side effects
Remind your patients to:
• Talk to you about any side effects.
• Tell you about their current medical conditions and the medications they’re taking, including over-the-counter drugs,
herbs and supplements. This can help identify potential drug interactions.
• Schedule regular follow-up visits to see if the medication is working.
• Expect they may need to try a few different medications before finding which one works best.
• Keep taking their medication as prescribed for at least six months after they feel better.
How to monitor adherence
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has established two measures to monitor patients’ adherence to their
medications. You should monitor the percentage of patients who stay on their antidepressant medication for at least three
months and for at least six months.
Refer patients to our Complex Case Management program
Patients with complex cases often need extra help understanding their health care choices and benefits. They may also need support
navigating the community services and resources available to them.
Our Complex Case Management program is a collaborative process that involves the member, their provider and Aetna. It aims to
produce better health outcomes while efficiently managing health care costs.
A provider referral is one way members can gain access to the program. To make a referral, call the phone number on the member’s
ID card. Our Case Management staff will call the member, explain the program to them and request their permission for enrollment.
Disease management programs target chronic conditions
Our disease management programs provide educational materials and, in some cases, individualized care management for
members with chronic health conditions.
The programs help members with self-management of their disease by helping them better understand their condition and their
doctor-prescribed treatment plan. The programs also educate members to accept the lifestyle changes that can help them
achieve their optimal health status.
To enroll a member in a disease management program, call the phone number on their ID card.
8. 8Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Improving the quality of ADHD care
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, Fifth
Edition (DSM-5) criteria to diagnose Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD). The AAP indicates information used to make a
diagnosis should come from a range of informants, such as parents, teachers and other adults who care for the child.
We’ve adopted the AAP clinical practice guideline for diagnosing, evaluating and treating ADHD in children and adolescents. It
states that children treated with medication for ADHD should have at least one follow-up visit with the prescribing provider within
30 days of the initial prescription fill and every quarter thereafter.
Monitoring adherence
You should use AAP guidelines to help ensure effective, appropriate, quality care. We monitor provider adherence to these
guidelines through Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®
*) data collection and review. More information
about HEDIS measures is available on the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) website.
*Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®
) is a registered trademark of the NCQA.
Medical record audit results for PCPs
Every two years we conduct random audits to assess compliance of primary care physicians (PCP) with these medical record
documentation criteria:
• Medical record content and organization of records
• Confidentiality of patient information
• Performance goals for participating practitioners
Our overall national compliance score for 2015 was 91.1 percent. This exceeded the goal of 85 percent. All regions met or
exceeded the goal.
Opportunities for improvement
Identified opportunities for improvement include documentation of:
• A current immunization record for children or immunization history for adults
• Cigarette, alcohol and/or substance use/abuse for patients 14 years and older
• Advance directives, located in a prominent part of the medical record, for patients 18 years and older
More information
Specific documentation criteria are in our Office Manual for Health Care Professionals. Our website also has tools and forms
to help you improve medical record documentation, including:
• Recommended immunization schedules and vaccine administration records for children and adults
• Examples of medical history forms
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires documentation of advance directives for Medicare patients. Visit the
U.S. Living Will Registry®
website for more information.
Accessibility standards for specialty care
Aetna has established standards for member access to specialty care services. Each specialty care practitioner is required to have
appointment availability within the following timeframes:
• Within 30 calendar days for routine care
• Same day or within 24 hours for urgent complaints
All participating specialty care physicians must have a reliable 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week answering service or paging system.
A recorded message or answering service that refers the member to the emergency room is not acceptable.
More stringent state requirements supersede these accessibility standards.
9. 9Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
ASA and Government Employees Health Association expand relationship
Starting January 1, 2016, Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) members living in the nine states listed below began
accessing the Aetna Signature Administrators®
(ASA) PPO program and medical network nationally.
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New Hampshire
• Rhode Island
• Vermont
We expect this expanded relationship to result in approximately 125,000 members seeking care with providers nationally. GEHA is
the second-largest national health association serving federal employees, federal retirees and their families. It provides health
benefit plans to more than one million members worldwide.
As a reminder, as of January 1, 2015, GEHA members in these seven states began accessing Aetna Signature Administrators
nationally in these states:
• Arizona
• California
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New York
• Oregon
• Washington
Contact your local Aetna PPO account manager with questions.
Send ASA claims to the correct payer
As a reminder, you should send all claims for Aetna Signature Administrators (ASA) members electronically to the payer ID listed
on the member’s ID card. Send paper claims only to the address listed on the ID card. With the exception of transplant services, do
not send ASA claims to Aetna.*
Claims questions and rework
Direct all ASA claims questions to the appropriate payer on the ID card. The payer will process the claims and contact
Aetna as needed.
Recognizing ASA members
The ID card generally has two logos:
• Payer’s logo
• Aetna Signature Administrators’ logo
For more information, see our flyer.
*The exception is when an Aetna Signature Administrators member accesses one of our Institutes of Excellence™ facilities for trans
plant services. Under this scenario, the facility will use the Special Case Customer Service Unit for submitting claims.
10. 10Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Learning Opportunities
New and updated courses for physicians, nurses and office staff
Visit www.aetnaeducation.com. Log in or registration may be required for some content.
Courses:
• NEW – 2016 live webinar calendar
-- Account Management Tools
-- NaviNet Basics
-- Precertification Tools
-- Aetna Voice Advantage
-- Doing Business With Aetna
-- Claim eEOB and EFT
• NEW – Behavioral Health Continuing Education Courses:
-- Adherence to Prescription Medication
-- Eating Disorders and Treatment Updates
-- Psychopharmacology
-- Mood Disorders, Anxiety, Stress and Co-occurring Medical Conditions
-- Federal Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act — A Compliance Overview for Clinicians
-- Technologies for post-traumatic stress problems: Assisting veterans and others with PTSD
• NEW – Money2
SM
for Health recorded webinar
• NEW – Commercial Risk Adjustment recorded webinar
Reference Tools:
• NEW – How to read an Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
• NEW – Accountable care organizations (ACOs) and referrals
• NEW – Aetna Medicare Advantage plans resources
• NEW – National Advantage Program provider reference guide
• NEW – Quick reference guide – Aetna LeapSM
Plans – Carolinas HealthCare System
• NEW – Quick reference guide – Aetna LeapSM
plans – CaroMont Health
• NEW – Quick reference guide – Aetna LeapSM
plans – Maricopa County, Arizona
• NEW – Quick reference guide – Aetna LeapSM
plans – Southeastern Pennsylvania
• NEW – Quick reference guide – Innovation Health LeapSM
plans – Northern Virginia
• NEW – Aetna Medicare HMO Florida
• UPDATED – Aetna Signature Administrators®
• UPDATED – Women’s health programs and policies
• UPDATED – Behavioral Health Provider Manual
• UPDATED – Aetna Medicare Prime Plans
11. 11Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Medicare
Keep Medicare Advantage directory information up to date
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires all Medicare Advantage organizations to contact you at least
quarterly to confirm that the information in our directories is accurate. This includes:
• Ability to accept new patients
• Street address
• Phone number
• Any other changes that affect availability to patients
If you notify us of any changes, we have 30 days to update our online directory. For more information, refer to this fact sheet.
CAQH solution
Working with Aetna and other health plans, the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare®
(CAQH) developed a solution to help
ensure that directory information is accurate. This process uses data from your CAQH ProView™ profile. You simply review, update
and confirm your information in ProView. CAQH will share it with all participating health plans that you authorize to receive it.
CAQH will e-mail you a directory validation invitation, which has instructions on how to update your profile. CAQH will call you
if you don’t reply, so respond promptly.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) compliance changes for 2016
Starting on January 1, 2016, each first tier, downstream and related entity (FDR) must complete the CMS’ training to meet general
compliance and fraud, waste and abuse (FWA) training requirements.
There are two options for having employees complete the required training. CMS’ training course can be found on the
CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN) website. FDRs can have employees complete the training on the MLN. FDRs can
also incorporate CMS’ training, unmodified, into their existing employee training.
For more information on this change, read the October 2015 FDR Compliance Newsletter.
Complete your attestation
Through your Aetna Medicare agreement, FDRs must meet CMS compliance requirements annually. You can confirm you’ve met
them each year by completing an attestation as noted below.
Aetna 2016 attestation site changes to NaviNet
In 2016, we’re moving the site to NaviNet — Aetna’s secure provider website — with no limitations on attesting for more than 20
tax identification numbers. If you’re contracted with Aetna or with both Aetna and Coventry and have never used NaviNet, we
suggest you register for the site.
• New users: Register for NaviNet, and complete your FDR annual attestation
• Existing users: Log in to NaviNet, and complete your 2016 FDR annual attestation
An authorized representative must complete the attestation. One attestation meets Aetna and Coventry annual compliance
requirements. Failure to meet FDR compliance requirements may impact your participation status. If you’ve already
completed your 2016 Attestation, disregard this notice.
We’re here to help
For more information visit www.aetnaeducation.com and search educational content or the list of requirements by typing “FDR”
in the search box. Or, you can call 1-800-624-0756.
12. 12Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Pharmacy
Upcoming changes to our commercial drug lists
On July 1, 2016, we’ll make changes to our pharmacy plan drug lists (formulary). You can view these changes on our
website starting April 1, 2016.
These changes may affect our:
• Pharmacy Management drug lists
• Precertification program
• Quantity limits program
• Step-therapy program
How to precertify certain drugs:
• Call 1-800-414-2386.
• Or, fax the correct medication request form
to 1-800-408-2386.
Questions?
For more information, call 1-800-238-6279 (1-800-AETNA RX).
Changes in drug coverage reviews may affect patients
We have new formulary guidelines to help your patients better manage costs and stay healthy.
These guidelines include precertification and step therapy for some drugs that didn’t require them before. This may affect the drugs
your patients take.
To see which guidelines apply to which drugs, check the drug tiers on your patients’ formulary. You can still prescribe the drugs you
think are best. Remember to contact us to request approval of coverage. If we don’t approve it, your patient can still buy the drug, but
they’ll need to pay the full cost.
You’ll begin to see these new formulary names: Aetna Value, Aetna Value Plus, Aetna Premier, and Aetna Premier Plus.
We have programs in place to help your patients transition to new coverage or medications. For example, when they switch to
a new medicine, they may be able to fill their prescriptions for a limited time, for drugs that normally require precertification or
for step therapy.
Where to find our Medicare and Commercial formularies
At least annually, and from time to time throughout the year, we update the Aetna Medicare and Commercial (non-Medicare)
Preferred Drug Lists. These drug lists are also known as our formularies.
• Go to our Medicare Preferred Drug Lists
• Go to our Medication Search page for the Commercial Preferred Drug Lists
For a paper copy of these lists, call the Aetna Pharmacy Management Provider Help Line at 1-800-AETNA RX (1-800-238-6279).
13. 13Aetna OfficeLink Updates | March 2016
Northeast News
Get ready for our new digital member ID cards
On January 1, 2016, we launched our new Individual plans (Innovation Health LeapSM
). Refer to the December 2015 article.
Tips to know
As more members come to your office with a digital ID card, here are some tips to remember:
• You can check eligibility on our secure provider website. And soon, you’ll be able to view the member’s ID card on our secure
site as well.
• Members may use a smartphone to show you a digital copy of their card.
• They may also show you a plastic or self-printed copy of their card.
• If the member doesn’t have a digital image or paper copy, use the member name/date of birth to look up.
• All ID card formats (digital, paper, plastic) are valid.
Checking eligibility
• If your patients ask whether you accept Aetna, first ask what plan they have. Then, check to make sure you participate with
that specific plan via our provider online referral directory.
• When submitting eligibility inquiries, you must use one of the following search options:
-- Member name/date of birth
-- Member ID/date of birth (using the patient’s 12-digit ID listed on the ID card)
-- Member ID/member name (using the patient’s 12-digit ID listed on the ID card)
We’re here to help you and your patients
• If you have questions or need more information, call us at 1-888-MDAetna.
• If your patients have questions, they can call 1-844-241-0208.
Need more information? Check out our Quick reference guide. Search for “leap.”
New Jersey
Where to find our appeal process forms
We have updated the information about internal and external provider appeal processes on our public website.
If you use the NJ Health Care Provider Application to Appeal a Claims Determination form when submitting certain claims
appeals, you should make sure your claim is eligible. You can find this form and the correct procedures on our public website.