Birmingham 205-631-5969

Montgomery 334-277-6201

Client Login

Request Demo

Blog

“Meaningful Use” EHR Certification Bodies Announced

Posted on

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced at least two companies have been named as an Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ATCB) to certify Electronic Health Records technology software applications for the ‘meaningful use’ requirements for Stage 1 incentives.  The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®) and The Drummond Group, Inc. are the first to be named by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to test and certified EHR…
Read Full Article

CMS National Provider Call for ICD-10 on September 13

Posted on

CMS will host a national provider conference call on “ICD-10 Implementation in a 5010 Environment”. This call will be held on Monday, September 13 and will include a review basic information on ICD-10 and 5010.  A question and answer session will be held at the end of the call.  Medical coders, physician office staff, provider billing staff, health records staff, vendors, educators, system maintainers and all Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) providers are encouraged to attend.  Registration is required and will close at 11:00 am…
Read Full Article

CCHIT Applies with ONC to Become an Authorized Testing and Certification Body

Posted on

In a recent news release, CCHIT, the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology, announced that they have applied with the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) to become an Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ATCB-ONC).  The ONC plans to have multiple certification bodies that will test EHR technology to ensure the software applications will enable providers to qualify for ‘meaningful use’ incentives.  CCHIT in a voluntary organization that has been certifying EHR technology since 2006.  Due to this experience and their readiness to meet…
Read Full Article

Requirements for ePrescribing of Controlled Substances Under Analysis by SureScripts

Posted on

Although the DEA has given their approval to allow for electronic prescribing of controlled substances, the DEA technical requirements to do so involve several layers.  Prior to electronic prescribing of controlled substances, pharmacies, providers and vendors will need to implement extensive security and technical measures.  As a result, pharmacies are not expected to see their first electronically prescribed schedule II, III, IV and V drugs before at least year-end.  SureScripts, the nation’s largest e-prescribing network,…
Read Full Article

MediSYS Plans for Alabama-Centered Physician Information Network

Posted on

  Birmingham/Montgomery, Alabama, July 13, 2010……As part of the strong commitment to facilitate the activities surrounding health information exchange, MediSYS has announced plans to release the MediSYS Physician Information Network in the first quarter of 2011.  This MediSYS Physician Information Network will allow providers treating mutual patients to share pertinent health information electronically.  Quickly and securely sharing information within a network of providers such as labs and diagnostic information, office notes, hospital documents, patient demographics,…
Read Full Article

Final Rules To Support ‘Meaningful Use’ of Electronic Health Records Announced

Posted on

In a press release issued July 13, 2010, CMS and ONC made a joint announcement regarding the final rules to support ‘Meaningful Use’ of Electronic Health Records which may qualify eligible providers to receive as much as either $44,000 under Medicare or $63,750 under Medicaid.  The final rules now include more flexibility to providers in Stage 1 with 15 required “core” criteria and a menu of provider-selected criteria. The “menu” for provider-selection contains 10 items and providers select and comply with at…
Read Full Article

CMS Did Not Implement July 6 PECOS Deadline

Posted on

Due to provider concerns surrounding PECOS enrollment issues, CMS will not implement the July 6 PECOS deadline.  According to the email notification below from CMS, for payment for claims will not be affected by PECOS enrollment.  CMS TO REVIEW PECOS ENROLLMENT PROCESS Medicare Working with Ordering and Referring Providers and Suppliers to Streamline Enrollment Process The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is working with providers to address concerns about enrollment in the Provider Enrollment, Chain…
Read Full Article

Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee Medicare Claims Processing to Merge

Posted on

 Cahaba GBA, the J10 A/B Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, announced in a recent email notification that they will merge three claims processing environments by August 3.  Below is their notification:        Dear Medicare Part B Providers,        Multi-Carrier System Merge for J10 Providers (Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee) Cahaba Government Benefit Administrators,® LLC currently has three Multi-Carrier System (MCS) claims processing environments, which were inherited when we transitioned to…
Read Full Article

President Obama Signs Halt to Medicare Fee Cut / CMS Provides Instructions

Posted on

President Obama signed into law the Medicare 2.2% fee increase.  As reported by MGMA Washington Connexion, CMS has published the following statement. On June 25, 2010, President Obama signed into law the “Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010.”  This law establishes a 2.2 percent update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) payment rates retroactive from June 1 through November 30, 2010. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid…
Read Full Article

CMS Releases Claim Hold

Posted on

Today, CMS directed contractors to lift the hold that affected claims with dates-of-service June 1 or after.  These claims were being held until June 17, now contractors are to begin processing claims on a first-in/first-out basis.  Per this release from CMS: Congress continues to debate the elimination of the negative update that took effect June 1, 2010.  The CMS is hopeful that Congressional action will be taken to avert the negative update.  We continue to monitor Congressional actions,…
Read Full Article

Medicare Extends Holding Claims Until June 18

Posted on

Medicare contractors have been instructed to hold claims with dates-of-service from June 1, 2010 forward until Friday, June 18 to allow congress more time to respond to the pending Medicare fee schedule changes.  This is an extension of the hold that was set to end Monday, June 14.  Below is the notification to providers from Cahaba Government Benefit Administrators®, LLCs Dear Medicare Part A, Part B Providers,and Partners, The 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule The Continuing Extension Act…
Read Full Article

Medicare Claims DOS June 1 on Hold

Posted on

Below is an email from Cahaba GBA,  the J10 A/B Medicare Administrative Contractor for the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. Regarding Medicare’s holding of claims for the first 10 days in June for claims with dates of service beginning June 1, 2010:  Dear Medicare Part A and Part B Providers, Information Regarding the Holding of June 2010 Claims for Services Paid Under the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule The Continuing Extension Act of 2010,…
Read Full Article