Alabama Department of Public Health Immunization Registry (ImmPRINT), will be down an entire day on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 for database maintenance. The production web services will also be down during this time, any HL7 messages received by ImmPRINT during the down time will NOT be processed due to capacity constraints. ADPH will send a notification once the database maintenance is complete, but they highly recommend you hold the HL7 messages on Tuesday, November 23,...
Read Full Article

2020 MIPS Targeted Review and Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Applications DEADLINE For more information visit: https://qpp.cms.gov/mips/exception-applications?py=2020

On April 13th, 2021, Legislation was passed by Congress that extended the current 2% Medicare sequester moratorium established by the CARES Act through December 31, 2021. The previous expiration date was March 31, 2021. CMS had previously instructed all MACs to hold all claims with dates of service beginning April 1st for a short period of time as not to interfere with cash flow, in anticipation of possible Congressional action to extend the 2% sequester...
Read Full Article

The 2021 Performance Year MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception and Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception is now OPEN. Submit your applications to CMS by December 31, 2021. For more information visit the MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception and Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception QPP webpages and link to the application.

Close any gaps in Chronic Kidney Disease Test by December 31, 2021 BCBS Alabama Primary Care Select providers can improve their Chronic Kidney Disease Test measure score by ensuring their attributed patients who have diabetes receive at least one of the following screenings in the current year: Albumin / Creatinine Ratio test and Basic Metabolism (BMP) test Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) test Renal Function Panel test eGFR test

CMS issued a final rule that, for the first time, requires that Part D prescription drug plans support a new electronic prior authorization transaction standard for their Part D e-prescribing programs. This new electronic prior authorization standard will allow prescribers to see that a drug is subject to prior authorization, while they are prescribing it. This policy change helps ensure that there are secure electronic transactions between prescribers and Part D plan sponsors, and that...
Read Full Article

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that requires Part D prescription drug plans support a new electronic prior authorization transaction standard for their Part D e-prescribing programs. This new electronic prior authorization standard will allow prescribers to see that a drug is subject to prior authorization, while they are prescribing it. This policy change helps ensure that there are secure electronic transactions between prescribers and Part D plan sponsors,...
Read Full Article

NO SURPRISES ACT — NOTICE REQUIREMENTS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2022 For more information please visit: https://www.pyapc.com/insights/no-surprises-act-notice-requirements-effective-january-1-2022/

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the following implementation dates for all remaining states and territories for the nationwide expansion of the Repetitive, Scheduled Non-Emergent Ambulance Transport (RSNAT) Prior Authorization Model. The model will begin: On December 1, 2021 in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas; No earlier than February 1, 2022 in Alabama, American Samoa, California, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Northern Mariana Islands and Tennessee; No earlier than April...
Read Full Article

New Telehealth Rules for Alabama effective July 11, 2022 For more information visit: https://www.birminghammedicalnews.com/news.php?viewStory=3894

Last day to begin data collection for a continuous 90-day performance period for the improvement activities and Promoting Interoperability performance categories in the 2022 performance period. If you haven’t started your performance period for these categories, you must do so by no later than October 3. Note: Most, but not all, improvement activities have a continuous 90-day performance period, but several improvement activities require completion of modules where there’s a year-long or alternate performance period. The performance period is...
Read Full Article

October 21st is the last day to request a MIPS targeted review for your 2021 performance year feedback, including your MIPS final score and payment adjustment factor(s). Only submit a targeted review request if you believe there’s an error in your MIPS performance feedback. Note: CMS will only consider targeted reviews submitted by 8 p.m. ET.