RA Messages for June 17, 2008


PHARMACY PROVIDERS, PLEASE NOTE!!!

IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT THE COVERAGE OF A DRUG PRODUCT, PLEASE CONTACT THE PBM HELP DESK AT 1-800-648-0790.
PLEASE FILE ADJUSTMENTS FOR CLAIMS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY PAID. ONLY THOSE PRODUCTS OF THE MANUFACTURERS WHICH PARTICIPATE IN THE  FEDERAL REBATE PROGRAM WILL BE COVERED BY THE MEDICAID PROGRAM. PARTICIPATION MAY BE VERIFIED IN APPENDIX C, AVAILABLE AT WWW.LAMEDICAID.COM
 


ATTENTION HOSPITAL PROVIDERS

HCPC CODES REQUIRED FOR OUTPATIENT CLAIMS/OUTPATIENT HOSPITAL SERVICES FEE SCHEDULE - EFFECTIVE FOR DATES OF SERVICE ON OR AFTER JUNE 1, 2008, IN KEEPING WITH THE NATIONAL UNIFORM BILLING STANDARDS, HOSPITALS ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT THE CORRESPONDING HCPC CODE WITH REVENUE CODES FOR SERVICES AS REQUIRED BY NUBC. INDIVIDUAL CLAIM LINES THAT ARE BILLED WITHOUT THE REQUIRED HCPC CODE WILL DENY WITH ERROR CODE 513 "HCPC REQUIRED." THIS APPLIES TO BOTHELECTRONIC AND HARD COPY CLAIMS. IN ADDITION, THE OUTPATIENT HOSPITAL SERVICES FEE SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED ON THE LA MEDICAID WEB SITE BY JUNE 1, 2008. PAYMENT METHODOLOGY WILL NOT CHANGE.



RE: IMMUNIZATION ADMINISTRATION CODES 90465-90468 AND 90473-90474

TO CORRECT CLAIMS PROCESSING OF THESE CPT CODES FROM DATES OF SERVICE JANUARY 1, 2006 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2007, A RECYCLE OF DENIED CLAIMS IS PLANNED FOR JUNE 10, 2008. A SUBSEQUENT RECYCLE PLANNED FOR JUNE 17, 2008 WILL CORRECT A SMALL NUMBER OF DENIALS THAT OCCURRED IN NOVEMBER 2007. PLEASE VISIT WWW.LAMEDICAID.COM TO VIEW A DETAILED NOTICE CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT THESE RECYCLES AND OTHER IMMUNIZATION INFORMATION.



CLARIFICATION OF COMMUNITYCARE POLICY RELATIVE TO OUTPATIENT VISIT LIMITS:

MEDICAID ENROLLEES AGE 21 AND OLDER ARE LIMITED TO 12 MEDICALLY NECESSARY PHYSICIAN/CLINIC VISITS PER CALENDAR YEAR. IF A CC ENROLLEE WHO HAS USED ALL 12 ANNUAL VISITS IS IN NEED OF NON-EMERGENT CARE, THE PCP CAN EITHER TREAT THE ENROLLEE AND NOT BILL MEDICAID OR OFFER TO SEE THE ENROLLEE AS A PRIVATE PAY AGENT (ENROLLEE PAYS OUT OF POCKET). IF THE PCP FEELS THE ENROLLEE'S TREATMENT WOULD BE LIFE SAVING OR SUSTAINING, HE/SHE MAY PROVIDE CARE TO THE ENROLLEE AND REQUEST AN EXTENSION OF VISITS; OR IF THE PCP DOES NOT FEEL THAT TREATMENT MEETS CRITERIA FOR AN EXTENSION, AND THE ENROLLEE IS UNWILLING/UNABLE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET, THE PCP CAN ISSUE A REFERRAL/ AUTHORIZATION SO THE ENROLLEE MAY RECEIVE CARE FROM ANOTHER PROVIDER WHO MAY BE WILLING EVEN THOUGH ALL 12 VISITS ARE USED. QUESTIONS REGARDING CC POLICY SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO UNISYS PROVIDER RELATIONS AT (800)473-2783, OR CC HOTLINE (800)259-4444.



COMMUNITYCARE POLICY REVISION:

CC POLICY REQUIRES POST-AUTHORIZATION FROM THE PCP FOR THE TWO LOWEST LEVELS OF EMERGENCY ROOM (CPT CODES 99281 AND 99282) AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES. CURRENTLY, REQUESTS FOR POST- AUTHORIZATION MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE PCP, ALONG WITH DOCUMENTATION OF PRESENTING SYMPTOMS, THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY FOLLOWING DATE OF SERVICE. EFFECTIVE FOR DATE OF SERVICE 07-01-2008, THE TIME FRAME FOR SUBMITTING REQUESTING FOR POST-AUTHORIZATION OF ER VISITS HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 10 CALENDAR DAYS FOLLOWING DOS. FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT CC POLICY, CALL UNISYS PROVIDER RELATIONS AT (800)473-2783, OR CC HOTLINE (800)259-4444.



ATTENTION PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PROVIDERS:

CLAIMS AFFECTED BY THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RATE INCREASES EFFECTIVE WITH DOS 10-04-06 FORWARD FOR SELECT GROUPS OF CPT CODES (SEE RA'S FROM JUNE 2007 FOR DETAILS) WERE SYSTEMATICALLY ADJUSTED IN 2007. IT HAS BEEN NOTED THAT CLAIMS PAID ON THE 5-29-2007 RA WERE NOT INCLUDED. THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE PAYMENT FOR THOSE CLAIMS IS NOW INCLUDED IN THE 06-10-2008 RA.



ATTENTION PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PROVIDERS: "PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES"

EFFECTIVE WITH DOS 10-01-07, LOUISIANA MEDICAID REIMBURSES FOR SELECT PROCEDURE CODES SPECIFIC TO OUTPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES. THESE SERVICES ARE INCLUDED IN THE OUTPATIENT VISIT SERVICE LIMIT ALLOWED PER CALENDAR YEAR FOR ADULT RECIPIENTS (AGE 21 AND UP). RHC/FQHC PROVIDERS SHOULD ENTER THESE PSYCHIATRIC PROCEDURE CODES AS ENCOUNTER DETAIL LINES WHEN APPLICABLE. PROVIDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADHERENCE TO THE PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES POLICY WHICH IS LOCATED ON WWW.LAMEDICAID.COM UNDER 'NEW MEDICAID INFORMATION' AS WELL AS THE 'LA MEDICAID PROVIDER UPDATE.' PROGRAMMING IS FINISHED AND PROVIDERS MAY NOW SUBMIT CLAIMS FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR DOS ON OR AFTER 10-01-07. PREVIOUSLY DENIED CLAIMS NOW ELIGIBLEFOR REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE SYSTEMATICALLY ADJUSTED IN THE 6-17-08 RA.



PREVENTIVE MEDICINE SERVICES (INCLUDING KIDMED), 2007 REIMBURSEMENT CHANGES:

AS PART OF THE REIMBURSEMENT CHANGES FUNDED IN THE 2007 LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND APPROVED BY CMS, EFFECTIVE WITH DATE OF SERVICE OCTOBER 15, 2007 FORWARD, THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR PREVENTIVE MEDICINE SERVICES (CPT CODES 99381-99387 AND 99391-99397) HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 90% OF THE 2007 MEDICARE REGION 99 RATE. THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FEE SCHEDULE ON WWW.LAMEDICAID.COM HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THIS CHANGE. KIDMED PROVIDERS ARE DIRECTED TO THE RECENTLY ADDED KIDMED PROGRAM FEE SCHEDULE ALSO ON THE WEBSITE. THOSE SERVICES IMPACTED BY THE RATE CHANGE WILL BE SYSTEMATICALLY ADJUSTED AND SCHEDULED TO APPEAR ON JUNE 17, 2008'S RA.



ALERT! PREVENTIVE MEDICINE/KIDMED REIMBURSEMENT CHANGES

REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR PREVENTIVE MEDICINE SERVICES, INCLUDING KIDMED MEDICAL SCREENINGS, HAVE BEEN INCREASED EFFECTIVE WITH DOS 10/15/07 AS PART OF THE 2007 REIMBURSEMENT CHANGES. CLAIMS WHERE PROVIDERS DID NOT BILL THEIR USUAL AND CUSTOMARY FEE AS INSTRUCTED WILL NOT PAY MORE THAN THE ORIGINAL PAYMENT BECAUSE THE FEE ON FILE WAS ENTERED FOR BILLED CHARGES. THESE CLAIMS CANNOT BE PART OF THE SYSTEMATIC ADJUSTMENT OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE SERVICES. PROVIDERS MUST SUBMIT ADJUSTMENTS FOLLOWING CURRENT POLICY IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE INCREASED FEES. CONTACT UNISYS PROVIDER RELATIONS AT (800)473-2783 WITH ANY QUESTIONS. ONCE AGAIN, DHH ENCOURAGES THE USE OF USUAL AND CUSTOMARY FEES FOR BILLING.