RA Messages for December 4, 2001

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 MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE 12/9/00 VERSION OF APPENDIX C:

LABELER COMPANY BEGIN END
49580 AARON INDUSTRIES, INC.   01/01/02
51875 ROYCE LABORATORIES, INC.   01/01/02
52189 INVAMED, INC.   01/01/02
59004 WHITBY PHARMACEUTICALS (WINDSOR PHARM.)    
62109 WATSON LABORATORIES, INC.   01/01/02
65772 LINK PHARMACEUTICAL 01/01/02  

IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT THE COVERAGE OF A DRUG PRODUCT, PLEASE CONTACT THE PBM HELP DESK AT 1-800-648-0790

NOTICE TO HOSPITALS

PLEASE NOTE: THIS WEEK'S RA REFLECTS AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE HR490 CLAIMS THAT WERE PAID AT THE PROPOSED INCREASED HR490 RATES ON LAST WEEK'S RA (11/27/01) IN ERROR. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS HR490 RATE INCREASE RETROACTIVE TO 7/1/01 IS CONTINGENT UPON THE CERTIFICATION OF MATCHING FUNDS BY NON-STATE PUBLIC HOSPITALS (EXCEPT SMALL RURAL HOSPITALS AS DEFINED IN R.S. 40:1300.143) AS SET FORTH IN THE APPROPRIATION ACT OF THE 2001 REGULAR SESSION OF THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE AND THE APPROVAL OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE THIS HAS CAUSED. IF QUESTIONS ARISE, YOU MAY CALL DEREK STAFFORD AT (225) 342-2495.

NOTICE TO AUDIOLOGISTS AND OTHER PROVIDERS OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

THE MEDICAID PROGRAM WAS ASKED RECENTLY TO CONSIDER ALLOWING A TECHNICIAN, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AN AUDIOLOGIST, TO PERFORM NEWBORN HEARING SCREENINGS WITH PAYMENT BEING MADE TO THE AUDIOLOGIST FOR THE SUPERVISION OF THIS SERVICE. AFTER DUE CONSIDERATION, THE PROGRAM HEREBY ANNOUNCES THAT ITS CURRENT POLICY OF REIMBURSING ONLY AUDIOLOGISTS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF NEWBORN HEARING SCREENINGS SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT. IN OTHER WORDS, ONLY AUDIOLOGISTS WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR SCREENING NEWBORNS FOR HEARING PROBLEMS. TECHNICIANS SHALL NOT PERFORM THIS SERVICE ON MEDICAID RECIPIENTS NOR SHALL AUDIOLOGISTS BE REIMBURSED FOR THE SUPERVISION OF TECHNICIANS PERFORMING THIS SERVICE ON MEDICAID 
RECIPIENTS. 

ATTENTION ALL MEDICAID PROVIDERS

THE ANNUAL STATEWIDE PROVIDER TRAINING WORKSHOPS HAVE CONCLUDED. IF YOU FAILED TO ATTEND, YOU SHOULD REQUEST COPIES OF THE TRAINING MANUALS BY CALLING PROVIDER RELATIONS TOLL FREE AT 1-800-473-2783 OR 924-5040 IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA. ALL PROVIDERS MUST COMPLY WITH POLICIES CONTAINED IN THE TRAINING MANUALS. IN ADDITION, AL OF THE PROVIDER UPDATES DATING BACK TO FEBRUARY 1991 CAN BE LOCATED AT THE WEB SITE AT WWW.LAMEDICAID.COM. 

NOTICE TO ALL PROVIDERS

EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 1, 2001, OBSTETRICAL AND PRENATAL SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH A PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE COMMUNITYCARE REFERRAL PROCESS. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS CHANGE MAY BE DIRECTED TO UNISYS PROVIDER RELATIONS AT 800-473-2783. 

NOTICE TO CERTIFIED NURSE PRACTITIONERS

EFFECTIVE WITH DATE OF SERVICE NOVEMBER 1, 2001, THE FOLLOWING CPT CODES WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF CODES THAT REQUIRE A QW MODIFIER: 83001QW - GENUA MENOPAUSE MONITOR TEST. 82570QW - CREATININE PERFORMED BY THE BAYER DIAGNOSTICS/MICROALBUSTIX REAGENT STRIP. 84460QW - CHOLESTECH LDX ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE (ALT) TEST. 

NOTICE TO PROVIDERS

THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) HAS ISSUED AN ALERT REGARDING THE RECALL OF BAXTER INTERNATIONAL RENAL DIALYZERS. FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS RECALL, YOU MAY CONTACT BAXTER INTERNATIONAL AT THE CENTER FOR ONE BAXTER AT 1-800-422-9837 OR 847-948-4770 (MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST)