RA Messages for July 20, 1999


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 8/15/98 VERSION OF APPENDIX A:

DRUG DOSAGE STRENGTH MAC EFF.DATE
ALLOPURINOL SODIUM VIAL 500MG 06/28/99
CERVISTATIN SODIUM TABLET  0.4  06/04/99
CYTABARINE LIPOSOME  VIAL 50MG/5ML 06/18/99
DOXYCYCLINE HYCLATE CAPSULE 20MG 04/01/99
ISOSORBIDE DINITRATE  TABLET  30MG OFF MAC 06/21/99
MINOCYCLINE HCL CAPSULE 75MG 06/15/99
OXYBUTYNIN CHLORIDE TAB SA OSM 15MG 06/24/99
PERINDOPRIL ERBUMINE TABLET 2MG,4MG,8MG 07/15/99
**PROBENECID TABLET 500MG ** 0.43950  07/01/99

PLEASE FILE ADJUSTMENTS FOR CLAIMS WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY PAID


ATTENTION ALL PROVIDERS- RECIPIENTS NEW PERMENANT ID


IF YOU RELY ON ANOTHER ENTITY (I.E., BILLING SERVICE, CLEARINGHOUSE,
ETC.)TO BILL CLAIMS OR RECONCILE ACCOUNTS ON YOUR BEHALF, PLEASE SHARE
THE INFORMATION WITH THEM.IF THESE ENTITIES ARE NOT INFORMED AND/OR ARE
NOT Y2K READY, IT COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL DIFFICULTY FOR YOU!
BEGINNING JULY 6, 1999, A PERMANENT 13 DIGIT RECIPIENT NUMBER WILL BE
ASSIGNED TO EACH MEDICAID RECIPIENT. ALTHOUGH THE PERMANENT NUMBER WILL
FREQUENTLY LOOK THE SAME AS THE CURRENT MEDICAID RECIPIENT IDENTIFI-
CATION NUMBER ASSIGNED TO A RECIPIENT, THIS NUMBER WILL NOT DENOTE ANY
INFORMATION RELATED TO PARISH OR ELIGIBILITY TYPE. EACH RECIPIENT ON
FILE AS OF 6/30/99 WILL HAVE THE MOST CURRENT 13 DIGIT NUMBER SELECTED
AS THE PERMANENT NUMBER. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE OTHER ID NUMBERS ISSUED
TO RECIPIENTS CANNOT BE USED TO BILL. IN FACT, WHEN BILLING FOR SERVICES
WHICH HAVE BEEN PRE-CERTIFIED OR PRIOR AUTHORIZED, IT WILL BE NECESSARY
TO BILL USING THE NUMBER UNDER WHICH THE PRECERTIFICATION OR PRIOR
AUTHORIZATION WAS ISSUED. BEGINNING 7/99, WE ENCOURAGE PROVIDERS TO
MAKE NOTE OF THE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER CONFIRMED OR OBTAINED FROM
UNISYS REVS TELEPHONE INQUIRY OR THE MEVS AUTOMATED INQUIRY SYSTEM AS
THIS WILL BE THE PERMANENT NUMBER.


IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ACCESS REVS OR MEVS TO VERIFY ELIGIBILITY. IF
YOU RELY ON ANOTHER ENTITY(I.E., BILLING SERVICE, CLEARINGHOUSE, ETC.)TO
BILL CLAIMS OR RECONCILE ACCOUNTS ON YOUR BEHALF, PLEASE SHARE THIS INF-
ORMATION WITH THEM.IF THESE ENTITIES ARE NOT INFORMED AND/OR ARE NOT Y2K
READY, IT COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL DIFFICULTY FOR YOU.


ATTENTION EYEGLASS PROVIDERS


MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR EYEGLASS FRAMES WERE INCREASED EFFECT-
IVE JULY 1, 1999. THIS INCREASE OCCURRED FOR PROCEDURE CODES X6370
THROUGH X6376. THE NEW REIMBURSEMENT RATES, ALONG WITH A COVER LETTER
EXPLAINING THE CHANGES, WERE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL EYEGLASS PROVIDERS IN
JUNE 1999.A CHANGE IN EYEGLASS FRAME POLICY WAS IMPLEMENTED WITH THIS
INCREASE.EFFECTIVE JULY1, 1999, MEDICAID RECIPIENTS MUST BE OFFERED A
CHOICE BETWEEN METAL OR PLASTIC FRAMES. THE FRAMES SHOULD BE STURDY AND
NON-FLAMMABLE. BOTH THE METAL AND NONMETAL FRAMES SHOULD CARRY AT LEASTA 1-YEAR MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. OTHER EYEGLASS POLICY REMAINS UNCHANGED. CALL UNISYS PROVIDER RELATIONS (1-800-473-2783) WITH ANY QUESTIONS.