CMS is anticipating Congressional action to avert the negative update for the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Therefore, CMS is extending the 2012 Annual Participation Enrollment Period through Tuesday, February 14, 2012. The enrollment period now runs Monday, November 14, 2011 through Tuesday, February 14, 2012.
The effective date for any participation status change during the extension, however, remains Sunday, January 1, 2012, and will be in force for the entire year.
Contractors will accept and process any participation elections or withdrawals made during the extended enrollment period that are post-marked on or before Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Compliance Deadline for the Transition to ASC X12 Version 5010 is Less Than One Week Away
Though CMS has announced an enforcement discretionary period of 90 days for Version 5010 compliance, the deadline remains Sunday, January 1, 2012. Enforcement will not be exercised until Sunday, April 1, 2012; however, it is important that organizations continue to complete the transition to Version 5010 as soon as possible, if they have not done so already.
Holding of Institutional Provider 2012 Date-of-Service Claims
As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implements calendar year 2012 changes, Medicare claims administration contractors will be holding some institutional provider claims containing 2012 services for up to the first 10 business days of January 2012 (i.e., Sunday, January 1, 2012, through Tuesday, January 17, 2012). Claims will be released as system testing is successfully completed, which we expect during that time frame.
The hold should have minimal impact on provider cash flow because, under current law, clean electronic claims are not paid sooner than 14 calendar days (29 days for paper claims) after the date of receipt. However, if you follow the status of your claim during the claims processing cycle, the claim status may not reflect what you would normally see because of the claims hold.
Medicare claims for services rendered on or before Saturday, December 31, 2011, are unaffected by the 2012 claims hold and will be processed and paid under normal procedures and time frames. We appreciate your patience as we implement calendar year 2012 changes.
The hold should have minimal impact on provider cash flow because, under current law, clean electronic claims are not paid sooner than 14 calendar days (29 days for paper claims) after the date of receipt. However, if you follow the status of your claim during the claims processing cycle, the claim status may not reflect what you would normally see because of the claims hold.
Medicare claims for services rendered on or before Saturday, December 31, 2011, are unaffected by the 2012 claims hold and will be processed and paid under normal procedures and time frames. We appreciate your patience as we implement calendar year 2012 changes.
Nursing Education and Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) 2012 Application Cycle Now Open!
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (BCRS), is pleased to announce the 2012 application cycle for NELRP is now open and will remain open through February 15, 2012.
NELRP offers Registered Nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses, such as Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and nurse faculty an opportunity to repay 60 percent of their outstanding qualifying educational loans in exchange for a two-year service commitment at a Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) or an accredited school of nursing.
This year, the program has been modified to adapt to changes in the nursing profession and to ensure support for communities with the greatest need.
For 2012, the program is reserving up to half of the award funding for NPs; the remaining funding will continue to support RNs and nurse faculty.
As in previous years, NELRP is expected to be competitive. If there are more qualified applicants than available funding, NELRP will prioritize applications based upon the following criteria:
Nurses at CSFs:
Preference will be given to nurses based on the greatest financial need, the type of facility, and the mental health or primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation. For more information on CSFs, HPSAs and funding preferences, review the Application and Program Guidance here
Nurse Faculty at Schools:
Preference will be given to faculty with the greatest financial need and to faculty working at schools of nursing with at least 50 percent enrollment of students from a disadvantaged background.
The deadline to apply to NELRP is February 15, 2012 at 5 pm ET. To learn more about NELRP eligibility and requirements, visit: here .
NELRP offers Registered Nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses, such as Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and nurse faculty an opportunity to repay 60 percent of their outstanding qualifying educational loans in exchange for a two-year service commitment at a Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) or an accredited school of nursing.
This year, the program has been modified to adapt to changes in the nursing profession and to ensure support for communities with the greatest need.
For 2012, the program is reserving up to half of the award funding for NPs; the remaining funding will continue to support RNs and nurse faculty.
As in previous years, NELRP is expected to be competitive. If there are more qualified applicants than available funding, NELRP will prioritize applications based upon the following criteria:
Nurses at CSFs:
Preference will be given to nurses based on the greatest financial need, the type of facility, and the mental health or primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation. For more information on CSFs, HPSAs and funding preferences, review the Application and Program Guidance here
Nurse Faculty at Schools:
Preference will be given to faculty with the greatest financial need and to faculty working at schools of nursing with at least 50 percent enrollment of students from a disadvantaged background.
The deadline to apply to NELRP is February 15, 2012 at 5 pm ET. To learn more about NELRP eligibility and requirements, visit: here .
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Register NOW for 2012 Forum - Essential Perspectives for Safety Net Providers
Our annual event brought to you by the Colorado Rural Health Center and ClinicNET is just around the corner. Join us April 11th - 13th at the Sheraton Denver West in Lakewood, Colorado and participate in the numerous education, training and networking opportunities available to you. For more information on this event or to register please visit our website or contact Courtnay Ryan at cr@coruralhealth.org. See you there!
Upcoming CRHC Webinars
Please join CRHC for these upcoming webinars – click on the titles for more information and to register:
· Community Health Needs Assessments – January 11
· Top 10 CAH Deficiencies and What We Can Do About It… - January 27
· Utilization Management for CAHs – February 28
· CAH Swing Beds: Part I – March 20
· CAH Swing Beds: Part II – April 3
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Colorado Rural Credentialing Network – Register Now for 2012!
Credentialing of physicians and other healthcare practitioners is a key risk management function for facilities, both large and small. Further, it has become a complex and seldom understood process. CRHC’s Colorado Rural Credentialing Network provides rural hospitals and clinics with information, education, and resources pertaining to this important task. For an annual fee of $250 (CRHC members)/$375 (non-members), participants will have:
- Access to participate in quarterly interactive Educational Credentialing Webinars facilitated by an expert credentialing specialist
- Up-to-Date Tools, Resources, Templates, and Materials, Archived Network Webinars and Information (through a member-only website)
- Peer Networking opportunities
- No-Cost Access to a certified credentialing specialist for general credentialing questions
- Access to personalized credentialing consultations at a group discount rate
To join the 2012 Colorado Rural Credentialing Network, complete the registration form. Quarterly webinars will begin in February 2012.
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