Hawaii Medical Association

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Medicare Payment Cut Delayed through March 31

Message from CMS: On March 2, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Temporary Extension Act of 2010. Among other things, this law extends through March 31, 2010, the zero percent update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule that was in effect for claims with dates of service January 1, 2010, through February 28, 2010.

Effective immediately, claims with dates of service March 1 and later which were being held by Medicare contractors will be released for processing and payment. Please keep in mind that the statutory payment floors still apply and, therefore, clean electronic claims cannot be paid before 14 calendar days after the date they are received by Medicare contractors (29 calendar days for clean paper claims).

HMA

News
Alert

3/3/10

Also extended through March 31 is the exception process for therapy claims reaching the annual cap, retroactive to January 1, 2010. Affected providers may submit claims for exceptions to the annual therapy caps, with dates of service January 1 through March 31, using the KX modifier, following the pre-January 1, requirements for therapy cap exception.

Physicians have until March 17 to change their Medicare participation or nonparticipation status for this year. View a document developed by the AMA that explains the current situation with respect to Medicare payment updates for 2010 and the various participation options available to physicians.

2009 "Diamond" Sponsors




	Serving Physicians & Patients Hawaii physicians all have the same priority – the health of their patients. It is HMA’s mission to help physicians help patients. Mahalo to Hawaii physicians for providing care to our community, and mahalo to all Hawaii citizens for supporting HMA’s goal of access to quality health care in our state. Physicians – interested in joining the cause to help your patients? Contact HMA for details on becoming a member: 536-7702, toll-free (888) 536-2792, or visit our member page. Health Care Advocacy: HMA leads the way on many important issues that impact the practice of medicine in Hawaii. In these trying times, physicians need to actively defend their patients and their practices. Thank you to HMA members, whose dues support our efforts.




	Support Medicare Payment Reform Mahalo to Congressman Abercrombie and Congresswoman Hirono for voting yes on H.R. 3961, the “Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009” which would permanently repeal the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula that calls for annual cuts in Medicare physician reimbursements, and replace it with a new, more rational payment system. In March 2010, Medicare reimbursements will be cut by more than 21% because of the SGR. Past short-term patches have only made the problem worse. It's time to fix the system once and for all, to preserve access to care and provide physician practices with the stability they need to care for seniors and military families. For more details, and for contacting your U.S. representatives to say thank you, and your U.S. Senators to ask for their support, click here.




	Save the Date! Mark your calendars for the 2010 Ola Pono Ike Medical Gala, presented by HMA and Honolulu County Medical Society: Oct. 2, 2010 at the Sheraton Waikiki. Mahalo to our guests, supporters, sponsors, and participants of the 2009 Ola Pono Ike. who helped support our mission to represent physicians, patients, and the community through representation, advocacy, and public service. A special mahalo to guest speaker J. James Rohack, MD, AMA President, and congratulations to our award winners and honorees. Mahalo to our 2009 Ola Pono Ike Sponsors: MIEC Physicians Exchange of Honolulu Allscripts Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii Hale Pawa‘a: A Professional Services Building University Health Alliance (UHA)




	BCBS Settlement Term Update The Compliance Dispute Program of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Settlement Agreement is underway. Physicians (who did not opt out of the settlement) who believe that any of the settling Blues plans (including HMSA) have violated the Agreement may file Compliance Disputes. HMA will report systemic issues and settlement term violations to the Compliance Facilitator on behalf of its members. For more information, go to HMA's BCBS Settlement Info Page or visit hmosettlements.com for dispute forms. HMA Members may report violations to HMA: April Donahue, Executive Director, Phone: (808) 536-7702