The FMA Annual Meeting and Medical Expo is right around the corner. Have you registered? If not, you don't want to miss out on this very important event! The deadline for pre-registration is Friday, August 17, 2007.

Some of the exciting events scheduled at this year's meeting include:

• FLAMPAC Good Government Luncheon - Former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney, will be the special Guest Speaker for this annual luncheon. Governor Romney has been widely recognized for his leadership and accomplishments as a public servant and in private enterprise. He is currently seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States. This event is being held on Friday, Aug. 24, from 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Atlantic Ballroom. Tickets for lunch are $75 per person.

• Physician's Art Show - The FMA Physician's Art Show will begin on Friday, Aug. 24, from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and will continue during the Foundation's Wine Fest from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall. On Saturday, Aug. 25, the art show will reopen from 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The awards ceremony will begin at 2:00 pm inside of the main Exhibit Hall. While visiting our many exhibitors in the trade show, be sure to stop by and view the beautiful works of art that are on display.

• Silent Auction - The Florida Medical Association Foundation's Silent Auction will begin on Friday, Aug. 24, from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and will continue during the Foundation's Wine Fest from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall. On Saturday, Aug. 25, the auction will reopen for bidding from 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Winners will be posted by 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25, at the FMA Registration Desk.

• FMA Foundation's Wine Fest -This year's wine fest will feature premier wines from around the world and will include hors d'oeuvres and entertainment. The event is being held on Friday, Aug. 24, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. in Exhibit Hall. This is a fundraising event and tickets are $50 per person.

• South Beach Party Lunch in Exhibit Hall - Come join us at the beach party and have lunch with the entire family. Enjoy hamburgers, hotdogs, milkshakes, and other fun treats! There will be numerous prizes to win from our exhibitors. Also, the FMA Grand Prize Vacation Giveaway of a 5 days/4 nights Island Hopper Vacation Package will take place during this time. Remember to stop by each exhibitor's booth and sign up for all giveaway drawings. Our many thanks to our event sponsors: Regions Bank and Regions Morgan Keegan Trust. This event will be held on Saturday, Aug. 25, from 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. located in the Grand Ballroom.

• Florida Medical Colleges' Alumni Dessert Reception in the Exhibit Hall - A selection of assorted desserts is being served in our Florida Medical Colleges' designated alumni areas. Look for your school colors and enjoy being a part of your Alumni celebration! The event will take place in the Grand Ballroom on Friday, Aug. 24, from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. No ticket purchase necessary.

• FMA/FMAA President's Installation Reception - An evening of fine dining and lively entertainment, as we install our new FMA and FMA Alliance Presidents on Saturday, Aug. 25, from 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. in the Diplomat Ballroom. Tickets for dinner are $85 per person.

Guide to Medicare Preventive Services Second Edition
The second edition of The Guide to Medicare Preventive Services for Physicians, Providers, Suppliers, and Other Health Care Professionals is now available in a downloadable format from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Learning Network (MLN). This comprehensive guide provides fee-for-services health care providers and suppliers with coverage, coding, billing, and reimbursement information for preventive services and screenings covered by Medicare. This guide gives medical professionals and their staff the information they need to help recommend Medicare-covered preventive services and screenings that are appropriate for their Medicare patients. It also provides information needed to bill Medicare effectively for services furnished. To view this guide online click here.

Avoid Medicare Provider Enrollment Delays
Did you know that incomplete applications result in significant delays? First Coast Service Options, Inc. (FCSO) pre-screens enrollment applications to verify required data elements and supporting documentation. Applications will be returned without further review if certain conditions exist. The most common reasons for returned applications include:

• An outdated version of the CMS-855 application(s) was submitted. Only the 06/06 versions are accepted.

• The CMS-855 and/or CMS-588 EFT application was not signed in ink and/or dated.

• All required applications in the reassignment package were not submitted.

• The CMS-855R application was signed by an unauthorized official.

FCSO processes applications in the order they are received. Providers must correct and resubmit applications that are returned by FCSO. Resubmitted applications are considered a new receipt and will be processed in the order of receipt. The most common items missing from applications include:

• Medical or professional licenses, occupational licenses, certifications, and registrations required by Federal or State law.

• National Provider Identifier (NPI) notification letters from NPPES.

• Business licenses such as occupational licenses (business tax receipts).

• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) CP-575 documentation.

• Interim sales agreements.

If an application is missing at least one required data element or supporting document, FCSO will send you a letter (referred to as a pre-screening letter), via fax, requesting the information required to continue processing your application. When a fax number is not available, FCSO will mail this letter to the correspondence address noted in the application. Providers have 60 days from the date of the pre-screening letter to return all requested information. If the requested information is not returned in 60 days, FCSO will reject the application. Once rejected, the provider must resubmit the application, which will be processed in the order of receipt.

For more information on provider enrollment, click on the following links:
http://www.floridamedicare.com/Reference/General_Topics/Provider_Enrollment/109011.pdf

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/downloads/pim83c10.pdf

2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative Update
It's been one month since reporting quality data codes for the 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) on claims for dates of service starting July 1 through December 31, 2007 began. Eligible professionals participating in the 2007 PQRI indicate that the PQRI tool kit and data collection worksheets are an asset to successful reporting. Provider organizations report successful reporting by their members. Information about the 2008 PQRI was released in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the 2008 Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS). To ensure successful reporting, the CMS brings to your attention the following items:

Use of Modifiers with PQRI Quality Data Codes -
The PQRI quality data codes should only be reported with CPT II modifier(s) 1P, 2P, 3P, or 8P, if applicable. If any other modifier, i.e., CPT I modifier or HCPCS Level II modifier, is placed on the same line as a PQRI code, it may cause the claim to be rejected or denied as an invalid procedure/modifier combination. New information is continually added to the most reliable source of information for the 2007 PQRI - the CMS Web site. To access the Web site, click here.

Important Notice Regarding Vaccine Administrations in 2008
Section 202(b) of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA) established a permanent policy for payment by Medicare for administration of Part D-covered vaccines, beginning in 2008. Specifically, the policy states that, MLN Matters Number: SE0723 Related Change Request Number: N/A effective January 1, 2008, the administration of a Part D-covered vaccine is included in the definition of "covered Part D drug" under the Part D statute. During 2007, in transition to this new policy, providers were permitted to bill Part B for the administration of a Part D vaccine using a special G code (G3077). SE0723 now reminds providers of the requirement that payment for the administration of Part D covered vaccines only during 2007. Therefore, effective January 1, 2008, you can no longer bill the G code to Part B; rather you will need to bill the patient for the vaccine and its administration, and the patient will need to submit the claim to the Part D plan for reimbursement. For more information, click here.

Drowning Prevention Awareness Study
The Florida Department of Health has completed a pilot study on Drowning Prevention Awareness. The study was done in Dade and Broward County by Nova Southeastern University. To view the study, click here.
 

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