Holiday News Winter 2012
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…but there is still a lot to be done for year end. I know a lot of you are really busy trying to wind things down in your office for 2012. Hopefully, you will be getting some much needed time off to spend with your families for the holidays.
I hope a lot of you had a chance to attend the Medicare and Coding Update class that Barbara Good with WVSMA and PMI put on Dec 13 and 14th . Rose Moore was the speaker and she had a lot of great information. Rose is always so full of knowledge. There are several changes to the CPT and ICD-9 codes in many specialties for 2013. If you were not able to attend you might want to contact someone who did and see if they can share some of the information with you that they learned.
WVSMA Physician Practice Conference
Barbara Good is always so gracious to help the OMA with continued education and we encourage all of you to attend the events she puts on. They are always very informative and carry CEU credits. She will be having the WVSMA Physician’s Practice Conference at the Charleston Marriott Feb 15th and 16th. This is open to Former Department of Justice Health Care Fraud Attorney Robert W. Liles, JD, MBH, MHA will be speaking for 90mins on Friday about “What Every Practice Needs to know”. He is also PMI’s educator for the Compliance Officer Course. This is one you really SHOULD NOT miss. It’s only $165.00 for WVSMA member-Physician/medical staff or $195 for non-member Physician/medical staff. PMI will be giving 5.25 CME credit hours. Visit www.wvsma.org to sign up today.
CMOM Class
Also, a number of office managers have expressed interest in another CMOM (Certified Medical Office Manager) course. We are hoping to schedule another class in Spring of 2013. If you are interested in the class, please contact Barbara Good ().
Info by Barbara Good, WVSMA
Medicare News
We are gearing up for deductibles to begin. This is always a time when we see a dip in revenue. Be sure that your staff is aware of the Medicare Part B deductible increase to $147.00. If the patient does not have a secondary insurance you may collect this deductible at the time of service.
Medicare Cuts
Inconceivably, physicians are once again watching Congress closely and hoping their legislators will not shirk their responsibility to prevent steep Medicare physician payment cuts.
This time, a 26.5 percent Medicare cut is scheduled for Jan. 1, and the threat is growing each day that Congress may fail to act in time, deferring action until next year after cuts have already been enacted.
This is simply unacceptable.
Demand that Congress act before Jan.1. Contact your representative and senators TODAY -- send them an email by clicking here and call their offices through the AMA grassroots hotline at 1-800-833-6354.
Time and again lawmakers have agreed that the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula is flawed, only to respond with short-term, patchwork solutions instead of permanent repeal.
Remind them that this failed approach perpetuates the threat of annual cuts, creating instability for physicians' practices, eroding their confidence in the Medicare system, and limiting access to care for patients.
As recently as 2010, Congress allowed cuts to occur and then fixed the interruption in Medicare physician payments at a later date. Your representative and senators need to be reminded that this action caused a disruptive hold on claims for Medicare physician services, creating significant strain for physician practices and interrupting access to care for Medicare beneficiaries.
If Congress once again defers action on the scheduled Medicare SGR cuts until after Jan. 1, it will be at a great cost to physicians and their patients.
It's time the delays, short-term patches, and partisan games come to an end.
Email and call today at 1-800-833-6354
Info from Barbara Good, WVSMA
TopCMS Announcement About the 2013 Fee Schedule
This information was sent on December 19, 2012 from CMS:
The negative update of 27% under current law for the 2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2013.
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule claims for services rendered on or before December 31, 2012, are unaffected by the 2013 payment cut and will be processed and paid under normal procedures and time frames.
The Administration is disappointed that Congress has failed to pass a solution to eliminate the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula-driven cuts, and has put payments for health care for Medicare beneficiaries at risk. We continue to urge Congress to take action to ensure these cuts do not take effect. Given the current progress with the legislation, CMS must take steps to implement the negative update.
Under current law, clean electronic claims are not paid sooner than 14 calendar days (29 days for paper claims) after the date of receipt. CMS will notify you on or before January 11, 2013, with more information about the status of Congressional action to avert the negative update and next steps
Information from WVSMA Wesgram Online
Letter from Our President
To my fellow members:
Your OMA board members are already working behind the scenes to make this a great year.
I hope everyone checks our web site for updates and events.
As the year comes to an end we can all look back at 2012’s accomplishments with a smile. And ring in the New Year hopes of a successful new year.
Remember:
A good life
Is when you
Assume nothing,
Do more, need less,
Smile often, dream big,
Laugh a lot, and realize
How blesses you are!
Merry Christmas everyone! Hope to see you all soon!
Julie Williams, President
Office Managers Association
Chapter
Reports
Beckley Chapter
The Beckley chapter closed 2012 with a meeting on Social Media in the Workforce with Stephen A. Burt, BS, MFA with Healthcare Compliance Resources; held on November 15th. I was not able to attend the last meeting due to medical obligations. Connie Link, Treasure for our chapter filled in and did a wonderful job for our chapter. I was informed the topic was excellent and Mr. Burt did a great presentation.
We do not have anything else scheduled for the remainder of the year.
The Beckley Chapter wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Respectfully,
Diana Walker, President
Beckley Chapter
Charleston Chapter
The Charleston Chapter has an educational meeting planned for Thursday, January 10 11:30 to 2:00.
We will be in classroom 3 located in the basement at Thomas Hospital.
Cost: OMA members-free non-members $20.00
Lunch provided
Speaker: Jason Warner
Topic: Privacy and Security -best practices to use in and outside the office. He will also cover some of the penalties that come with breaches in Protected Health Information (PHI)
Jason is the Privacy and Security Specialist for WVMI & Quality Insights, a role that includes working with healthcare practices across the state of West Virginia for the WVRHITEC. Jason has obtained his associate and bachelor degrees from West Virginia University at Parkersburg. His associate’s degree is an Applied Science degree in Computer & Information Technology, while his bachelor degree is an Applied Technology degree specializing in Information Security. Jason is also an active member in the Privacy and Security Community of Practice within the Regional Extension Center (REC) program, which works directly with all REC’s nationwide as well as the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to develop solutions for security issues found in healthcare facilities. Jason has been with WVMI & Quality Insights since June 2011 and became the Privacy and Security Specialist in June 2012
Please join us in our first meeting of 2013
CLARKSBURG CHAPTER REPORTFOURTH QUARTER
CLARKSBURG CHAPTER OFFICE MEMBERS
§ PRESIDENT, SANDY GORE
§ VICE PRESIDENT/ SECRETARY, ADRIENNE MILLER
§ TREASURER, TORI STEVENS
2012 MEMBERS: 23
OMA CONFERENCE
The Annual Office Manager’s Conference was held at the Canaan Valley Resort on October 11 and 12,
2012. The conference was a success and 9 members from the Clarksburg Chapter attended.
ELECTIONS
Elections for office positions were held at our last meeting for the year. Our 2013 officers are:
President= Sandy Gore
Vice President= Anna MarieDeGuilmi
Secretary= Adrienne Miller
Treasurer= Tori Stevens
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DINNER
Ending the OMA year on a good note, we gathered together one last time for our annual Christmas dinner. There were 9 members in attendance. After summing up end of year Clarksburg Chapter business and elections, our president Sandy Gore officially closed the final meeting of 2012.
Huntington Chapter
Our last chapter meeting for the year was held at St. Mary's Medical Center. We held a round table discussion on the everyday challenges and problems we have in our offices.
We are currently planning our meetings for 2013
Submitted by
Pam Shafer
President Huntington Chapter
Morgantown Chapter
We did not have a meeting last month or in October due to conference
We are having our annual Christmas luncheon for our members on Wednesday December 12 at Mon General Hospital where we will have a white elephant exchange. The local board will be meeting in early January to plan the first half of 2013.
Jodi Raley
President, Morgantown Chapter
Weirton Chapter
The end of the year is upon us and we’ve had a very good 2012. Our chapter is small, but we have had many meetings that have proven beneficial to those who attended. We have elected our officers for 2013-2014 and they are:
Vicky Williams – President
Faith Nichols – Vice-President
Carol Ceran – Treasurer
Donna Zahn – Secretary
Vickie Garan – Conference Committee
Donna Zahn – Conference Committee
The schedule for the 2013 meetings will be for the 3rd Wednesday of the month. Flyers will be sent out as well as faxed to try to increase attendance and membership.
We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Donna Zahn, Secretary Weirton OMA
Officer
Reports
Historian
Donna Zahn
As historian of the OMA I have the pleasure of recording the activities throughout the year. We have had educational meetings, our annual conference and the local chapters have been very active. Unfortunately we have lost many chapters of our organization but we are not going to let that get us down. We will strive to start new chapters so we may help others through our educational opportunities. This organization is a valuable asset and we need to continue the good work. Let’s see what 2013 has in store for us and make it the best year of all.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Donna Zahn, State Historian
Conference Report
Conference 2011 was a success. Our online surveys showed great support for all of our speakers. The biggest complaints were about the food as always. Buffet style is more cost effective than single plated meals. One survey stated that the meals are always predictable. The reason for this is all locations have a standard menu for buffets.
We appreciate the support that everyone showed for our troops. We received so much for the care packages and it was awesome.
Our planning meeting will be in February. Please come and join us. We need all the new fresh ideas for speakers and topics that we can get. Please get involved.
Submitted by
Pam & Rita
Co VP of conference
Public Relations Report
I ended the year by going to the Family Practice conference in Huntington the first weekend in November. They had a great turn out and I was able to spread the word about our organization and hoping to have a few new members from it.
We had a great year 2012 for getting thing rolling with the website and implementing the Paypal. I know that we’ve a few glitches with it but I am working on getting those fixed. Your membership renewals will be going out soon so remember that you can pay your membership on the website.
I’m looking forward to attending the WVSMA conference in February and hope you all are planning to attend. Looking forward to an exciting 2013.
Please continue to check the website for updates!!
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
VP Public Relations, Stacie Spotloe, CMOM, CMC
Education Report
Spring Educational Meeting
Karen Lavery is working with Joyce Landers at Highmark BCBS and they are organizing OMA day at Highmark claims processing office in Parkersburg. We are going to make a day of it with a tour of the facilities and we can see how claims are processed from start to finish, meet their President, their customer service area. They will sponsor lunch for us. It is sounding like a great day! This is all in the process of being planned but we are so excited.
Summer Educational Meeting
Karen is also working on setting up a meeting for in Flatwoods. The first topics will be "Fraud, Waste and Abuse." This will be presented by Health Plan. The second topic will be "Stage 2- Meaningful Use" and I will be working with RHITEC to set this up. More information will be forthcoming.
Karen Lavery, VP Education
Political Action
The negative update of 27% under current law for the 2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2013.
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule claims for services rendered on or before December 31, 2012, are unaffected by the 2013 payment cut and will be processed and paid under normal procedures and time frames.
The Administration is disappointed that Congress has failed to pass a solution to eliminate the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula-driven cuts, and has put payments for health care for Medicare beneficiaries at risk. We continue to urge Congress to take action to ensure these cuts do not take effect. Given the current progress with the legislation, CMS must take steps to implement the negative update.
Under current law, clean electronic claims are not paid sooner than 14 calendar days (29 days for paper claims) after the date of receipt. CMS will notify you on or before January 11, 2013, with more information about the status of Congressional action to avert the negative update and next steps