Practice Management Alert

Payer Updates:

Anthem BCBS Tests E-Visits in Maine

Plus, CMS alters 2010 conversion factor with emergency action. Physicians in Maine are testing the "e-visit" market. Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield and Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) have partnered with doctors at Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMMC) in Bangor and The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC) in Presque Isle for a pilot program that will allow the doctors to communicate electronically with their patients. In the initial phase, Anthem will reimburse the hospitals for communicating about non-emergency situations, such as appointment scheduling, reviewing test results, and requesting refills. Other states, including Massachusetts and California, have conducted similar pilot programs. In other news: Despite CMS's plans to downgrade your 2010 conversion factor by 21.29 percent, the government stepped in at the last minute and offered you a quick boost -- at least temporarily. Congress voted to delay a decrease to the conversion factor until March 1. Therefore, you'll benefit from a [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in Revenue Cycle Insider
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more