Avoid the e-Prescribing Penalty for 2013 The deadline to apply for a Medicare e-prescribing exemption for 2013 is June 30, 2012. If you have not electronically prescribed 10 times with a qualifying physician fee schedule service, you only have a few more weeks to do so. The 2013 payment reduction penalty of 1.5 percent will be determined by e-prescribing activity between January 1 and June 30, 2012. May 25, 2012 e prescribing, Medicare, Payment e-prescribing penalty, eRX, Medicare eRx 0 0 Comment Read More »
Medi-Cal Primary Care Rates to Increase to Medicare Levels in 2013 Medi-Cal primary care physicians will receive a two-year, $11 billion pay increase, under a proposal released last week by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The proposal, which implements a provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), would on average result in a 50 to 60 percent increase in Medi-Cal rates for primary care physicians, including family medicine, pediatrics and internists, plus related subspecialties. The ACA calls for Medicaid payments to primary care physicians to be raised to Medicare levels for 2013 and 2014. May 21, 2012 CMA, Medi Cal, News, Payment, Primary Care Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, ACA, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
Blue Shield of California Fee Schedule Changes Effective June 2012 SFMS/CMA has learned that Blue Shield has notified physicians of changes to its physician fee schedule that will go into effect June 1, 2012. In the notice, Blue Shield informed physicians that it would be increasing payment for some Evaluation and Management (E/M) services. SFMS/CMA has developed an action guide for physicians on contract amendments to help our members understand their rights when a health plan has sent notice of a material change to a contract. May 14, 2012 Payment, Practice Management payor contract, Blue Shield, insurance/reimbursement 0 0 Comment Read More »
Survey Confirms Physicians Have the Blues Over the Blues CMA has received complaints from physicians regarding Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s refusal to honor assignment of benefits, highlighting the burden and cost it places on the physician practice to act as debt collectors rather than physicians, and in many cases, this policy has jeopardized the physician-patient relationship. CMA conducted a survey completed by over 1,100 physician practices to obtain additional information about what criteria they consider when deciding whether to contract with a payor. April 27, 2012 Advocacy, CMA, Payment, SFMS Member AB 1742 0 0 Comment Read More »
Urgent Survey Response Requested: State Releases Plan to Move Medicare/Medi-Cal Patients into Managed Care Plans California releases plan to move all Medicare/Medi-Cal patients into managed care plans.SFMS/CMA needs your input. April 25, 2012 CMA, Medi Cal, Medicare, Payment, SFMS Member Medi-Cal, Reimbursement, Insurance, Medicare 0 0 Comment Read More »
