The Medicare Monthly Review, MMR-2011-01, January 2011 - CGS

Note: CMS requests provider, physician and supplier assistance in identifying previously processedclaims related to an illness, injury or condition caused or exacerbated either directly or indirectly by the2010 Gulf oil spill. CMS encourages providers, physicians and suppliers to contact their Medicarecontractor to identify services or claims – submitted and processed prior to the creation of the Gulf oilspill modifier and condition code – that should have the CS modifier and/or the BP condition codeappended.Additional InformationIf you have questions, please contact your Medicare MAC or FI at their toll-free number which may befound at http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/CallCenterTollNumDirectory.zip on the CMSWeb site.The official instruction (CR7087) issued to your Medicare MAC, carrier and/or FI is available athttp://www.cms.gov/Transmittals/downloads/R2021CP.pdf on the CMS Web site.News Flash – Each Office Visit is an Opportunity. Medicare patients give many reasons for not gettingtheir annual flu vaccination, but the fact is that there are 36,000 flu-related deaths in the United Stateseach year, on average. More than 90% of these deaths occur in people 65 years of age and older. Pleasetalk with your Medicare patients about the importance of getting their annual flu vaccination. ThisMedicare-covered preventive service will protect them for the entire flu season. And remember,vaccination is important for health care workers too, who may spread the flu to high risk patients. Don’tforget to immunize yourself and your staff. Protect your patients. Protect your family. Protect yourself.Get Your Flu Vaccine - Not the Flu.Remember – Influenza vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. Note that influenzavaccine is not a Part D covered drug. For information about Medicare’s coverage of the influenza vaccineand its administration, as well as related educational resources for health care professionals and theirstaff, please visit http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/Downloads/Flu_Products.pdf andhttp://www.cms.gov/AdultImmunizations on the CMS Web site.DisclaimerThis article was prepared as a service to the public and is not intended to grant rights or impose obligations. This article may contain references or links tostatutes, regulations, or other policy materials. The information provided is only intended to be a general summary. It is not intended to take the place of eitherthe written law or regulations. We encourage readers to review the specific statutes, regulations and other interpretive materials for a full and accurate statementof their contents. CPT only copyright 2009 American Medical Association.Influenza Vaccine Payment Allowances - Annual Update for 2010-2011SeasonMLN Matters® Number: MM7120 RevisedRelated Change Request (CR) #: 7120Related CR Release Date: October 22, 2010Effective Date: September 1, 2010Related CR Transmittal #: R2071CPImplementation Date: November 24, 2010Note: This article was revised on November 26, 2010, to reflect a correction to the payment rate for CPT90655, as announced in CR 7234, issued on November 19, 2010. The corrected payment rate for 90655, asof September 1, 2010, is $14.858. All other information is the same.CPT codes and descriptors are only copyright 2010 American Medical Association (or such other date publication of CPT)The Medicare Monthly Review 49 MMR 2011-01, January 2011