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

For complete details regarding this CR please see the official instruction (CR7234) issued to yourMedicare A/B MAC, carrier or FI. That instruction may be viewed by going tohttp://www.cms.gov/Transmittals/downloads/R815OTN.pdf on the CMS Web site.CMS would like providers to be aware that educational products are available through the MLNCatalogue free of charge. The MLN Catalogue is available athttp://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MLNCatalog.pdf on the CMS Web site. The specificproducts that may be of interest to providers who use the information in MM7234 are as follows:1. The Medicare Preventive Services Quick Reference Information Chart: Medicare Part B ImmunizationBilling (Influenza, Pneumococcal, and Hepatitis B) is available athttp://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/qr_immun_bill.pdf on the CMS Web site.2. The Adult Immunizations brochure provides a basic overview of Medicare’s influenza,pneumococcal and hepatitis B vaccine benefits and is available athttp://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/Adult_Immunization.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 percent of these deaths occur in people 65 years of age and older.Please talk 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 influenzavaccine and its administration, as well as related educational resources for health care professionals andtheir staff, 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.Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule – Medicare Travel Allowance Fees forCollection of SpecimensMLN Matters® Number: MM7239Related Change Request (CR) #: 7239Related CR Release Date: December 3, 2010Effective Date: January 1, 2010Related CR Transmittal #: R2110CPImplementation Date: January 3, 2011Provider Types AffectedClinical laboratories submitting claims to Medicare contractors (carriers, fiscal intermediaries [FIs],and/or Part A/B Medicare administrative contractors [A/B MACs]) for clinical laboratory servicesprovided to Medicare beneficiaries are affected.CPT codes and descriptors are only copyright 2010 American Medical Association (or such other date publication of CPT)The Medicare Monthly Review 64 MMR 2011-01, January 2011