Category: #Medicareadvantage

Posted in #aetna, #Medicare, #Medicareadvantage, Payers and CPT reinbursement

Aetna Commercial and Medicare Plans: Payment for Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Assistants

Posted on by KR2Medical Billing

As per Aetna Updates: starting December 1,2023 the Occupational Therapy Assistants and Physical Therapy Assistants will get their own reimbursement for performed services.

Reimbursement amount: 85% of Allowed amount.

Please append the following modifiers to the services that are performed by the PTAs and OTAs:

CO-occupational therapy services performed in part or as a whole by an Occupational Therapy Assistant

CQ-physical therapy services performed in part or as a whole by a Physical Therapy Assistant.

This change applies to Medicare and Commercial plan types.

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Fidelis MMC: healthy nutrition benefit

Fidelis (NY) has partnered up with Foodsmart vendor to offer the Managed Medicaid Members nutrition services- “fully covered by the plan”. The services include a personalized telenutrition from registered nutritionist. Foodsmart services include: For more information, providers should contact: Paula West, Director of Provider Relations, at Paula.West@foodsmart.com. Ready to refer a member? Find this information…

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UHC Medicaid: Idaho: diabetic DME coverage change-benefit

Starting for DOS 4/1/26 and thereafter the following codes will be covered through the patient pharmacy benefit and no longer will be covered under patient medical benefit. For DOS 1/1/26 through 3/1/26- providers can still bill either through medical benefit or pharmacy benefit. Find this type of content useful? Follow my blog!

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Anthem BCBS: 32BJ fund new TPA and cards

As the new year starts so do the change of theember ID changes and or group numbers. Is your provider office aware of these changes? Please note that for any 32BJ members there is a new TPA, group#, member ID, and cards. Please note the new ID: Effective Jan 1,2026- new members ID prefix BJVBJ.…

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Posted in #Medicareadvantage, BCBS (Various States), Training, Updates

BCBS of MN: Reimbursement update (modifiers 52, CO, CQ)

Posted on by KR2Medical Billing

Please note which type of providers will be affected by each reimbursement policy for specific modifiers and the effective date it begins.

The following reimbursement updates take effect as of July 1, 2022:

  1. Modifier 52- for services performed on 07/01/2022 and thereafter, Blue Cross will be begin reimbursing procedure codes billed with a -52 modifier at the lesser of 50% of the physician fee schedule allowance or charge submitted for the following lines of business: • Commercial• Federal Employee Program (FEP)
  2. The Reimbursement Policy, General Coding – 003 Coding Edits will be updated to reflect this change.

PT/OT/ST services reimbursement with modifiers CO, CQ for DOS 07/01/2022 and thereafter:

  1. Commercial plans-

Blue Cross will be implementing a 15% reduction in the allowed amount for services
modified with CO or CQ modifier for professional providers.

The following reimbursement Policy took affect for DOS 01/01/2022 and thereafter

1. Medicare Advantage Plans-

Blue Cross implemented a 15% reduction in the allowed amount for services modified with CO or CQ modifier for professional and facility providers to comply with requirements of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

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Posted in #Medicare, #Medicareadvantage, BCBS (Various States), Training, Updates

BCBS California: Authorizations for post-acute care services (Medicare Advantage Plans/GRS)

Posted on by KR2Medical Billing

The following blog will discuss where and how the providers should submit their prior authorizations for post-acute care services for Medicare Advantage Individual, Group Retiree Solutions, and Dual Eligible Plan members.

Note: Dual Eligible- member qualifies for Medicaid and Madicare.

This change is applied for services rendered on Sept 1, 2022 and thereafter. The services included are: admission to or concurrent* stay in a skilled nursing facility (SNF), an inpatient acute rehab facility (IRF), or a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH).

These services will be reviewed by myNEXUS.**

*Concurrent stay review requests for members admitted to SNF, IRF, or LTACH facilities prior to September 1, 2022, should be directed to the health plan.

** myNEXUS is an independent company providing post-acute benefits management services on behalf of Anthem Blue Cross.

How to submit or check a prior authorization request

For SNF, IRF, or LTACH admissions, myNEXUS will begin receiving requests on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, for members whose anticipated discharge date is September 1, 2022, or after.

Providers can send their request online- Go to https://portal.mynexuscare.com/home to get started. You can upload clinical information and check the status of your requests through this online tool seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

If you are unable to use the link or website, you can call the myNEXUS Provider Call Center at 844-411-9622 during normal operating hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday, or send a fax to myNEXUS at 1-833-311-2986.

Note: myNexus does not review requests for DME, Ambulance- These services do not fall under the Medicare Home-health services: infusion, hospice, outpatient therapy, or supplemental benefits that help with everyday health and living such as personal home helper services offered under Essential/Everyday Extras.

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