ACCREDITATION
CMS has announced that January 31,2009 is the application deadline for accreditation. This is a new deadline and references only the application deadline. It means that any supplier that has not submitted an application to the accreditation organization by January 31,2009 runs a high risk of not meeting the September 30, 2009 accreditation deadline.Putting of preparation for accreditation until next year is now a very risky proposition that could result in the loss of your Medicare Part B billing privileges.
Keystone is making available all the help you may need by endorsing PRS Pharmacy Services and R. J. Hedges and Associates to help you through this process. Both offer excellent programs.
Call out office for further information
Medicare Part D Fraud, Waste & Abuse Update
CMS has announced the dates for the part C and D Plans to have fraud, waste and abuse training in place. This also means that the pharmacy must have their training in place.
The deadline for all aspects of this is January 1, 2009.
Part D plans will be auditing stores to see that they are compliant -- DO NOT IGNORE THIS.
Contact PRS Pharmacy Services -- This is a minor project to implement & a big problem on audit if you do not implement.
How to recognize a STROKE
- Ask the person to SMILE.
- Ask the person to TALK & SPEAK a simple sentence.
- Ask the person to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If the person has a problem with ANY ONE of these tasks - call 911.
*New signs of a stroke -- Ask the person to stick out their tongue -- If the tongue is crooked, of if it goes to one side -- call 911.
Member Health -- CCRx Plan D Rx Plan
Member Health has not been sold. They remain the PGM administering the CCRx Part D plans. Member Health is changing the processing vendor from SXC to TelePAID starting 1/1/09.
Member Health will continue to hold the contracts and manage the rates with Independent pharmacies.
Even with TelePAID as processor, you will not have to pay TelePAID's $0.10 per transaction for CCRx prescriptions.
Community CCRx members will get new ID cards as part of the processor change. The new cards WILL NOT be labeled with Medco Logo and the new BIN will be owned by MemberHealth.
CCRx WILL NOT be initiating a Mail Order benefit. CCRx members will continue to have access to 90 Days Supply through their community Pharmacy.
Reimbursement will still be paid according to the terms provided in your MemberHealth contract.
MemberHealth will continue to manage the Pharmacy Audit process for those contracts it continues to hold.
Other interesting Information
The House Judiciary Committee has formerly cleared business negotiation rights legislation. The Bill, H.R. 971, earlier had been approved by the committee unanimously, but not officially reported to the House and placed on the calendar.
During a patient's two week follow up appointment with his cardiologist, he informed his doctor that he was having trouble with one of his med's. Which one? The Patch. The nurse told me to put on a new one every 6 hours & I am running out of places to put it. Yes, the man had over fifty patches on his body -- Now I include in the instructions that the old patch be removed.
San Francisco is in the midst of placing a ban on selling cigarettes in Pharmacies
NCPA, while expressing support for e-prescribing, has told the DEA that its proposed rule on e-prescribing of controlled substances "would create many problems and burdens that far outweigh the potential benefits".
Immunization
It is time for at least one Pharmacist in each store to become accredited.
Flue shot administration is profitable.
Travel vaccines are even more profitable and CASH ONLY.
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