Knowledge Base Article

MEDICARE TRANSMITTALS – RECURRING UPDATES

International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) and Other Coding Revisions to National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) – July 2020 Update

• Article Release Date: February 21, 2020
• What You Need to Know: CR11655 informs providers about ICD-10 updates to specific NCDs. “Note: Coding (as well as payment) is a separate and distinct area of the Medicare Program from coverage policy/criteria. Revisions to codes within an NCD are carefully and thoroughly reviewed and vetted by CMS and are not intended to change the original intent of the NCD. The exception to this is when coding revisions are released as official implementation of new or reconsidered NCD policy following a formal national coverage analysis…MACs will adjust any claims processed in error associated with CR 11491 that you bring to their attention.”
• MLN MM11655: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mm11655.pdf

April 2020 Update of the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS)

• Change Request Release Date: March 3, 2020
• What You Need to Know: CR 11691 is a recurring update notification describing changes to and billion instructions for various payment policies implemented in the April 2020 OPPS update.
• CR 11691: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/r4544cp.pdf

April 2020 Integrated Outpatient Code Editor (I/OCE) Specifications Version 21.1

• Article Release Date: March 6, 2020
• What You Need to Know: CR 11680 providers the I/OCE instructions and specifications for the I/OCE that is being updated April 1, 2020. The two new codes for COVID lab tests (U0001 and U0002) are included in this update.
• MLN MM11680: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mm11680.pdf

Quarterly Update for Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule and Laboratory Services Subject to Reasonable Charge Payment

• Change Request (CR) Release Date: March 6, 2020
• What You Need to Know: CR 11681 is a Recurring Update Notice (RUN) providing instructions for the quarterly update the clinical laboratory fee schedule with an effective date of April 1, 2020.
• CR 11681: https://www.cms.gov/regulations-and-guidanceguidancetransmittals2020-transmittals/document/r4541cp.pdf

April 2020 Update of the Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System

• Article Release Date: March 13, 2020
• What You Need to Know: CR 11694 describes changes to and billing instructions for various payment policies implements in the April 2020 ASC payment system update.
• MLN MM11694: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/MM11694.pdf

OTHER MEDICARE TRANSMITTALS

Remittance Advice Remark Code (RARC), Claims Adjustment Reason Code (CARC), Medicare Remit Easy Print (MREP) and PC Print Update

• Provider Types Affected: Physicians, Providers and Suppliers
• Change Request (CR) Release Date: February 21, 2020
• What You Need to Know: CR 11638 updates RARC and CARC lists and instructs ViPS Medicare System (VMS) and Fiscal Intermediary Shared System (FISS) maintainers to update Medicare Remit Easy Print (MREP) and PC Print Software.
• MLN MM11638: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mm11638.pdf

NCD 20.4 Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators (ICDs)

• Article Release Date: March 3, 2020
• Provider Types Affected: Physicians, Providers, and Suppliers
• What You Need to Know: This special edition article updated providers on Medicare coverage rules and policies for NCD20.4 and outlines the coding requirements (including heart failure codes) are not more restrictive than the NCD.
• MLN SE20006: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/se20006.pdf

Section 1876 and 1833 Cost Plan Enrollee Access to Care through Original Medicare

• Article Release Date: March 3, 2020
• What You Need to Know: This special edition article reinforces existing Medicare policy allowing non-network providers to bill original Medicare for services provided to Medicare cost plan enrollees.
• MLN SE20009: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/se20009.pdf

Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Codes Subject to and Excluded from Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) Edits

• Article release date: March 9, 2020
• What You Need to Know: CR11640 informs MACs about new HCPCS codes for 2020 that are subject to and excluded from CLIA edits.
• MLN MM11640: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mm11640.pdf

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/Medicare Beneficiary data for Fiscal Year 2018 for Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Hospitals, Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs), and Long Term care Hospitals (LTCHs)

• Article Release Date: March 13, 2020
• What You Need to Know: Specific to hospitals, CR 11679 provides updates for determining Disproportionate Share (DSH) adjustment.
• MLN MM11679: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/MM11679.pdf

REVISED MEDICARE TRANSMITTALS

Quarterly Update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database (MPFSDB) – April 2020 Update

• Article Revised: February 27, 2020
• Change Request Revised: new Transmittal number R4540CP
• What You Need to Know: The MLN article was revised to reflect the revised change request date and change an MP RVU code in Table 2.
• MLN MM11661: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mm11661.pdf

Proper Use of Modifier 59

• Special Edition MLN Article Revised March 2, 2020
• What You need to Know: This article was revised to include modifiers –X{EPSU}. All other information is unchanged.
• MLN SE1418: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/SE1418.pdf

New Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) Get It, Use It

• Special Edition MLN Article Revised March 19, 2020
• What You Need to Know: This article was revised to clarify that you need the beneficiary’s first name, last name, date of birth, and SSN to use MBI look-up tool.
• MLN SE18006: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/SE18006.pdf

MEDICARE COVERAGE UPDATES

NCD (20.32) Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

• Change Request: 11660
• What You Need to Know: The purpose of this Change Request (CR) is to inform MACs that effective June 21, 2029, CMS will continue to cover TAVR under Coverage with Evidence Devlopment (CED) when the procedure is furnished for the treatment of symptomatic aortic stenosis and according to an FDA approved indication for use with an approved device, in addition to the coverage criteria outlined in the NCD manual.
• CR 11660: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/r217ncd.pdf

MEDICARE PRESS RELEASES AND FACT SHEETS

February 20, 2020: Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model Three Year Extension and Changed to Episode Definition and Pricing (CMS 5529 P)

CMS issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register proposing a three year extension, changes to the  definition of an episode, and changes in pricing in the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) Model. This model began April 1, 2016 and has a current end date of December 31, 2020. Since this model began total hip and total knee procedures have been removed from the Medicare Inpatient Only Procedure List. Consequently, one proposal being made is to incorporate outpatient hip and knee replacements in the episode of care definition. Comments on the proposed rule must be received no later than 5 p.m. EST on April 24, 2020.

• CMS Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/comprehensive-care-joint-replacement-model-three-year-extension-and-changes-episode-definition-and
• Proposed Rule: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/02/24/2020-03434/medicare-program-comprehensive-care-for-joint-replacement-model-three-year-extension-and-changes-to
• CJR Model webpage on CMS Innovation Center: https://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/CJR

CMS Press Release: CMS Administrator Seema Verma at the 2020 CMS Quality Conference

https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/speech-remarks-cms-administrator-seema-verma-2020-cms-quality-conference

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/patient-safety-outcomes/cms-revamps-quality-strategy-5-things-to-know.html?origin=QualityE&utm_source=QualityE&utm_medium=email&oly_enc_id=1461H5080234E6F

MEDICARE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

MLNconnects March 19, 2020 Newsletter: Provider Minute Video: The Importance of Proper Documentation

CMS has med this Provider Minute video available discussing how proper documentation affects items/services, claim payment and medical review by discussing the following:

• Top five documentation errors,
• How to submit documentation for a Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) review, and
• How your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) can help.

https://www.cms.gov/outreach-and-educationoutreachffsprovpartprogprovider-partnership-email-archive/2020-03-19-mlnc#_Toc35426083

OTHER MEDICARE UPDATES

February 19, 2020: Medicare Advantage Denial Notice

CMS has posted the following information to the CMS MA Denial Notices webpage:

“The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved revisions to the Notice of Denial of Medical Coverage (or Payment), also known as the Integrated Denial Notice (IDN). The expiration date is different on this renewed notice. Plans should begin using the revised IDN as soon as possible, but no later than April 1, 2020. Both the previous and new versions of the notice are acceptable for use through March 31, 2020. Significant revisions made to the notice and instructions include:

• Addition of adjudication timeframes for Part B drugs.
• Removal of language regarding State Fair Hearing as first level of appeal.
• Removal of option to add state specific Medicaid appeal filing timeframe.
• New determination option if an item, service, Part B drug, or payment is partially approved.
• New language notifying enrollees they cannot request an expedited appeal for a request for payment.
• New language informing enrollees they may ask for a good cause extension and should include their reason for being late.
• Option to add information for submitting appeal via plan website.”

March 9, 2020: HHS Finalized Two Transformative Rules Giving Patients Unprecedented, Safe, Secure Access to Their Health Data

Two rules issued by the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health information Technology (ONC) and CMS implement interoperability and patient access provisions of the bipartisan 21st century Cures Act (Cures Act) and support the MyHealthEData initiative. 

“The CMS final rule established a new Condition of Participation (CoP) for all Medicare and Medicaid participating hospitals, requiring them to send electronic notifications to another health care facility or community provider or practitioner when a patient is admitted, discharge, or transferred.”  For More Information:

• ONC Cures Act Final Rule website: View the rule,
• CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule webpage: View the rule,
• CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Fact Sheet,
• Register for Medicare Learning Network call on April 7,
• See the full text of this excerpted CMS Press Release (issued March 9).

March 2020: New OIG Work Plan Item: Medicare Hospital Payments for Claims Involving the Acute- and Post-Acute-care Transfer Policies

The OIG indicated they will review Medicare hospital discharges that were paid a full DRG payment when the patient was transferred to a facility covered by the acute and post-acute transfer policies where Medicaid paid for the service. Under the acute- and post-acute transfer policies, these hospital inpatient stays should have been paid a reduced amount. Additionally, we will assess the transfer policies to determine if they are adequately preventing cost shifting across healthcare settings.

https://oig.hhs.gov/reports-and-publications/workplan/summary/wp-summary-0000445.asp