Health updates 2011

The complete report and individual sections of the report are available for downloading as separate pdf files. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Center for Preparedness and Response. Section Navigation. Thursday, January 13, Load more stories. Print Email Share. Boy or Girl?

Living Well. View all the latest top news in the environmental sciences, or browse the topics below:. There is a "traditional'' feel to the matchup, as it will be the eighth playoff clash between Dallas and San Francisco - though it's been since Jan. Who is available? Who will be ready? I anticipate Tony will practice Wednesday, full go. The basis for termination of these optional CMCM services is the availability of other case management services through a variety of vehicles, including Medicaid managed care and patient-centered medical homes - both of which are responsible for providing case management services - as well as an array of community-based programs that can serve the targeted populations.

To ensure a seamless transition for the recipient population, both the LDSS and case management providers will be notified of this change in reimbursement and will be provided with a list of public health programs in their geographic area for referral of clients, depending on client needs. Medicaid recipients receiving services through these programs will also be notified and referred to their LDSS for an appropriate referral for case management services.

This action is solely the result of a change in Medicaid policy that applies to all Medicaid recipients. Telemedicine is the use of interactive audio and video telecommunications technology to support "real time" interactive patient care and consultations between healthcare practitioners and patients at a distance. The distant site or "hub" is where the medical specialist providing the consultation or service is located.

The originating or "spoke" site is where the referring health professional and patient are located. Medicaid currently covers medically necessary physician specialist consultations provided via telemedicine to patients in Article 28 emergency rooms, hospital outpatient departments and hospital inpatient settings.

The goal of this undertaking is to provide Medicaid enrollees with greater access to specialty care by reducing the barriers encountered by providers requesting and delivering care via telemedicine. Telemedicine consultations are covered when medically necessary and when the following requirements are met:.

In addition to psychiatric consultations, ongoing therapy provided by the psychiatrist at the distant "hub" site may be billed to Medicaid.

As with all other telemedicine services, if the distant "spoke" site is an Article 28 facility hospital outpatient department or diagnostic and treatment center , the "spoke" site is directly responsible for all patient care. Detailed policy and billing guidance, including the appropriate diagnosis and procedure codes, for diabetes and asthma self-management training, can be found in the October Medicaid Update. New York hospitals acting as originating telemedicine "spoke" sites are required to ensure that physicians who are providing consultations via telemedicine at distant "hub" sites are appropriately credentialed and privileged.

Pursuant to previously published health department policy see link below to access the September 22, "Dear Chief Executive Officer" letter , a hospital facility, including one that is acting as a telemedicine "spoke" site, may enter into a contract with an outside entity to carry out all or part of the professional application and verification process physician credentialing.

A hospital "spoke" site may therefore enter into a contract with the "hub" site to receive and collect credentialing information, perform all required verification activities and act on behalf of the "spoke" site hospital for such credentialing purposes regarding those physicians who will be providing patient consultations via telemedicine.

Such contracts must establish that the "spoke" site hospital retains ultimate responsibility for the physician credentialing. Please see the linked Dear Chief Executive Officer letter for further details. Educators in this program are expected to practice within the scope of practice that is appropriate to their respective discipline, as defined by the Office of the Professions, New York State Education Department.

If the "Spoke" site is providing and billing for medical services that take place at the time of the telemedicine encounter, Q will not be reimbursed. Please check with the enrollee's MMC Plan to determine if telemedicine services are covered and, if so, for medical necessity criteria and plan-specific billing instructions. Although optional, if telemedicine services are covered under a MMC Plan, the credentialing and privileging requirements described in this article must be met.

Questions regarding Medicaid fee-for-service policy and claiming should be sent via e-mail to the following mailbox: pffs health.