Save the date for CMGMA's Annual Meeting

CMGMA will hold their Fall Conference, "The Times They Are A Changing," Sept. 14-16, 2022, at the Embassy Suites in Loveland.

The event will feature:

• Outstanding speakers on timely topics targeted to medical group administrators, executives, managers, health administration students and faculty.
• Networking events, meals and social functions to facilitate discussion and relationship building.
• Valuable continuing education credits
• Exhibit Hall featuring providers of the industry’s most sought-after products and services

Find more information and register here.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline available nationwide

Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis, including substance use crisis or thoughts of suicide, can get confidential support 24/7 by calling 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration 988 Partner Toolkit for information and resources.

No Surprises Act: Fact sheets for your patients

Information is available from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help patients avoid surprise billing. As of Jan. 1, 2022, they have new billing protections when they get emergency care, non-emergency care from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, and air ambulance services from out-of-network providers. 

Below are links to four new No Surprises fact sheets:

• Health insurance terms you should know (PDF)
• What’s a good faith estimate? (PDF)
• How do I read my medical bill? (PDF)
• Health care notice & consent form — what to know before you sign (PDF)

For more information, visit the federal CMS Ending Surprise Medical Bills webpage.

COVID-19 vaccine: New codes for children as young as 6 months

On June 17, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized emergency use of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19 to include use in children as young as 6 months. View the most current list of billing codes, payment allowances and effective dates for both vaccines on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Toolkit.

COVID-19 antiviral information for your practice

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment maintains a list of pharmacies distributing COVID-19 antivirals. View the list on CDPHE’s Information about outpatient COVID-19 therapeutics for health care providers webpage.  

The new federal Test to Treat program offers the opportunity for people to get tested for COVID-19 and -- if they are positive and can get therapeutic treatments -- receive a prescription from an on-site health care provider and have their prescription filled all in one location. Patients can also bring their own positive result from at-home tests or outside testing locations. For more information on the federal Test to Treat program, refer to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response's (ASPR) fact sheet.

• Aetna - June 2022
• Anthem Provider News
• Cigna - Second Quarter 2022
• Colorado Medicaid - July 2022
• Humana's YourPractice
• TRICARE - June 2022
• United Healthcare Network News