American College of Cardiology - Washington State Chapter -

We have the latest news on cardiovascular diseases, advocacy, education, training, special events and other helpful information for cardiac care associates.

The purpose of the Chapter is to contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and to ensure optimal quality of care for individuals with such diseases in Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Spokane and other cities in Washington State. In carrying out these purposes, the Chapter functions, in consultation with the leadership of the College, as a source of advice to local and state governmental and professional organizations concerning issues related to cardiovascular disease. The Chapter, in the interest of patients, physicians, and the public in general, maintains a high level of social consciousness and involvement with socioeconomic factors and access to the highest possible quality of cardiovascular health care.

Wear RED Day - February 3rd!

Medicare 2012 Payment Update
The payroll tax extension legislation (Public Law 112-078) delayed the 27.4% Medicare pay cut due to the SGR formula for two months. It also extended the floor on the work geographic practice cost index (GPCI) and certain other policies. All of the other changes that were included in the Medicare physician payment final rule for 2012 will still take effect. Physicians should not expect that payment rates will remain unchanged. Numerous changes are being made in the relative value units, GPCIs, electronic prescribing and quality reporting programs, and multiple procedure payment rules for 2012. All of these changes will take effect as scheduled for dates of service beginning Jan. 1, 2012. Click here for more.

Helpful Hints for documenting Level 4 visits for the ongoing CMS audit
For those of you from whom documentation has been requested to support billing Medicare for a 99214 visit, the following will be useful:

1. Obviously, full documentation in the first place is crucial.

2. If you are not using EHR make certain that the chart entries are legible… if not, then submit an annotated note with the photocopy of the submitted encounter note “translating” the chart entries so the nurse reviewer can decipher the handwriting.

3. Along with the copy of the patient encounter note, submit copies of materials that support the billed level of service; for example, a copy of an ECG performed that date and reviewed as part of the visit; copies of radiologic, ultrasound, and laboratory reports reviewed incident to that day’s service; etc.

4. If the signature is illegible, submit an attestation that the billing provider indeed performed the billed service that day.

5. You can also submit documentation of follow-up phone calls attributable to the service date under review; if you chart subsequent interactions with a patient or their family, and that interaction is related to the billed service (eg. reviewing laboratory results over the phone), then that interaction counts toward the time and complexity for the initial billed visits.

Important! Cuts for not e-prescribing coming soon to your membership!
As we hope you are aware, practitioners who are participating in the Medicare program and who are not e-prescribing will soon face a harsh penalty: a 1% cut in Medicare payments.

This is not a far off threat; it is the reality that will soon confront practitioners who do not generate and transmit at least 10 prescriptions electronically in conjunction with an office visit before the end of June 2011. Practitioners who fail to comply with this requirement will see their Medicare payments cut by 1% for all of 2012.

ACC held a webinar http://accwebinars.cardiosource.org/archived.php?all=1& in mid-March that is available on-demand for all ACC members. Sessions were also held at ACC’s Annual Conference in New Orleans. Click here for slides from those sessions are available on the ACC website.

Additional information on e-prescribing, ACC’s recommendations regarding e-prescribing and how to comply with this new requirement is available at www.cardiosource.org/healthit.

For questions regarding selecting and purchasing an e-prescribing system, please contact ACC’s Health Information Technology Department at jkreuter@acc.org. For more information regarding Medicare’s e-prescribing program and requirements, please contact ACC’s Advocacy Division at (800) 435-9203 or via e-mail at advodiv@acc.org.

Thank you to all who attended our 2009 STEMI Systems of Care Summit!
Click below for Powerpoint versions of the various presentations from the Summit.

What is the ideal system to provide care for patients with AMI?
2009 ACC/AHA STEMI/PCI Guidelines
STEMI Care: National Perspective, Quality Reporting, and Pay for Performance
Patient Education - From Symptoms to EMS - Can we shorten the time?
Lessons from Spokane
Lessons from Yakima
Lessons from Everett
Evolution of STEMI Care/The Oregon Experience
Washington Emergency Cardiac & Stroke Technical Advisory Committee
Healthcare Reform - A View from ACC National

Thank you to all who attended the “From Prevention to Intervention: 1st Annual Cardiovascular Medicine Conference” on September 20th