August 19, 2008
Two Educational Opportunities Now Available for Idaho Medicare Providers!
The CIGNA Government Services Provider Outreach & Education department will be conducting a Medicare 101 and Medicare 102 webinar series on Thursday, September 18th and Thursday, September 25th, 2008. Each webinar is divided into modules on different topics. Descriptions of each topic are listed below. Providers have the option of registering for all of the modules on each date, or selecting only those modules that specifically interest them. Each module is approximately one hour in length, including time for questions and answers.
Both sessions will begin at 8:00am Mountain Time, and each module is approximately one hour in length.
Register Now! Space is limited!
The Medicare 101 (Basic) is an introductory course for those new to Medicare billing. The September 18th webinar consists of 8 modules. Learn about:
Overview of Medicare 8am-9am – An introduction to the Medicare program covering eligibility, participation regulations, fee schedules, provider enrollment, and beneficiary costs.
Procedure Coding 9am-10am – An introduction to coding claims covering types of codes used to bill Medicare (CPT and HCPCS), coding manuals, National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) information, and coding Evaluation & Management services.
Modifiers 10am-11am – An introduction to modifiers and their correct usage. We will define the types of modifiers as well as why they are needed and when to use them. We will also review some of the more frequently used modifiers, such as those for Evaluation & Management services.
Diagnosis Coding 11am-12pm – An introduction to using ICD-9 codes to identify patient conditions and illnesses when billing claims to Medicare.
Medicare Resources 12pm-1pm – An overview of resources that are available to assist providers with Medicare billing. We will look at resources available from both CMS and CIGNA Government Services, such as: fee schedules, listservs, CMS Manuals, Web sites, and other educational resources.
Billing & Reimbursement 1pm-2pm – An overview of billing covering the completion of a claim form or electronic equivalent, Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT), common submission errors, and remittances.
Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN) 2pm-3pm – An introduction to the Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN), including when an ABN is appropriate and how to complete the form.
Appeals 3pm-4pm – An introduction to the Medicare appeals process focusing on when an appeal is appropriate, the levels of appeal, and the process for submitting an appeal.
The Medicare 102 (Intermediate) is a more advanced course targeted at those who have completed the Medicare 101 course, or who have at least two years of Medicare billing experience. The September 25th webinar consists of 7 modules. Learn about:
Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) 8am-9am – This module will look at the purpose of LCDs, their format and development, how to access and use LCDs, billing correctly for services covered by an LCD, and the LCD reconsideration process.
Evaluation & Management (E & M) 9am-10am – This module will provide detailed information on billing for Evaluation & Management services, including E & M basics, key components, and specific E & M guidelines such as new patient and consultations.
Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) 10am-11am – This module will look at the background and purpose of the MSP program, billing requirements for submitting MSP claims both electronically and on paper, and how MSP payments are calculated.
Overpayment Recovery 11am-12pm – This module will identify common reasons for overpayments, explain offsets, debt collection referrals, and voluntary refunds, and provide information on avoiding overpayments and submitting refunds when necessary.
Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) 12pm-1pm – This module will provide an in-depth look at the CERT program, its purpose and importance, how to handle CERT requests, and additional CERT resources.
Provider Enrollment 1pm-2pm – This module defines the provider enrollment process, identifies forms and documentation required for enrollment, and discusses common enrollment errors and how to avoid them.
Incident To 2pm-3pm – This module looks at the Incident To provision of Medicare billing. We will discuss billing requirement for ancillary personnel such as Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. This module also looks at Locum Tenens and Reciprocal billing arrangements.
These webinars provide an excellent foundation for Medicare billing, making them one of the most popular events Provider Outreach & Education conducts each year.
There is no charge to attend these webinars, but space is limited so please sign up today!
