Call To Action: 31 Days Until Medicare Payment Cuts Take Effect

Originally published in the December 1, 2022, issue of MGMA’s Washington Connection
Reprinted with permission from MGMA

With just one month remaining in 2022, MGMA needs your immediate help urging Congress to take action to avert significant Medicare payment cuts set to take effect on Jan. 1. The time to act is now! Utilize our online portal to send a letter to your members of Congress today encouraging the passage of legislation to avert the 4.47% reduction to the Medicare conversion factor, waive the statutory 4% Pay-As-You-Go sequester, provide an inflationary update based on the Medicare Economic Index, and extend the alternative payment model 5% incentive payment.

Already sent a letter? Please share this link with everyone at your practice and ask them to do the same: www.congressweb.com/MGMA/67. Want to get the word out beyond your colleagues? Encourage others to get involved in this critical advocacy effort by sharing a post from our Medicare Cuts Advocacy Social Media Toolkit!

Without congressional action, these payment reductions will take effect and have a drastic impact on beneficiary access to care and group practice financial resiliency. Take a look at our survey results to see what others are saying about the payment cuts, including how they disrupt practice operations and overall investment throughout the healthcare industry. Join in #MGMAAdvocacy today calling for the swift passage of legislation to avert these devastating payment cuts!

NCMGMA Membership Survey is Still Open: Participate for a Chance to Win!

2022 NCMGMA Membership Survey
5 Minutes Could Earn You $100!

NCMGMA values your membership and our leadership is always looking to improve our resources to add value back to you. Our goal is to be the leading resource for networking, advocacy and education for practice administrators and managers.

Please take a moment to complete our brief membership survey which should take no longer than 5 minutes. We appreciate your time!

Complete the survey and win a chance at a $100 gift card!

Complete the NCMGMA Membership Survey for a Chance to Win!

2022 NCMGMA Membership Survey
5 Minutes Could Earn You $100!

NCMGMA values your membership and our leadership is always looking to improve our resources to add value back to you. Our goal is to be the leading resource for networking, advocacy and education for practice administrators and managers.

Please take a moment to complete our brief membership survey which should take no longer than 5 minutes. We appreciate your time!

Complete the survey and win a chance at a $100 gift card!

Blue Cross NC Status Codes Reimbursement Policy Update: Codes 99050 and 99051

Due to recent concerns regarding the bundling of Status “B” codes 99050 (after hours services when office is normally closed) and 99051 (services provided in the office during regularly scheduled evening, weekend, or holiday office hours) as described in the Status Codes Reimbursement Policy, Blue Cross NC has made the business decision to update the Status Codes Reimbursement Policy, effective January 21, 2022.

Blue Cross NC will provide reimbursement for service code 99050 and 99051 for any place of service other than urgent care or emergency department for all specialties.

Claims with dates of service prior to January 21, 2022, that are already pended for post pay review will be processed according to the policy in place on the date services were rendered.

As a reminder, with the start of the new year, be sure to check and monitor medical policy changes for all carriers.

Melissa White & Jacob Rodman
NCMGMA Advocacy Co-Chairs

2020 MGMA in Washington Year in Review

Reprinted with permission from MGMA

While 2020 was a trying year for all, our Government Affairs team in Washington, DC fought hard to help practices keep their doors open to treat patients during this unprecedented time. In case you missed our 2020 MGMA in Washington Year in Review feature in the Washington Connection Newsletter, here’s your chance to observe our legislative accomplishments.

As we move forward with our 2021 advocacy agenda, our team will continue the pursuit of legislative gains for you and your practice. Here is a quick look at our top agenda items for the year:

  • Continue to support group practices as they confront COVID-19
  • Protect the financial viability of medical group practices
  • Advance value-based care
  • Promote standardization and efficiency
  • And more

Congratulations to our Membership VISA Gift Card Winners!

For our 2020-21 NCMGMA membership renewals, any member who renewed their membership by October 29th was entered into a drawing for one of three $100 VISA gift cards. Congratulations to our renewal gift card winners:

  • Tim Bell, Children’s Health of Carolina, PA
  • Michael Brohawn, Orthopaedics East & Sports Medicine Center
  • Laura Henry, Foot & Ankle Associates

A big thank you to MagMutual for their sponsorship of
our membership gift card giveaway!

About NCMGMA:

North Carolina Medical Group Management Association (NCMGMA) was formed to provide professional administrators with a rich source of information and contacts for professional growth. From the mountains to the coast, our membership includes executives and managers of private group practices, academic medical centers, integrated delivery systems, and companies that support medical provider organizations. Over the past 49 years, we have expanded our resources and have made exceptional strides across the state in representing our industry including:

Networking:

  • 600 members from all across the state
  • Active and engaging Chapters to increase local networking and educational opportunities
  • Job Postings sent through our membership and posted on our website
  • Updated NCMGMA Website with member directory
  • Active membership listserv

Education:

  • In 2021, NCMGMA is planning for our Annual Conference (May), and Fall Conference (September). These educational offerings provide CEUs and update our membership with valuable and timely industry information and knowledge.
  • In addition, we partner with the North Carolina Medical Society to add ten free webinars during the year.

Advocacy:

  • Formed alliances and partnerships with organizations, such as the NC Medical Society and others in order to provide more industry knowledge to our members.
  • Committees such as Payer Contracting, BCBS, Advocacy, Medicaid and Medicare with active members engaged to help you and your practice navigate through questions and concerns.

Don’t forget about one of our largest member benefits: NCMGMA’s NC Medical Employee Salary & Benefits online survey for Medical Practices! 2020 data entry is now open through November 25th. Click here for details and participation.

NCMGM Member Discount for large practices and healthcare systems!

If your practice or company has 5 or more members, then you qualify for a 10% membership discount! Please contact the NCMGMA offices for additional details at info@ncmgm.org.

How to Renew:

To renew your membership online, go to www.ncmgm.org, click “Member Login,” and insert your username and password. If you have forgotten your password or need to set up a new one, follow the instructions on the login page. Once on your profile page, see the “yellow box/go button.”

Joining NCMGMA:

If you would like to join NCMGMA or have any questions about our organization and the benefits of membership, please visit our “Join Now” page here.

Questions:

If you have questions about your dues or about benefits of membership, please email us at info@ncmgm.org.

Save the date: 2020 Washington Update and Policy Outlook webinar

MGMA Government Affairs invites you to join us for a member-exclusive webinar on Thursday, June 25 at 1:00 p.m. ET. With legislative and regulatory changes reshaping the healthcare landscape in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this timely program will present a mid-year update on the current state of federal healthcare policy impacting medical groups. The session’s forward-looking agenda will also provide considerations for the future of medical group practices and potential new actions Congress and the Administration could take in response to the pandemic. In addition, attendees will learn about ongoing MGMA advocacy in support of medical groups. Attendees will also have a chance to ask their most pressing questions during a question and answer session. Don’t delay – register now to secure your place!

Send Us Your Advocacy Day Questions!

Have Questions for Our Advocacy Day
Panelists and Speakers?

Send in your questions early to info@ncmgm.org to ensure they are asked of our speakers and panelists. Topics and areas of interest include:

    • Medicaid Transformation
    • State Health Plan Changes
    • State Legislature Issues – General

If you have not already registered for Advocacy Days, sign up today. Early registration discounts end today, February 27th. Complete event details, including registration, can be found below or on our website here.

Schedule of Events

Wednesday
March 13, 2019
11:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Legislative Program Sessions:
Josh Stein 125 Image
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Josh Stein, North Carolina Attorney General
Join us for a candid discussion as the NC Attorney General, Josh Stein, updates NCMGMA membership on how the Department of Justice is working to protect the business of North Carolina’s healthcare industry including updates on medical marijuana and the current opioid crisis.
Chip Baggett 125 Image
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Bowtie Briefing LIVE
Chip Baggett, North Carolina Medical Society
Always a fan favorite, hear about the many hot topics affecting medical practices in North Carolina. Chip Baggett will provide the group with insight into all that is happening in downtown Raleigh during the current session.
Cody Hand 125 Image
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Cody Hand
Senior VP, Advocacy & Policy; Deputy General Counsel
North Carolina Healthcare Association
Dale Folwell 125 Image
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Dale Folwell, State Treasurer of North Carolina
Mr. Folwell will present on high-priority items including reimbursement changes for State Health Plan patients, the state’s relationship with Blue Cross, and the cost-saving measures the treasury department has demanded. Don’t miss this opportunity to talk to the Treasurer face-to-face about how the proposed fee schedule will impact your practice!
Mandy Cohen 125 Image
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Dr. Mandy Cohen, NC Department of Health & Human Services
Hear the latest updates on Medicaid transformation and the critical timelines you need to know as the program moves forward. DHHS has announced their selections for PHP insurers, and we will be prepared to answer questions onsite about the carriers that will administer Medicaid benefits and claims adjudication, and the state’s role in overseeing the contracting and credentialing process and ensuring carrier compliance.
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Medicaid Managed Care Panel

  • Chris Paterson, Carolina Complete Health
  • Jesse Thomas, BCBS
  • Candice Bowen, WellCare
  • Anita Bachmann, United Healthcare
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Medical Mutual Logo ImageNetworking Reception
Sponsored by Medical Mutual

Join fellow Advocacy Days attendees, speakers and sponsors for an evening of fellowship and networking before we gear up for Thursday’s assembly meetings and legislative visits.
Thursday
March 14, 2019
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Organized Legislative Visits and General Assembly Meetings

Registration

Registration
Advocacy Days registration includes educational sessions, lunch and Medical Mutual reception on Wednesday, March 13th, and organized legislative visits on March 14th. The cost to register is $95 for NCMGMA members, $125 for non-members and $45 for students. The early registration cutoff is February 27th. After 2/27, the cost of registration increases $20 per-person for members and non-members, and $10 per-person for students.

Click here for online registration!

General Information

Hotel Accommodations
Reserve your room now at the Raleigh Marriott City Center. Limited standard rooms are available at the discounted rate of $189/night for single/double occupancy plus tax. To reserve your hotel room, please call the hotel directly at 1 (888) 236-2427. Guests making such reservations must identify themselves as members of the NCMGMA. All reservations must be accompanied by a first-night room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card. If a guest does not cancel a reservation within 48 hours before 6:00 PM of the guest’s check-in date, then Hotel may charge the credit card one night’s room fee plus any applicable taxes.

Registration Cancellation Policy
Registration cancellations must be received in writing. Cancellations received on or before 5:00 PM on March 5th are entitled to a full refund less a $25 processing fee. No refunds will be awarded for cancellations after 3/5 or for no-shows.

Questions?
If you have any questions about the NCMGMA Advocacy Days, please contact the NCMGMA offices at 800-753-MGMA (6462) or by email at info@ncmgm.org.

Speak Out for NC Healthcare March 13-14 in Raleigh


Speak out for patients, physicians and the business of healthcare in North Carolina

This year, join us March 13th and 14th in Raleigh as we host our annual Advocacy Days which we promise to be packed full of information you cannot afford to miss! There is no shortage of issues at hand in North Carolina and NOW is the time to make our voices heard! Register today!

Schedule of Events

Wednesday
March 13, 2019
11:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Legislative Program Sessions Include: 
Josh Stein, North Carolina Attorney General
Join us for a candid discussion as the NC Attorney General, Josh Stein, updates NCMGMA membership on how the Department of Justice is working to protect the business of North Carolina’s healthcare industry including updates on medical marijuana and the current opioid crisis.
Bowtie Briefing LIVE
Chip Baggett, North Carolina Medical Society

Always a fan favorite, hear about the many hot topics affecting medical practices in North Carolina. Chip Baggett will provide the group with insight into all that is happening in downtown Raleigh during the current session.
Dale Folwell, State Treasurer of North Carolina
Mr. Folwell will present on high-priority items including reimbursement changes for State Health Plan patients, the state’s relationship with Blue Cross, and the cost-saving measures the treasury department has demanded. Don’t miss this opportunity to talk to the Treasurer face-to-face about how the proposed fee schedule will impact your practice!
Dr. Mandy Cohen, NC Department of Health & Human Services
Hear the latest updates on Medicaid transformation and the critical timelines you need to know as the program moves forward. As DHHS plans to announce their selections for PHP insurers in February, we will be prepared to ask questions onsite about the carriers that will administer Medicaid benefits and claims adjudication, as well as the state’s role in overseeing the contracting and credentialing process and ensuring carrier compliance.

Cody Hand
Senior VP, Advocacy & Policy; Deputy General Counsel
North Carolina Healthcare Association

More to come!
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Networking Reception
Sponsored by Medical Mutual
Join fellow Advocacy Day attendees, speakers and sponsors for an evening of fellowship and networking before we
gear up for Thursday’s assembly meetings and legislative visits.
Thursday
March 14, 2019
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Organized Legislative Visits and General Assembly Meetings

Speakers

Josh Stein
Attorney General
North Carolina Department of Justice
Josh Stein was sworn in as North Carolina’s 50th Attorney General on January 1, 2017. Stein is focused on protecting North Carolina families from crime and consumer fraud.

Stein has made combating the opioid crisis a top priority. His office drafted the STOP Act to reduce the number of people who become addicted to opioids through smarter prescribing practices and the Synthetic Opioid Control Act, closing loopholes in state criminal law concerning fentanyl. Both laws passed the General Assembly unanimously and were signed into law by the Governor.

Prior to being elected Attorney General, Stein served as a state Senator and as a Senior Deputy Attorney General in the North Carolina Department of Justice. In the State Senate, Stein successfully led efforts to put more violent criminals behind bars by expanding the state’s DNA database. Stein wrote the School Safety Act and legislation that banned stalking using GPS tracking devices.

Chip Baggett, Juris Doctor
Senior Vice President, Advocacy and Advancement
Associate General Counsel
North Carolina Medical Society

In his capacity as Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Advancement Associate General Counsel, Chip is responsible for state level advocacy efforts (primarily focused on the NC General Assembly) as well as communications and fundraising for the NCMS and NCMS Foundation.

Chip has a long history in organizational advancement and advocacy. Dating back to college, he has fundraised in numerous paid as well as volunteer capacities. He has led successful corporate and personal annual fund programs and gone through training at the Indiana School of Fundraising. Chip has worked in many different facets of health care ranging from a children’s science and health museum and pharmaceutical sales before going to work directly for physicians and PAs as a medical society executive, first at the county level and then here at NCMS.

Dale Folwell, CPA
Treasurer
The State of North Carolina

Dale R. Folwell, CPA was sworn in as State Treasurer of North Carolina in January 2017. As the keeper of the public purse, Treasurer Folwell is responsible for a $100 billion state pension fund that provides retirement benefits for more than 900,000 teachers, law enforcement officers, and other public workers.

Under Folwell’s leadership, the pension plan was rated among the top five highest-funded in the country and won accolades for proactive management and funding discipline. In 2018 the state’s coveted AAA bond rating was reaffirmed by every major rating agency, making North Carolina one of only 13 states in the country to hold that distinction. Treasurer Folwell also oversees the State Health Plan, which provides medical and pharmaceutical benefits to more than 720,000 current and retired public employees and is the largest purchaser of health care in North Carolina.

Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH
Secretary
NC Dept. of Health and Human Services

Since being appointed as Secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services in January 2017, Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, and her team have worked tirelessly to improve the health safety and well-being of North Carolinians. DHHS is a cabinet-level agency with approximately 16,000 employees and an annual budget of $20 billion. Among her top priorities are combating the opioid crisis, building a strong, efficient Medicaid program, and improving early childhood education.

A graduate of Cornell University, she received her medical degree from Yale School of Medicine, a Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health and trained in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Here is what others said about
NCMGMA’s Advocacy Days:

 “Pertinent and timely issues impacting the practice due to legislation passed,
Medicaid, and State Health Plan.”

“Excellent. Speakers were great and relative to all that is happening in NC right now.
Well worth the time and money. Dinner was delicious!”

“I wanted to learn more about Medicaid and was extremely pleased. I wish
I had planned to stay for the Legislative day, next year – I will!”

Registration

Registration
Advocacy Days registration includes educational sessions, lunch and Medical Mutual reception on Wednesday, March 13th, and organized legislative visits on March 14th. The cost to register is $95 for NCMGMA members, $125 for non-members and $45 for students. The early registration cutoff is February 27th. After 2/27, the cost of registration increases $20 per person for members and non-members, and $10 per person for students.

General Information

Hotel Accommodations
Reserve your room now at the Raleigh Marriott City Center. Limited standard rooms are available at the discounted rate of $189/night for single/double occupancy plus tax. To reserve your hotel room, please call the hotel directly at 1 (888) 236-2427. Guests making such reservations must identify themselves as members of the NCMGMA. All reservations must be accompanied by a first night room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card. If a guest does not cancel a reservation within 48 hours before 6:00 PM of the guest’s check-in date, then Hotel may charge the credit card one night’s room fee plus any applicable taxes.

Cancellation Policy
Registration cancellations must be received in writing. Cancellations received on or before 5:00 PM on March 5th are entitled to a full refund less a $25 processing fee. No refunds will be awarded for cancellations after 3/5 or for no-shows.

Questions?
If you have any questions about the NCMGMA Advocacy Days, please contact the NCMGMA offices at 800-753-MGMA (6462) or by email at info@ncmgm.org.

NCMGMA Awarded 2nd Place in MGMA 2019 State Participation Award

ncmgm19-pa450aLast week, members of NCMGMA’s Board of Directors were present for MGMA’s State Leadership Summit in Denver, CO, where NCMGMA was awarded 2nd place in MGMA’s State Participation Award category. NCMGMA will be awarded $2,500 for winning 2nd place.

The State Participation award recognizes the efforts of outstanding state MGMA affiliates in promoting the medical practice management profession. Award recipients are chosen based on how well they performed in three main areas of focus: advancement of the profession through ACMPE, advocacy and survey participation.

ncmgm19-lc800a

In photo from left to right: Melissa Klingberg; Todd Pittman, CMPE; Lisa Hooks, CMPE; Sandra Jarrett, FACMPE; Jane Lutz; Chad Ghorley; Steve Parker; Leah Paraschiv, CMPE; and Tessa Wolfarth.

Thank you MagMutual for helping to underwrite the NCMGMA board of director’s trip to the MGMA Leadership Summit!

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