May 2018

Hot Topics

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month; Access Behavioral Health Toolkit and Other Resources

Early engagement and interventions are crucial for improved mental health outcomes. As such, access the Magellan Healthcare^® Behavioral Health Toolkit for the information to make behavioral health referrals and assessments.

Video Series: Blue Promise^SM – Depression and Chronic Conditions

Depression can impact chronic diseases and other medical conditions in many ways. In this Blue Promise video, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) president, Dr. Dan McCoy, talks with Dr. Conway McDanald, BCBSTX’s chief medical officer and vice president of Behavioral Health, about how mental health can impact overall health.

How to Keep the Cash Flowing: Home Health Provider Claim Submission Tips

Welcome to our new series of articles on ways to get paid quickly and efficiently. Topics will focus on how to prevent delayed payments such as: keeping your information updated, reducing inaccurate claim submissions, and submitting claims and repeals on time. The first article in this series focuses on preventing claim delays for home health providers.

Watch for New CVO Details to Reduce Credentialing Burdens

All Medicaid-contracted professional and facility providers will begin receiving notifications from Aperture^® – a Centralized Verification Organization (CVO) – regarding credentialing events and information about the new common recredentialing date that will be assigned.

Tackling Prescribing Patters to Combat the Opioid Crisis

Is there a way to keep opioids out of the hands of those who don’t legitimately need them? Check out the Tackling Prescribing Patterns to Combat the Opioid Crisis article on our Making the Health Care System Work^SM news portal.

FDA-approved Indications and Dosage for Opioid Extended Release (ER) Quantity Limit Criteria

For information on how BCBSTX and providers can help members who are suffering from opioid addiction, review the Indications for Opioids ER Quantity Limit Criteria. This document summarizes the FDA-approved information released on April 1, 2018.

Well-child Visits Are Crucial During the First 15 Months of Life

Outreach is important to ensure your patients are scheduling and attending their well-child visits. Because it’s such a critical developmental time, a patient should attend at least six well-child visits during their first 15 months of life.

Texas Health Steps: Anticipatory Guidance

Giving anticipatory guidance during well-child visits provides ongoing education about a patient’s health, wellness, growth and development in between well visits. Your involvement in member education promotes disease prevention and increases health literacy.

TMHP Seeks CHIP Providers to Test New Eligibility System

The Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) is seeking Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) providers who are interested in testing a new system that allows providers to request and receive CHIP member eligibility. Providers should contact TMHP directly if they would like to participate or have questions.

Consumer Directed Services (CDS) Handbook Expense Updates

Appendix XI of the CDS handbook has been updated. Equipment must be employer/employment related to be eligible for reimbursement (e.g., internet service, fax machine, printer, phone or computer needed to complete employer/employment-related duties). Get more details about this change. Direct your questions to CDS@hhsc.state.tx.us.

Health Tips to Share

Help your patients live a healthier life by sharing relevant wellness information with them. You can print individual articles, or point your patients to the websites so they can review topics that interest them. Anyone can access the websites; no login required.

BCBSTX’s LifeTimes website has many articles on a range of topics including: bone and joint health, cancer, diabetes, general health, and heart and lung health. Spanish content is available.

Connect invites users to get answers, share information and gain knowledge on topics like well-being and health coverage through blogs, videos and downloadable content. Participants can create a profile and like posts, add their opinions in the comments and subscribe to content they’re interested in. Spanish content is available.

If you are a newly contracted provider or an existing provider who needs a refresher on topics related to Texas Medicaid, please consider attending one of our weekly webinars.

Provider training with the Texas Medicaid Network Department will occur every Friday from 12:30 – 2 p.m. CT. The topics for these trainings will vary and meeting details will be updated and posted on BCBSTX’s Medicaid provider website.

Request Meeting Topics!
Please email the Texas Medicaid Network Department to request training topics!

Meeting Information
Join the WebEx meeting: hcsc.webex.com
Meeting number: 626 749 977
Join by phone: 1-877-249-5777 (toll-free)

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