Northern Sights Newsletter
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Northern Sights Newsletter Vol. 22 Issue 6 November/December 2010 North Dakota NDOA’s 2010 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Optometric Association 921 South 9th Street, Ste. 120 Bismarck, ND 58504 Phone: 701-258-6766 Fax: 701-258-9005 E-mail: [email protected] WebSite: ndeyecare.info 2010 NDOA OFFICERS Dr. James Helmers President President President Elect Vice President Secretary/Treasurer Past President 113 3rd Ave. NW Dr. Bob Nyre Dr. Todd Metzger Dr. Taya Patzman Dr. Paul Dunderland Dr. James Helmers Mandan, ND 58554 701-663-2020 [email protected] Incoming President’s Message ~Dr. Bob Nyre Dr. Robert Nyre President Elect 10 1st Street SW meibomian gland dysfunction in dry Minot, ND 58701 G reetings to my fellow NDOA eye. MGD is the new emphasis in 701-852-2020 members : causation and may lead to some [email protected] interesting treatments like meibomian I want to thank you again for your Dr. Todd Metzger gland expression, hot packs, and allowing me to be involved in your Vice President different emphasis on tear association management for another 1702 South University Drive supplements. Keep an eye on your year. This just goes to prove recycling Fargo, ND 58103 journals for more updates. [email protected] is alive and well in North Dakota. I want to give a personal and Thankfully it is just about time for the Dr. Taya Patzman association thank you to our staff in election. It is always great to get this Secretary/Treasurer Bismarck for another great meeting. Continued on Page 3 1830 East Century Ave. Ste. 1 Bismarck, ND 58504 Nancy and Tracy work hard to set up Inside This Issue and run these meetings, and they 701-222-1140 Incentive Payment Update for usually do it at profit for the [email protected] 2009 Physician Quality association. Reporting Initiative Dr. Kris Engstrom Past President Right after the NDOA’s Annual Thank You NDOA-PAC Meeting, I took a trip to Vision Expo 4731 13th Ave. South Antitrust Do’s & Don’ts Fargo, ND 58103 in Las Vegas. It’s a tough job, but 701-281-2746 someone has to be there. I actually Co-Payment Changes for [email protected] took a group of courses while I was Medicaid there and I keep getting more AOA State Legislative Meeting Nancy Kopp Executive Director comfortable with the new OCT technology. As a clinical tip we are Now is the Time to Review hearing more and more about Insurance Provider Agreements Incoming President’s Incentive Payment Update for 2009 Message Continued . Physician Quality Reporting Initiative process behind us so we can move forward again. It is unknown at this time, whether the legislative process I ncentive payments for the 2009 Physician Quality will be as important to Optometry, as the regulatory Reporting Initiative (PQRI) are available this fall for process in the next year. I urge you to maintain you, eligible professionals who met the criteria for successful contacts with our legislative officials, as this is always reporting. Carriers and Medicare Administrative worthwhile. But, the new buzzword is access and by Contractors (MACs) began processing and distributing that we mean access to patients in the health care 2009 PQRI incentive payments as of October 25, 2010. plans. The state insurance programs and health and is scheduled to be completed by November 12, exchanges will be forming and we will be watching 2010. this in North Dakota. Thankfully ND eyecare Remember that PQRI incentives earned by individual practitioners have a long history of working together participating physicians and other eligible professionals for the betterment of our patients. We occasionally are paid as a lump-sum to the Taxpayer Identification have spirited discussions on scope, but we have a Number (TIN) under which the professional’s claims complimentary system in place in North Dakota. were submitted. Currently North Dakota has the best economic climate in the United States and this will continue to be a Effective January 2010, CMS revised the manner in positive for us. Eyecare needs Optometry in North which incentive payment information is communicated Dakota and this is our message to the state insurance to eligible professionals receiving electronic remittance exchanges. The NDOA will be monitoring this process advices. CMS has instructed Medicare contractors to for all of us. use a new indicator of LE to indicate incentive payments instead of LS. LE will appear on the Back in the office, I never cease to be amazed by how electronic remit. In an effort to further clarify the type my practice has shifted in the last few years. Although of incentive payment issued, CMS created a 4-digit part of this is my age, the management of AMD and code to indicate the type of incentive and reporting Glaucoma is becoming a major part of what we do year. For the 2009 PQRI incentive payments, the 4-digit daily. In the past I had to refer a great deal of these code is PQ09. This code will be displayed on the cases for dye studies or for evaluation of the nerve electronic remittance advice along with the LE fiber layer. Technology has made a huge difference in indicator. Additionally, the paper remittance advice will all of our days and it is truly adding to my professional read, “This is a PQRI incentive payment.” The year will gratification. not be included in the paper remittance. Respectfully Submitted, Bob Nyre, O.D. 2009 PQRI feedback reports will be available on the Physician and Other Health Care Professionals Quality Reporting Portal (http://www.qualitynet.org/pqri) Words of Wisdom starting the second week of November. TIN-level Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear reports on the Portal require an Individuals Authorized and the blind can see. —Mark Twain— Access to CMS Computer Services (IACS) account. A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not Participants may also contact their Carrier/MAC to discovered the value of life—Charles Darwin request individual NPI-level reports via an alternate I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 feedback report fulfillment process (http:// ways that won’t work.—Thomas A. Edison www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/ Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to SE0922.pdf). work hard at work worth doing.—Theodore Roosevelt If you have questions about the status of your PQRI I am imagination. I can see what the eyes cannot see. incentive payment please contact your Provider I can hear what the ears cannot hear. I can feel what the heart cannot feel.—Peter Nivio Zarlenga Contact Center. The Contact Center Directory is available on the CMS website at http://www.cms.gov/ A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an MLNProducts/Downloads/CallCenterTollNumDirectory.zip unnecessary freezing of water.—Carl Reiner or contact the QualityNet Help Desk. The Help Desk is A mistake is simply another way of available Monday - Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. doing things.—Katharine Graham at 1-866-288-8912 or via [email protected]. Northern Sights November/December 2010 Page 3 From The Desk Of Your Executive Director ~ Nancy Kopp is limited. To date, it has been reported that 67,000 T he leaves have fallen, a few citizens of North Dakota do not have any kind of snowflakes, but definitely not private or public health insurance coverage. It means the sky in North Dakota! In more than 10% of people in North Dakota rely on comparison to other states, our emergency rooms to get basic and critical medical care. economy and optometry Will Obamacare offer coverage to these people? If so, remains strong. who will foot the bill? We’ll keep an eye on the emerging details of implementation or repeal . The NDOA Annual Congress in Bismarck, September 30– For your information, the North Dakota Public October 2, was again an astounding success! Over 80 Employees Retirement System has awarded a new OD’s and 20 exhibitors attended our annual event. vision plan contract to Superior Vision. In the past, Thank you for supporting the state events. Your Ameritas provided vision benefits. Superior Vision’s participation truly does contribute to the financial plan includes In-Network providers, as well as Out-of- stability of your NDOA. This year we did not provide Network. Participation in this plan, or any other plan for education for your staff members, outside of the that matter, is a business decision only you can make. Children’s Vision and Learning Summit. The reason Dr. Chuck Brownlow has provided you with some behind the decision, was that in past years we could insight in an article on page 9 of this newsletter. only attract approximately 20-25 para’s to attend. It is In the last month or so, I’ve done quite a bit of research difficult to lineup good speakers for so few in and negotiation to find a credit card processing attendance. If you have suggestions on how to provide company for the association office, that offers better quality education and attract more to attend, please pricing than we currently have at 3.6%, plus fees. contact me. Sooner is better than later. Enclosed, you will find a flyer on BNG Holdings out of 2011 will be a great year! As you know our very own Fargo, which the NDOA has partnered with, to provide Dr. Dori Carlson of Park River, will ascend to the credit card processing. This partnership will reduce our office of president of the American Optometric expenses quite a bit.