Latest news

MPIE invites you to participate in the following webinars…

The Devil is in The Details: How Documentation Can Make or Break You

February 15, 2018 | 12-1 p.m.

Humana has updated their Pre-Authorization and Notification Lists for 2018. Please visit the following link for more information on these important updates:

https://www.humana.com/provider/support/claims/pre-authorizastion

On January 1, 2018, Lakeland Care Network welcomed a new commercial contracted payor - SecureOne. 

SecureOne contact information is as follows:

Meridian Choice is a new commercial product that is offered on the Health Insurance Exchange.  All Lakeland facilities and all Lakeland Care credentialed providers participate with this new product.  This contract became effective October 1, 2017.

All Lakeland Care providers are now required to access CHAMPS to register in the Michigan Medicaid program. Registering in the Michigan Medicaid program does not require you to be a Medicaid FFS provider. The State of Michigan is requiring this change in accordance with the 21st Century Cures Act.

Lakeland Care Network has added a couple of newly contracted payors to our panel for 2018.

Secure One became our most recent addition to our Commercial Panel.  This contract became effective 1/1/2018. 

The Lakeland Medical Office Association (LMOA) invites you to attend our January luncheon and meeting.

PROGRAM:  Epic Olympics     

Join us for a FUN, interactive insight into some of the latest features, trends and information related to Epic. This presentation pertains not only to those who use Epic as their EHR everyday - but to all practices in the Lakeland Care Community who want to learn more about the latest trends and best practices in healthcare technology, security and communication.  IT Topics to be discussed are:

Lakeland Care announced at the Annual Payor Conference on 10/18/17 that the Lakeland Care Network had issued a termination notice to McLaren Health Plan on 9/11/17 indicating de-participation from their Medicaid Health Plan effective 12/31/17.

Effective January 1, 2018, our Provider Helpline representatives will direct callers with claims questions to our automated phone system or their provider account on priorityhealth.com. This change should reduce the wait times for speaking to a representative.

Our representatives will still assist with all other concerns, including those regarding claim denials.

Effective December 1, 2017 Priority Health will utilize a select, limited group of pharmacies as preferred for all outpatient Medicaid prescription fills.

In our Medicaid service regions (West Michigan and Southwest Michigan) there will remain approximately 220 approved pharmacies where patients can have prescriptions filled.   Many large retail stores will continue to be in the Priority Health Medicaid pharmacy network, such as:

·         Walmart

·         Meijer

·         Walgreens

·         Costco

·         SAM’s club

Our online accounts and self-service automated phone system allow you to have 24/7 access to information about claims, benefits and authorizations. One of the most popular features of these tools is being able to look up simple claim information, including check numbers, amount applied to a deductible or coinsurance, or the amount being paid to you.

To reduce our hold times for our provider call center, we’re going to direct those who have basic claims questions to self-service tools.

All current and new UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Michigan Medicaid providers, including out-of-state providers, are now required to access CHAMPS to register in the Michigan Medicaid program. Registering in the Michigan Medicaid program does not require you to be a Medicaid FFS provider.  Effective January 1, 2018, failure to enroll in CHAMPs will result in claim denials.

Please see the attachment for further details.

Thanks to all who spent the afternoon with us last week at the annual Lakeland Care Network Payor Conference. We hope it was a valuable day for you and your office or department.  Attached are presentations for your reference.

We greatly appreciate your patience as we continue to optimize the eviCore experience. As you know, we are currently in the "educate and pay" phase, which gives you an opportunity to become more familiar with eviCore's clinical criteria. During this time we are also diligently working with eviCore to improve operational challenges.

Our process remains the same

As a reminder, our processes communicated on 8/22/17 remain the same, and will continue through the end of the calendar year:

The State of Michigan is offering funding for integrating the new Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS) with the

You get them all the time.. the faxes from Humana asking your office to update your provider information with Humana in accordance with federal provider directory standards.  Good news!  If your providers are part of the Lakeland Care Network, you do not have to respond to these anymore. Lakeland Care will take care of that for you!  If you are an LMP practice, you don't need to send them to the Medical Staff Office either.  

Educate and Pay Program

As we continue to work with eviCore to identify solutions and address issues we have faced since the program implementation this summer, we are moving into a new phase, the Educate and Pay program. With the new program there are new communications you will be receiving from eviCore and there are new actions you will need to take.

The Lakeland Medical Office Association invites you to attend our September season kick-off luncheon and seminar.  

Program:  Enhancing the A/R Management Cycle and Reducing Bad Debt

The implementation and launch of eviCore was meant to provide our provider partners a seamless, evidence-based tool that helps provide your patients the right care at the right time - ensuring the best health outcomes.

  Priority Health has suspended  some criteria for spine/joint procedures.

The eviCore prior auth tool went live in June for all in-network musculoskeletal and spinal procedures, genetic testing, and advanced diagnostic imaging. Since the launch, Priority Health has identified some technical issues that need to be resolved to follow the guidelines originally outlined. 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is requiring a change to the Federally Qualified Centers (FQHC), Rural Health Clinics (RHC) and Tribal Health Centers (THC) claim format for billing Medicaid services.

New authorizations and our partnership with eviCore will launch on June 19, 2017.

The partnership with eviCore  will optimize health outcomes through a focus on clinical appropriateness includes new authorizations for the following services:

claimsLInk will be rolled out to UnitedHealthcareOnline.com users. Offices will be emailed when the new app is available to your office. After you receive the email, please sign in to the UnitedHealthcareOnline.com using your Optum ID and click on either Claim Status or Claim Reconsideration on UnitedHealthcareonline.com.  A pop-up box will give you the option to try claimsLink.

With claimsLink, you can:

The Lakeland Medical Office Association (LMOA) invites you to attend our April luncheon and meeting.

PROGRAM:  Office Practice Risk Management: Lessons Learned from Claims

The Michigan State Medical Society presented yesterday at the March 2017  Lakeland Medical Office Association (LMOA) meeting. Upon numerous requests, we have included the PPT presentation given at this meeting by our presenter.  A thank you to Joshua Richmond, Director of Physician Engagement & Membership, Michigan State Medical Society.

The program topic:   ACA & MACRA in the New Political Environment: How to Thrive in Value-Based Health Care

The Lakeland Medical Office Association (LMOA) invites you to attend our March luncheon and meeting presented by the Michigan State Medical Society.

PROGRAM:    ACA & MACRA in the New Political Environment: How to Thrive in Value-Based Health Care

ASR and Lakeland will be migrating Lakeland benefit plan enrollees away from using their social security numbers and instead use a new, unique member identification number effective March 1, 2017. Please note the following:   

You are invited to attend Michigan Professional Insurance Exchange's webinar titled......

Achieving Population Health Through

        Behavioral Health Integration

            March 7, 2017 | 12-1 p.m.

                       Register now!

There has been quite a bit of confusion among Lakeland Care practices regarding Aetna Better Health, so we felt a brief explanation is in order.

Lakeland offers associates and spouses, on the medical plan, to earn a wellness incentive through participation in the myHealth program.   The myHealth program is a voluntary program, and it is the participants responsibility to submit their biometrics.  The myHealth program is an outcomes based health contingent program where participants must meet biometric goals.   If the targets are not met, participants may earn the same reward by participating in Alternate Satisfaction Activities.   Members who wish to participate must submit biometrics by 5/31/2017.

Physician’s Assistant Law Changes (Public Act 379)

You are invited to attend Michigan Professional Insurance Exchange’s webinar titled….

USING INFORMED CONSENT AND ADVANCE DIRECTIVES TO IMPROVE THE PHYSICIAN/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP AND MITIGATE LOSS

February 22, 2017 | 12-1 p.m.

Register now!

The lack of informed consent:

The next General Medical Staff meeting will be held at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. Dinner will be served promptly at 5:30 p.m. This meeting is mandatory for all medical staff of Lakeland Health. Invitations will be sent to the provider's home address and also to their email on file with the Medical Staff Office.  RSVPs are required.

Beginning on Monday, January 23, 2017, Priority Health has a new online prior authorization automation tool, Clear Coverage™.  This NEW system will replace their original fax process; the patient services which need a prior authorization will remain the same, but the way they are obtained is made easier.

Clear Coverage lets you request authorizations online, and offices will  receive immediate responses, including automatic authorizations for some procedures, all while making the authorization process quicker and easier.

The Lakeland Medical Office Association (LMOA) invites you to attend our February luncheon and meeting.

PROGRAM:      Don't Manage, Coach!

LANSING, Mich. – On January 25, 2017, Gov. Rick Snyder announced the appointment of Michael Kolinski of Kalamazoo to the Michigan Board of Athletic Trainers. Housed within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, the 11-member board assists in overseeing the licensure and practice of athletic trainers.

“I thank Michael for his willingness to serve on this board and am confident he will have a positive impact within the athletic training community,” Snyder said.

Whirlpool Corporation provides rewards in the form of medical plan premium credits and account incentives when covered members complete the biometric screening and meet biometric goals. Members who wish to participate must meet the goals or alternative goals by December 1, 2017 to receive 2018 rewards.

NEW for 2017:  Whirlpool employees will no longer be tested for nicotine, but will need to self-report as nicotine-free during Annual Enrollment, or as a life event through the Whirlpool Benefits Center.

Here's a quick guide that Cigna is offering to help medical offices understand Cigna ID card information.

This tool can help define and clarify information that appears on Cigna's most common customer ID cards. It can also help you understand the requirements associated with their various plans, allowing you to quickly and efficiently serve your patients.

On May 13, 2016 the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) made changes to section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

Section 1557 is a “non-discrimination” modification that bans discrimination in healthcare or health coverage on the basis of: race, skin color, national origin (including immigration status and English language proficiency). Section 1557 is distinct amid Federal civil rights laws due to its specific address of discrimination in health programs and activities.