Important Provider Links
MDQuickFax™ Documentation and Coding Information
- Download single page PDF documents on various documentation and coding topics.
Flu Information for Affinity Providers
Target and Walmart - $4 Generic Drug Price Guides
- Click here to download a 9-page PDF containing Target's $4/30-day and $10/90-day generic drug guide.
- Click here to download a 6-page PDF containing Walmart's $4/30-day and $10/90-day generic drug guide.
Pay for Performance Summer 2009
- Click here to download a 2-page PDF containing the latest measures, details, and suggestions.
Article: "Fostering Accountable Health Care: Moving Forward in Medicare"
- Click here to review this article, published in "Health Affairs," written by Elliott S. Fisher, et al.
Affinity's latest Documentation and Coding Update.
If you missed our June 2-4, 2009 HCC sessions, please review both of these powerpoint presentations in order.
- Click here to review "Affinity HCC Introduction," a PowerPoint document narrated by Affinity CMO Michael Zimmerman, MD on June 4, 2009 (select this link to request a password for this protected document).
- Click here to review "HCC Coding and Documentation," a PowerPoint document provided by Ingenix on June 4, 2009 (select this link to request a password for this protected document).
Quality Care Authorization Guideline: Bone Densitometry
- Milliman 2009 Care Guidelines® for Bone Density Study, Central, and Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptionmetry (DXA)
- Complete guidelines include Evidence Summary, Clinical Indications, References, and Related Guidelines.
Click here for Milliman 2009 Care Guidelines® - Bone Densitometry
Telephone Triage of Patients with Influenza
- Published ahead of print on May 5, 2009 for the May 2009 issue of American Family Physician.
- Contains two easy-to-follow tables, based on the best medical evidence, for identifying patients with suspected influenza infection and managing their treatment.
Resource: Link to AAFP Telephone Triage Influenza article
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) – Reaffirms Grade A Recommendations to Prevent Tobacco Use
- Findings published in the 21 April 2009 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.
- The net benefits of tobacco cessation interventions in adults and pregnant women remain well established.
Resource 1: Abstract and summary of the article
Resource 2: 6-page PDF of the article
EMR Meeting March 21, 2009
- Click here to download PDF documents of the Centricity® Pocket Guide, Shortcut Keys, Quick Text Instructions, and Managing Medication List
Assembly Bill 2747 – End of Life Care
- Requirement to provide information and counseling to terminally ill patients on legal end-of-life options.
- Providers should consider staffing for counseling and informational handouts.
Click here to upload a PDF of this document.
Resource: International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care
Assembly Bill 3000 – Health Care Decisions: Life Sustaining Treatment
- Requires a physician to honor the Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment
- Redefines a request to forego resuscitative measures as a document executed by and between the patient and doctor.
Click here to upload a PDF of this document.
Resource: California Coalition for Compassionate Care
Assembly Bill 1203 - Patient Balance Billing
- No balance billing for post-stabilization care if hospital fails to contact for authorization, or give Health Plan the opportunity to transfer.
Click here to upload a PDF of this document.
Senate Bill 697 – Patient Balance Billing
- No balance billing for individuals enrolled in Healthy Families or AIM programs.
Click here to upload a PDF of this document.
Assembly Bill 211 – Patient Privacy Enforcement
- Consolidates enforcement of CMIA violations within a single agency, the new Office of Health Information Integrity (OHII).
- Set Standards for fines and penalties for negligent and willful violations of patient privacy.
Click here to upload a PDF of this document.
Senate Bill 541 – Administrative Penalties and Patient Information
- Increases DPH enforcement against hospitals for health and safety violations.
- Requires active prevention of unauthorized access to patient records.
- Companion bill that exceeds current HIPAA requirements by “preventing” unauthorized access, not just compliant with HIPAA.
Click here to upload a PDF of this document.
Assembly Bill 2445 – Medical Board of California: Disciplinary Procedures, Applicants
- Allows the MBC to issue a public letter of reprimand concurrently with a physician’s and surgeon’s certificate for minor violations, and post them on their web site.
Click here to upload a PDF of this document.
Assembly Bill 1406 – Optometry
- Increased scope of practice for Optometrists
Click here to upload a PDF of this document.
DMHC Regulation on Balance Billing from Emergency Room Providers
- Effective 10/15/08
- Upheld in Superior Court on 12/2/08
- Bans balance billing by hospitals and hospital-based physicians for emergency services.
Click here to upload a PDF of the press release.
Click here to upload a PDF of a statement by DMHC Director Cindy Ehnes.
