August 2 , 2006
E-Update

Table of Contents

 CMS Awards Medicare Claims Contract to Noridian 
Forwarded from CMS

Ambulance Cost Study

Operation Nexus Newsletter

NPI: Get It. Share It. Use It.

August Audioconference -- Register TODAY!

2006 Medicare Reference Manual Updates Available

Save the Date: AAA Annual Meeting and Convention in Orlando

“Secrets of Successful EMS Leaders” by Mike Taigman and Stephen Dean Now Available on AAA-Link

ASM 2007 Session
 

CMS Awards Medicare Claims Contract to Noridian 
Forwarded from CMS

 
On July 31, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the award of the first of 15 contracts for the combined handling in six states of both Part A and Part B Medicare claims. The winning contractor is Noridian Administrative Services, LLC, (NAS), headquartered in Fargo, ND.  As the new Part A/Part B Medicare Administrative Contractor (A/B MAC), NAS will serve as the first point-of-contact for processing and paying fee-for-service claims from hospitals and other institutional providers, physicians, and other practitioners in Arizona, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.   
“The contract award is a major step to improved Medicare service for beneficiaries and providers, and significant cost savings from greater efficiency in managing the original fee-for-service Medicare program,” said CMS Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. “Noridian Administrative Services was selected through a full and open performance-based competition to administer the program as effectively and efficiently as possible.”
 
The A/B MAC contract, which has a value of $28.9 million for the first year of performance, is the first of 15 to be awarded by 2011 to fulfill requirements of the contracting reform provisions of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.  NAS will immediately begin implementation activities and will assume full responsibilities for the claims processing work in its six-state jurisdiction no later than March 2007.  For more information, see: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=1919




Ambulance Cost Study

If you have received a letter from Quantria Strategies asking you to complete a cost study, please submit a completed survey today.

Quantria Strategies has sent letters to 1,000 ambulance service providers asking that they participate in an ambulance cost study.  The providers were randomly selected and represent a cross section of all provider types, service area populations and regions of the country.  The AAA hired Quantria Strategies to conduct the study so that the ambulance industry will have a basis by which to compare the results of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on the costs of ambulance services now expected to be released this fall.

If you receive a letter, please follow the instructions and participate in the survey.  It is critical that we have a large response rate.  If you receive a letter and have any questions, please contact John O'Hare of Quantria Strategies at jfo@quantria.com or Judy Xanthopoulos at jax@quantria.com.

 

 

 

Operation Nexus Newsletter:

Attached to this E-Update please find the Newsletter. The Latest News from the NYPD regarding Terrorism and related issues.

 

NPI: Get It. Share It. Use It.

As the industry transitions to NPI compliance, remember that there is no charge to get an NPI. Providers can apply online for their NPI, free of charge, by visiting https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov or by calling 1-800-465-3203 to request a paper application. The CMS NPI page, located at www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand/ , is the only source for official CMS education and information on the NPI initiative; all products located on this site are free of charge.

CMS continues to urge providers to include legacy identifiers on their NPI applications, not only for Medicare but for all payors. If reporting a Medicaid number, include the associated State name. If providers have already applied for their NPI, CMS asks them to go back into the NPPES and update their information with their legacy identifiers. This information is critical for payors in the development of crosswalks to aid in the transition to the NPI.

REMINDER: The National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) will be down for scheduled maintenance on August 2nd and 3rd , and will return to operation on August 4th after 8:00 a.m., Eastern Time.   And finally, please remember...

               
Getting an NPI is free - not having one can be costly.

 

 

 



AMERICAN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION
presents
The Occupational and Vehicle Safety AudioConference

Wednesday, August 9, 2006  11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (E.T.)

 PRESENTERS:
Howard Handler, Senior Vice President at THOMCO/The American Agency Division, and Ron Thackery, VP Professional Services at American Medical Response

Learn the latest advances in EMS worker and vehicle safety. Effective strategies for negotiation insurance premiums and the management of safety in an EMS organization

To sign up for this audio conference and others please click on the attached brochure.
2006 Medicare Reference Manual Updates

ATTENTION:

$89 for all AAA Members

BUY A 2006 MEDICARE REFERENCE MANUAL UPDATE NOW

 

 


SAVE THE DATE !

***View list of current exhibitors just posted online ***

AAA Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, Florida

October 2-6, 2006

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE:
- AAA Members
- Members of AAA Committees
- Owner/CEO/President
- Executive Directors and Vice Presidents
- Managers and Supervisors
- Ambulance Industry Professionals

Secrets of Successful EMS Leaders

“What's Important to You?”

Presented By Mike Taigman and Stephen Dean

June 2006 lesson now available FREE on the AAA-LINK

The popular audio tape series “Secrets of Successful EMS Leaders” by Mike Taigman and Stephen Dean is being posted as a monthly series FREE of charge as a  member benefit on the AAA-LINK.   Each month a new module will be posted.  Listen to the series online or download to your MP3 Player.  The series is also being distributed to all AAA member companies who have set up private LINK systems with EMSED.COM.    You can access the AAA-LINK at:  http://key.emsed.com .  A userid and password are required.  For more information or to sign up for a FREE userid and password call EMSED.COM at 877-435-9309.


 

ASM 2006 Summer -> SOLD OUT!

NOW ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS FOR ASM IN 2007

Now accepting enrollment for the 2007 session of the Ambulance Service Manager (ASM) Program.  Reserve your place today!

2007 Ambulance Service Manager (ASM)
The ASM Program is sponsored by the American Ambulance Association (AAA) and is for aspiring, new, and experienced managers who wish to develop their leadership competencies and sharpen essential management skills.  The program provides a broad foundational curriculum matching cutting edge management theory with real-life practical applications.

The ASM Program is a certification course designed to immerse participants in an engaging learning cohort.  A small group of 40 participants moves together through two weeks of face-to-face instruction and experiential learning led by industry leading faculty bridged by several weeks of online discussion and group project work.

ASM Graduates will:

  • Develop 41 competencies essential to contemporary leaders managing sustainable EMS Organizations.
  • Build problem solving skills through real life case studies, group work, and an industry specific team research project.
  • Appreciate principles of system design, operational efficiency, and performance management.
  • Demystify the complexities of finance, budgeting, and the ever evolving reimbursement landscape.
  • Learn cutting edge practices and theories including appreciative inquiry, emotional intelligence, and other human relations innovations.
  • Engage industry leaders as they present current trends in EMS including system design, technology, best practices, and what the future holds.

Dates for the 2007 program are:

  • Online Session Begins: January 29, 2007
  • On-site Week 1: February 25-March 2, 2007
  • On-site Week 2: April 29 - May 4, 2007
Questions???  Contact Sharon Conroy at (816) 431-2600 or sconroy@emprize.net

Go to http://www.fitchassoc.com/Services/conferences.htm to download the brochure and registration materials.

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