eProgress Notes / August 2019
For more information, contact Liz Fleenor
MSMA, KCMS Co-Sponsor Advocacy Event for Physicians
TONIGHT! When it comes to healthcare legislation, physicians are heard and respected by their elected leaders. Learn how you can make a greater impact on the medical profession and on patient care by attending Medicine's Muscle: Physician Advocacy 2019, on Aug. 27 in Kansas City. MSMA is proud to co-sponsor this event with Kansas City Medical Society. Details at https://www.msma.org/mm-advocacy.html
MSMA Council Actions: Advocacy Efforts Ramp Up for 2020 Session
During the July 2019 Council Meeting in Osage Beach, MSMA voted to support a campaign for the November 2020 ballot initiative regarding Medicaid expansion. Currently, a proposed statute and a proposed Constitutional amendment, both with the same language, have been filed with the Secretary of State. MSMA support would be given to whichever option emerges as viable....read more.
Bills Passed that Are Now Law
August 28 is just around the corner, and you know what that means: bills passed during the 2019 legislative session and signed by the governor will go into effect. While there are plenty of major and minor legislative changes, several provisions are of particular interest to our members:
Prior Authorization Reform - Passed in SB 514
Insurance providers will now be required to adhere to a number of provisions that will improve transparency and streamline the prior authorization process. Insurance companies will now have to provide physicians with a statement of their clinical rationale when a request is denied. Insurers will not be able to limit, condition, or revoke a prior authorization for 45 working days once it is received by the physician. Insurers will also provide physician offices with a unique confirmation number upon receipt of a request for prior authorization. Prior authorization certification now includes a stipulation that payment for the service will be made as long as the patient is an enrollee of the plan when the service is provided.
Medication-Assisted Treatment - Passed in SB 514
It will now be easier to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to patients experiencing opioid abuse disorders. MAT pharmacological services for substance abuse disorders are now exempt from prior authorization requirements.
Tobacco Cessation Products - Passed in SB 514
Pharmacists are now allowed to dispense FDA-approved tobacco cessation products to patients. However, these products are limited to nicotine-replacement therapies like patches, inhalers, and nasal sprays. Oral tobacco cessation medications, which can cause dangerous psychological side effects, must still be prescribed by a physician.
Virtual Credit Cards - Passed in HB 399
Insurance providers will now be prohibited from insisting that physicians and other healthcare providers accept payment in the form of virtual credit cards, which sometimes carry a hefty transaction fee. If an insurance provider wishes to use virtual credit cards for reimbursement, they must offer physicians an alternative form of payment that does not include a transaction fee.
Physician Assistants - Passed in SB 514
While these provisions didn’t contain any substantive changes in physician assistant scope of practice, “supervisory agreements” between physician assistants and physicians will now be known as “collaborative arrangements” in statute, to bring PAs in line with the already-existing collaborative practice arrangements between physicians and mid-levels like APRNs or assistant physicians.
New Member Benefit - Advocacy App
A new MSMA benefit makes it easier for you to connect with your legislators. MSMA has partnered with Phone2Action to give you the opportunity to quickly and conveniently send emails, post Tweets, and place phone calls directly to your elected leaders. The Phone2Action program will connect you directly to your local legislator’s office through phone or email, which makes getting involved in MSMA’s advocacy efforts even easier!
When there’s an issue that impacts the medical profession and patient care, MSMA will notify you via text message. The message will contain a link that, when clicked, sends an email, Tweet, or places a phone call to your state representative or senator.
Medical Marijuana and Opioid Resources
Medical Marijana - A considerable amount of medical research exists, and is rapidly increasing, that regular marijuana use is associated with a wide variety of medical diseases especially in the young and pregnant women. States enacting medical and/or recreational marijuana laws have also seen many problems in education, domestic abuse, law enforcement, automobile accidents, and deaths under the influence of cannabis. This section connects the important studies published by Missouri Medicine - The Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association.
Opioids - Misuse of pain medication (opioids) has caused one of the worst healthcare crises in United States history. Public health statistics estimate that 72,287 people died from opioid overdoses in 2017, a 10% increase from the year before. This section highlights medical research published in Missouri Medicine: The Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association and offers resources for physicians.
CME Handbook Updated - Reflects New Regulations and Guidelines
MSMA's official CME Handbook provides all the requirements and information concerning the policies, procedures, and criteria for accreditation by the MSMA, updated August 2019. As information is continually updated according to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, you will be informed by MSMA's CME division.
MO HealthNet Fee Increase
The MO HealthNet Division fee-for-service maximum allowable rates for certain procedures in the Physician Program have been increased, effective for dates of service on or after July 1, 2019. This increase, contained in House Bill 11, was negotiated throughout the budget process and was passed during the legislative session. MO HealthNet will reimburse the lesser of either your usual and customary billed charge or the maximum allowable amount for the date of service billed. To see a list of procedure codes that received the increase, see the attachment to the provider bulletin from DHSS: https://dss.mo.gov/mhd/providers/pdf/bulletin42-10.pdf.
SHINE of Missouri: Grant Funding Opportunity
Missouri is the recipient of the Physicians Foundation grant for getting interconnected through the Show Me Information Network Exchange. The grant assists with the interface costs for independent physician practices. There is still funding available and here is how it is being allocated.
Missouri grant allocation plan:
MSMA On the Road
Please share this important MSMA news with your colleagues, by email or print. Ask them to take action and join MSMA as a member at www.msma.org/engage.
TONIGHT! When it comes to healthcare legislation, physicians are heard and respected by their elected leaders. Learn how you can make a greater impact on the medical profession and on patient care by attending Medicine's Muscle: Physician Advocacy 2019, on Aug. 27 in Kansas City. MSMA is proud to co-sponsor this event with Kansas City Medical Society. Details at https://www.msma.org/mm-advocacy.html
MSMA Council Actions: Advocacy Efforts Ramp Up for 2020 Session
During the July 2019 Council Meeting in Osage Beach, MSMA voted to support a campaign for the November 2020 ballot initiative regarding Medicaid expansion. Currently, a proposed statute and a proposed Constitutional amendment, both with the same language, have been filed with the Secretary of State. MSMA support would be given to whichever option emerges as viable....read more.
Bills Passed that Are Now Law
August 28 is just around the corner, and you know what that means: bills passed during the 2019 legislative session and signed by the governor will go into effect. While there are plenty of major and minor legislative changes, several provisions are of particular interest to our members:
Prior Authorization Reform - Passed in SB 514
Insurance providers will now be required to adhere to a number of provisions that will improve transparency and streamline the prior authorization process. Insurance companies will now have to provide physicians with a statement of their clinical rationale when a request is denied. Insurers will not be able to limit, condition, or revoke a prior authorization for 45 working days once it is received by the physician. Insurers will also provide physician offices with a unique confirmation number upon receipt of a request for prior authorization. Prior authorization certification now includes a stipulation that payment for the service will be made as long as the patient is an enrollee of the plan when the service is provided.
Medication-Assisted Treatment - Passed in SB 514
It will now be easier to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to patients experiencing opioid abuse disorders. MAT pharmacological services for substance abuse disorders are now exempt from prior authorization requirements.
Tobacco Cessation Products - Passed in SB 514
Pharmacists are now allowed to dispense FDA-approved tobacco cessation products to patients. However, these products are limited to nicotine-replacement therapies like patches, inhalers, and nasal sprays. Oral tobacco cessation medications, which can cause dangerous psychological side effects, must still be prescribed by a physician.
Virtual Credit Cards - Passed in HB 399
Insurance providers will now be prohibited from insisting that physicians and other healthcare providers accept payment in the form of virtual credit cards, which sometimes carry a hefty transaction fee. If an insurance provider wishes to use virtual credit cards for reimbursement, they must offer physicians an alternative form of payment that does not include a transaction fee.
Physician Assistants - Passed in SB 514
While these provisions didn’t contain any substantive changes in physician assistant scope of practice, “supervisory agreements” between physician assistants and physicians will now be known as “collaborative arrangements” in statute, to bring PAs in line with the already-existing collaborative practice arrangements between physicians and mid-levels like APRNs or assistant physicians.
New Member Benefit - Advocacy App
A new MSMA benefit makes it easier for you to connect with your legislators. MSMA has partnered with Phone2Action to give you the opportunity to quickly and conveniently send emails, post Tweets, and place phone calls directly to your elected leaders. The Phone2Action program will connect you directly to your local legislator’s office through phone or email, which makes getting involved in MSMA’s advocacy efforts even easier!
When there’s an issue that impacts the medical profession and patient care, MSMA will notify you via text message. The message will contain a link that, when clicked, sends an email, Tweet, or places a phone call to your state representative or senator.
- Sign up to start: Text MOMEDICAL to 52886 (message and data rates may apply)
- Watch for notifications on legislation or policy changes
- Act (click a link) to connect with your legislators
Medical Marijuana and Opioid Resources
Medical Marijana - A considerable amount of medical research exists, and is rapidly increasing, that regular marijuana use is associated with a wide variety of medical diseases especially in the young and pregnant women. States enacting medical and/or recreational marijuana laws have also seen many problems in education, domestic abuse, law enforcement, automobile accidents, and deaths under the influence of cannabis. This section connects the important studies published by Missouri Medicine - The Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association.
Opioids - Misuse of pain medication (opioids) has caused one of the worst healthcare crises in United States history. Public health statistics estimate that 72,287 people died from opioid overdoses in 2017, a 10% increase from the year before. This section highlights medical research published in Missouri Medicine: The Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association and offers resources for physicians.
CME Handbook Updated - Reflects New Regulations and Guidelines
MSMA's official CME Handbook provides all the requirements and information concerning the policies, procedures, and criteria for accreditation by the MSMA, updated August 2019. As information is continually updated according to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, you will be informed by MSMA's CME division.
MO HealthNet Fee Increase
The MO HealthNet Division fee-for-service maximum allowable rates for certain procedures in the Physician Program have been increased, effective for dates of service on or after July 1, 2019. This increase, contained in House Bill 11, was negotiated throughout the budget process and was passed during the legislative session. MO HealthNet will reimburse the lesser of either your usual and customary billed charge or the maximum allowable amount for the date of service billed. To see a list of procedure codes that received the increase, see the attachment to the provider bulletin from DHSS: https://dss.mo.gov/mhd/providers/pdf/bulletin42-10.pdf.
SHINE of Missouri: Grant Funding Opportunity
Missouri is the recipient of the Physicians Foundation grant for getting interconnected through the Show Me Information Network Exchange. The grant assists with the interface costs for independent physician practices. There is still funding available and here is how it is being allocated.
Missouri grant allocation plan:
- Physician groups with signed participation agreements for SHINE will be considered eligible for grant funds.
- Each group can receive a grant equal to 75% of their interface fees.
- No group practice will receive more than $10,000 grant allocation.
- Funds issued on a first-come, first serve basis.
MSMA On the Road
- Advocacy Training
- Mercy Clinic Family Medicine - Rolla
- West Central Medical Society
- Saint Louis University Specialty Residents
- Boone County Medical Society
- Buchanan County Medical Society
- Moberly Regional Medical Center
- Greene County Medical Society
Please share this important MSMA news with your colleagues, by email or print. Ask them to take action and join MSMA as a member at www.msma.org/engage.
