The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a national provider call with question and answer session on the Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary Measure (MSPB). CMS subject matter experts will provide an overview on the background of the MSPB measure, as well as an explanation of how the measure is calculated, including the approach to risk adjustment and payment standardization. When: Thursday, February 9, 2012 Time: 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EDT Target Audience: Hospitals, Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) and Hospital Associations
Agenda: * Opening Remarks * Background of the Medicare Spending per Beneficiary Measure (MSPB) * Overview on how the measure is calculated, including the approach to risk adjustment and payment standardization ยง Question & Answer Session Registration Information - Please visit http://www.eventsvc.com/blhtechnologies/ to register for this informative session. Registration will close at 12:00 p.m. ET on February 9, 2012, or when available space has been filled. No exceptions will be made. Please register early. Presentation: The presentation will be posted at least one day before the call at: http://www.cms.gov/NPC/Calls/list.asp in the "Downloads" section on the CMS website. ________________________________ Flu Season is Here! While seasonal flu outbreaks can happen as early as October, flu activity usually peaks in January. Remind your patients that annual vaccination is recommended for optimal protection. Medicare pays for the seasonal flu vaccine and its administration for seniors and others with Medicare with no co-pay or deductible. Healthcare workers, who may spread the flu to high risk patients, should get vaccinated too. Don't forget to immunize yourself and your staff. Protect your patients. Protect your family. Protect yourself. Get the Flu Vaccine-Not the Flu. Remember - The flu vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. CMS has posted the 2011-2012 seasonal flu vaccine payment limits at http://www.CMS.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/10_VaccinesPricing.asp. Note that the flu vaccine is NOT a Part D-covered drug. For more information on coverage and billing of the flu vaccine and its administration, as well as related educational provider resources, visit http://www.CMS.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.asp and http://www.cms.gov/immunizations. ________________________________ Note: If you have problems accessing any hyperlink in this message, please copy and paste the URL into your Internet browser. If you know someone who would like to subscribe to a Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) provider listserv, go to (http://www.cms.gov/prospmedicarefeesvcpmtgen/downloads/Provider_Listservs.pdf). If you would like to unsubscribe from a specific provider listserv, please go to (https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?INDEX) to unsubscribe or to leave the appropriate listserv. Please DO NOT respond to this email. This email is a service of CMS and routed through an electronic mail server to communicate Medicare policy and operational changes and/or updates. Responses to this email are not routed to CMS personnel. Inquiries may be sent by going to (http://www.cms.gov/ContactCMS). Thank you.
