Practice Support Newsletter

February 2024

Regulatory Reminders – Risk Analysis Requirements under the Security Rule

The Security Management Process standard in the Security Rule requires organizations to “implement policies and procedures to prevent, detect, contain, and correct security violations.”  Risk analysis is one of four required implementation specifications that provide instructions to implement the Security Management Process standard. Section 164.308(a)(1)(ii)(A) states: 

RISK ANALYSIS (Required). 

Conduct an accurate and thorough assessment of the potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information held by the organization. 

HHS.gov has additional guidance on how to conduct a risk analysis. HealthIT.gov offers a free, downloadable tool to help you stay compliant. 

Make it actionable! Complete your required 2024 assessment. Reach out to your South Piedmont AHEC Coach for additional support working through your assessment.  

Measure of the Month – February is American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. There are many factors and prevention measures that can help reduce the risk of heart disease. The NIH, CDC and AHA each have resources to share with patients on how to prevent heart disease and toolkits for promoting awareness. 

Strategies for preventing heart disease:

• Standardizing screenings, as appropriate for the patient population, can help patients make better decisions about their health and prevent heart disease.
• Focus on improving measures such as tobacco use screening and cessation intervention, screening for high blood pressure and follow-up, controlling high blood pressure, Medicare wellness visits and/or weight assessment and counseling for nutrition and physical activity to see how well your practice is doing compared to others.
• Pull reports and communicate with your team on the progress.
• Work with a South Piedmont AHEC Coach!

G2211 – Are you using it?

Effective January 1st, 2024, HCPCS code G2211 to make it separately payable by assigning it an “active” status indicator. 

“Specifically, this add-on code is intended to characterize the base service (that is, O/O E/M visits) based on the kind of care being furnished (medical care services that serve as the continuing focal point for all needed health care services and/or with medical care services that are part of ongoing care related to a patient’s single, serious, or complex condition) to better account for the inherent complexity of these visits that would otherwise be unaccounted for. 

We note that the application of the add-on code is not based on the characteristics of particular patients (even though the rationale for valuing the code is based on recognizing the typical complexity of patient needs) but rather the relationship between the patient and the practitioner.” 

“We also note unequivocally that this code is not restricted to medical professionals based on particular specialties. Instead, it should be used by medical professionals, regardless of specialty, with O/O E/M visits (other than those reported with the –25 modifier) for care that serves as the continuing focal point for all needed health care services and/or with medical care services that are part of ongoing care related to a patient’s single, serious condition or a complex condition.” 

Review the Federal Register for full text pages 78,973 – 78,974 (G2211 Article) for additional specifications and examples. Special thanks to Mark Holmstrom from MAHEC for research and insight into the new code.  

NCTracks Reminder: Provider Name on Applications Must Match for Re-Verification

The provider's full name listed on applications for re-verification must match their full legal name on the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) Registry, and their name on any license, certification, and/or accreditation. 

Providers can check their listed NPPES name at: https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/search 

If the name does not match, do NOT submit the application. Instead send an email to NCTracksprovider@nctracks.com with required documentation attached. 

See chart on this page for more information about required documentation.

MIPS 2023 – Have you submitted?

The final date to submit your MIPS is April 1st, 2024. If you have not signed into your QPP account recently, take a moment to ensure you are able to sign in and can access the portal. If you would like support from the South Piedmont AHEC team, connect with your coach to set up a time to review your submission and to attest.

Medicaid Expansion Dashboard

On December 1, 2023, more people became eligible for NC Medicaid through Medicaid expansion. Under expansion, NC Medicaid covers people ages 19 through 64 years with higher incomes. Many North Carolinians who did not qualify for health coverage prior to expansion now do. 

This dashboard, updated monthly, tracks how many people are enrolled in NC Medicaid as a result of Medicaid expansion. View and filter below by health plan, demographics, or county.  

South Piedmont AHEC Compliance Series

Safety Series – There is still time to join! Next Webinar is February 21st

This FREE series is a monthly, 1-hour session which will educate clinical and leadership staff about clinical compliance concerns at the practices that could affect patient safety. This monthly series will be held on the third Wednesday of each month starting February, 21st, 2024, from 12 PM – 1 PM. The next topics include:  

• Who’s on First: The Role of the Infection Control Coordinator
• TIME OUT!! Management of a Blood Exposure
• No Wet Packages: Instrument Processing Done Correctly and Efficiently
• One Needle, One Syringe: Safe Injection Practices

Register now with South Piedmont AHEC

NC 988 Lifeline

NC Health News recently published the article “NC 988 Lifeline staff make critical connections for callers in crisis” that brings depth to the work happening at the Greenville office. The staff handles more than 250 calls, texts and chats per day. 

“North Carolina’s 988 service, by many metrics, is working. In the year between December 2022 and the end of November 2023, Kennedy’s team of 50 workers handled more than 95,000 calls, answering 98 percent of the calls routed to the people staffing a nondescript office building on a busy avenue.” 

Visits NC Health News to read the full article. SAMHSA has additional resources to communicate to patients this life saving option for help.  

Understanding and Treating Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Co-Morbid Anxiety – March 8th

The incidence of autism has been steadily increasing over the last 20 years, especially for the group of individuals with good verbal skills and at least average intelligence. This group has been referred to as individuals with high-functioning autism (HFA) (formerly Asperger’s Syndrome). This workshop will focus on recognizing the learning characteristics of individuals with HFA and how they impact anxiety and emotional regulation. Read more about this educational opportunity.  

South Piedmont AHEC Practice Support – Helping you meet the challenges!

In this time of great transition in health care practices need to position themselves for new payment models, incentive programs, and other health care reforms while refocusing on patient-centered care. South Piedmont AHEC is currently able to provide these direct, individualized services at no cost.

Additional Resources: