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Charlotte AHEC Practice Support
January Newsletter
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 Enhanced Medical Home Payments for Advanced Medical Homes Serving Members Eligible for Tailored Care Management
Effective Dec. 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, AMHs 1, 2 and 3 that are serving as the assigned primary care provider for NC Medicaid beneficiaries eligible for TCM will receive a medical home payment of $20 PMPM. Continuation of the payment after June 30, 2023, is anticipated, but is dependent on available funding. In the future the $20 PMPM fee may be tied to additional performance expectations for primary care engagement.
Between Dec. 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, NC Medicaid will pay this $20 PMPM to AMHs 1, 2 and 3 for all TCM members assigned to the practice.
Between April 1, 2023, and June 30, 2023, this payment will be included in capitation for Tailored Plans. Tailored Plans will pay the $20 PMPM directly to AMHs 1, 2 and 3 for all Tailored Plan members assigned to the practice who are eligible for TCM.
NC Medicaid shared a list in August of member counts for Advanced Medical Homes, that list can be found in the announcement.
NCDHHS has the full announcement and a link to common questions posted here.
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 Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests: Changes to Coinsurance for Related Procedures
Currently, planned colorectal cancer screening tests are free. However, if you add a procedure in the same clinical encounter as a result of the colorectal cancer screening, the patient pays a coinsurance.
Starting January 1, 2023, CMS will gradually reduce coinsurance for procedures performed:
- In connection with a colorectal cancer screening test
- As a result of a screening test
- In the same clinical encounter as the screening test
Medicare patients will see a reduction of coinsurance to 15% from 2023 – 2026 with a full phase out by 2030. For the full details review the MLN Matters announcement.
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 COVID – 19 Updates
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 NC AHEC Program's Medical Library System
Get the most out of the NC AHEC Program's medical library system by working with AHEC’s professional librarians, who can help you find the information you need to care for your patients. The NC AHEC Program also provides the AHEC Digital Library (ADL), a virtual collection of healthcare resources. The ADL offers NC healthcare professionals free access to a curated set of medical journals, books, and databases, including a point-of-care tool called Essential Evidence Plus. Other top-tier resources such as JAMA, BMJ, and The New England Journal of Medicine are available via the ADL for a subscription fee. Go to www.library.ncahec.net for more information!
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 Early Re-Verification Coming Soon
In a recent email from NCTracks, DHB announced they will be offering providers who have been enrolled more than five years the unique opportunity to complete their re-verification applications in advance of their due date to reduce administrative burden when re-verification is due again. This offer will allow providers to avoid payment of the NC Application Fee ($100) which is currently waived through June 30th, 2023.
Letters will be sent out to the providers’ message center inbox between January and March 2023.
For more information on re-verification, please see the NCTracks Provider Re-credentialing/Reverification page.
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 MIPS Data Validation Audits
A reminder has been sent from QPP that MIPS Data Validation and Audits (DVA) for the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Performance year will begin January 2023. CMS has contracted with Guidehouse to conduct validation and audits of MIPS eligible clinicians.
If you are selected for MIPS data validation and audit, you will receive a request for information for Guidehouse. The request will be e-mailed to selected clinicians via the MIPS DVA contractor’s email address (MIPS_DVA@guidehouse.com). You will have 45 days from the date of the notice to provide the requested information of substantive, primary source documents.
To review the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Data Validation and Audit (DVA) Factsheet, the QPP Resource Library has the most recent version available to download.
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 Quality Improvement 101 Rebooted
Quality Improvement 101 (QI 101) is an interactive learning opportunity for small teams and organizations leading initiatives to improve healthcare quality & patient safety. QI methodology will be discussed such as the Model for Improvement, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, project teams, and aim and goal setting. The methodology discussed may be utilized in any setting and applied to any clinical or administrative function. This course builds skills and knowledge among participating hospitals, clinical practices, AHEC regional offices, and other healthcare organizations in order to accelerate the application of QI methods. Interaction among participants and faculty allow for frequent sharing of knowledge and best practices.
Register: Quality Improvement 101 Rebooted (charlotteahec.org)
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 CoCM Modules
The Collaborative Care Model Training Series is available for free. This virtual learning series offers participants from medical centers an introduction to collaborative care, allowing them to take the initial steps to implement this integrated care model and tools for ongoing support in their healthcare practices. Within this series of 10 virtual education modules, these courses will demonstrate how to apply this model to implement this modality. We will measure learner knowledge with an evaluation assessment tool following the completion of the education series.
Register through Southern Regional AHEC. NC AHEC also has additional details on how you can get more information on the Collaborative Learning Sessions.
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 Save the Date: Lunch and Learn – NC HealthConnex
Join Charlotte AHEC for Updates and a review of NC HealthConnex on January 31st, 12 PM. Keep an eye out on our email Listserv for the registration link.
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 Regulatory Reminders – Fire Extinguishers
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) establishes the Life Safety Code (LSC) utilized by CMS for direction and guidance for healthcare facilities. NFPA resources for CMS requirements. Fire extinguishers should be checked monthly and serviced yearly; this is often done by the maintenance team but it could be the clinic responsibility. It’s important that staff understand how to use fire extinguishers and that training is documented. NFPA recommends training staff on fire extinguisher operation with the word PASS:
- Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you and release the locking mechanism.
- Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
- Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.
Make It Actionable! In your huddle or next staff meeting, review placement and operation of fire extinguishers in your clinic. Make sure to take attendance and document who was included in the training.
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| Charlotte AHEC - Part of the NC AHEC Program
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