Practice Support Newsletter

November 2023

Measure of the Month

Child and Adolescent Well-Care Visits (WCV)

As many offices are currently filling appointments slots for vaccinations, sick visits, and medication management, it is important to schedule children and adolescents who have not yet been seen this year. Child and Adolescent Well-Care Visits (WCV) focus on the number of children 3-21 who have received one or more well-care visits with a primary care practitioner or OB/GYN practitioner during the measurement year.  

Strategies to help improve the measure: 

• Run a report from your EHR of patients who have not yet had a well-care visit in the year.
• Reach out and schedule appointments during suitable times for parents and their children.  
• Plan communications around school breaks and holidays before the end of the year. Offer extended/weekend hours.
• Use opt-in scripting when calling to schedule:
• Example: “We are calling to schedule your child’s well care visit. The next available appointment is ______.”
• Combine well-care visits with other appointment types as appropriate. Examples include asthma follow up or ADHD medication management follow up being mindful of coding
• Work with an AHEC coach for practice specific workflows!

Regulatory Reminders – Equipment Maintenance

Equipment maintenance in the practice is very important for patient safety and assisting professionals in decision making. It is best practice to have a policy to outline maintenance, management and implementation of your equipment program. The manufacturer will have specifications as to the regularity of maintenance and elements of what is required. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• High-risk devices are prioritized on the inventory list. This includes equipment that poses a risk to patients if they fail (Example: AED’s).
• Review equipment lease arrangements for maintenance inclusions. Often, maintenance is provided/arranged by the leasing company but needs to be requested.
• Utilize labels or equipment tags to easily identify the piece of equipment so there is no confusion on your equipment list. Additional labels can indicate when the item is next due for maintenance.
• Utilize a trusted company to complete maintenance and retain all documentation.
• Document and retain in-house testing, calibration, etc.
• Identify the quality control measures for all equipment (Example: BP cuff is calibrated) For a full outline to build a program to manage equipment review the WHO’s maintenance program overview.

Make It Actionable!   Review your policy on equipment. Ensure staff are educated on the reasons for maintenance and how to communicate if a piece of equipment needs attention. Round on staff and ask them to explain details related to equipment they are using.

Making Care Primary – Apply by November 30th

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new voluntary primary care model – the Making Care Primary (MCP) Model – that will be tested in eight states. Launching July 1, 2024, the 10.5-year model will improve care management and care coordination, equip primary care clinicians with tools to form partnerships with health care specialists, and leverage community-based connections to address patients’ health needs as well as their health-related social needs (HRSNs) such as housing and nutrition. CMS is working with State Medicaid Agencies in eight states, including North Carolina, to engage in full care transformation across payers, with plans to engage private payers in the coming months. CMS has released a Request for Applications (RFA) detailing model payment, care delivery, quality, and other policies. Interested applicants may apply to the model later this month when the Application Portal opens.

The application period opened on September 4, 2023, and will close on November 30, 2023. Participants will be selected for the model in Winter 2024. Onboarding for participants will take place from April – July 2024, with the model beginning in July of 2024. To learn more about the Making Care Primary (MCP) Model, visit the CMS Innovation Center.

Lunch and Learn: 

NC HealthConnex – Navigating the Portal and Closing Care Gaps

We will review the functionality of the portal and how it could work for your team to access information to support decision making. We will also cover ways NC HealthConnex can help close care gaps. You do not need to have a participation agreement with NC HIEA or a portal login to join. 

This one hour webinar will be on December 5, 2023 at 12 PM.  
Registration is required.

Medicaid Expansion Updates and Resources

Beginning December 1, 2023, more North Carolinians will be able to get health coverage through NC Medicaid. This will be a game changer for the more than 600,000 people who will be able to access health care and is the most significant investment in the health of our state in decades. 

There is a new website, bilingual toolkit and a sign-up form to stay updated on the most current information about how more North Carolinians will be able to get health coverage through NC Medicaid. 

The bilingual toolkit includes:

• Day 1 Flyer: An overview of who is eligible and how to enroll.
• Newsletter Template: Content to include in your newsletters and emails.
• Social Media: Graphics and posts to share on your channels.
• Family Planning Flyer: Information for the approximately 300,000 people who receive limited benefits through Family Planning Medicaid who will be automatically enrolled in full Medicaid.
• Medicaid Essentials Deck: A presentation to share with your community on who is eligible and how to enroll.
• FAQ: Answers to common questions. 
• ePass Video: An overview of how to apply online through ePass 

To stay updated with the latest information, be notified when the application process goes live, and receive the newest resources, complete this sign-up form.

Seasonal Vaccine Updates

As COVID-19, RSV and Influenza cases are on the rise please continue to encourage vaccination and testing. Patients who have no health coverage or whose insurance does not provide zero cost coverage for COVID vaccines are eligible to receive them through the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. Patients can find participating Bridge Access vaccine providers on Vaccines.gov – Find COVID‑19 vaccine locations near you. Free COVID-19 home tests are again available by ordering on the government website, COVID.gov – Free at-home COVID-19 tests. While supplies last North Carolinians may also be able to pick up free home tests at Community Access Points. 

Vaccine Resources for Reimbursement 

NC Medicaid

• NC Medicaid COVID-19 Vaccine and Reimbursement Guidelines for 2023-2024
• NC Medicaid Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Guidelines for 2023-2024
• Influenza Vaccine and Reimbursement Guidelines for 2023-2024 for NC Medicaid (All Providers)

Medicare

• COVID-19 and Seasonal Flu Vaccine Pricing
• Vaccine Pricing – CMS
• RSV is covered by Medicare Part D plans. Patients should contact their plan to ask about coverage.

Important Enrollment Reminders Regarding Re-verification

The provider name listed on applications for re-verification must match their legal name, name on the NPPES Registry, and their name on any license, certification, and/or accreditation. Providers can check their listed NPPES name online. 

If the name does not match, do NOT submit the application. Instead send an email to NCTracksprovider@nctracks.com with required documentation attached. NC Tracks has helpful hints on updating information. 

NC Tracks has additional details about the process available for review.

South Piedmont AHEC Continuing Education Suggestion:

Spanish for Healthcare Professionals 

December 6 – 7, 2023

This entry-level intensive workshop covers the fundamentals needed to communicate effectively with Spanish-speaking patients and their families. This workshop will provide participants with Spanish questions and phrases with phonetic pronunciations and English translations. The first portion of the workshop is dedicated to the development of general Spanish communication skills and Latino cultural understanding. A variety of interactive learning techniques are used to build vocabulary and explore grammatical structure. The second part of the workshop is devoted to the practical application of Spanish in primary healthcare settings. To learn more and register, click here.

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: