**Updated June 23, 2009- The next Rural Health ODF is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, 2009 from 2-3pmET. If you wish to participate, dial 1-800-837-1935 Conference ID 16842372. Please see the full announcement in the Downloads section below.

**Updated June 18, 2009- Scam Alert Notice- CMS has become aware of a scam where perpetrators are sending faxes to physician offices posing as the Medicare carrier or Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). The fax instructs physician staff to respond to a questionnaire to provide an account information update within 48 hours in order to prevent a gap in Medicare payments. The fax may have the CMS logo and/or the contractor logo to enhance the appearance of authenticity.

Medicare FFS providers, including physicians, non-physician practitioners, should be wary of this type of request. If you receive a request for information in the manner described above, please check with your contractor before submitting any information. Medicare providers should only send information to a Medicare contractor using the address found in the download section of the CMS.gov website found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNGenInfo/ or http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll .

******

Rural Health Open Door Forum Overview 

The Rural Health ODF addresses Rural Health Clinic (RHC), Community Access Hospital (CAH) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) issues, as well as some inclusion of other questions and concerns that occur in clinical practice pertaining to other CMS payment systems that also extend into these settings. Topics that frequently arise on this forum often deal with payment & billing for services subject to Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and/or Physician Shortage Area (PSA) status, cost report clarifications, classifications for & qualifications of rural provider types, and the many special provisions being implemented for improving rural health in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. Timely announcements and clarifications regarding important rulemaking, quality program initiatives, and other related areas are also included in the forums.

Downloads
Tuesday, July 21, 2009- Rural Health Open Door Forum Announcement (PDF, 24KB) CMS Rural Health Coordinators Updated May 2009 (PDF, 24KB) Friday April 3, 2009- CHIP Webcast: "Affordable Health Care for Kids: Moving Forward Without Delay" (PDF, 24KB) Medicare Billing Information Chart for Rural Providers, Suppliers & Physicians (PDF, 296KB) Carrier/FI Directory (PDF,338KB)
Related Links Inside CMS
Rural Health Open Door Forum Mailing List Sign-Up CMS Rural Health Center Details for Post Acute Care Payment Reform Demonstration (PAC-PRD) CMS Survey & Certification Policy Memos to States and Regions HPSA/PSA (Physician Bonuses) State MMA Website Swing Bed Information
Related Links Outside CMS
Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series (Sponsored By HRSA) Government Printing Office Federal Register Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Product Ordering Page CMS Survey and Certification Group Training Site

Page Last Modified: 06/23/2009 4:17:27 PM
Help with File Formats and Plug-Ins