April 2010
Welcome to The Connection Online
This publication contains important information, including updates to policies and procedures, for physicians, dentists, other health care and dental professionals, facilities and their staff.
Editions are published in February, April, June, August, October and December. As a reminder, our newsletter will be published online only. You will no longer receive paper issues of The ConnectionSM or Dental News.
If you haven't already, please subscribe to receive email notifications when new editions are available.
Note: Other important updates can be found in our What's New section.
Our Provider Center can save you time
Our Provider Center is a free, secure Web-based tool that allows physicians, dentists, other health care and dental professionals, facilities and their staff access to valuable information for most Asuris members. Using the Provider Center can eliminate calls to Customer Service for routine patient information.
Enhanced Provider Profile benefits
Thank you to our many providers who have created an Enhanced Provider Profile, allowing more than 13,000 members to utilize this sought-after information.
Improved hospital comparison tool
Our improved hospital comparison tool, available on myAsuris.com, helps members easily choose a hospital, using criteria important to them, for the care they need.
Physicians, other health care professionals and facilities can also use this tool to find and compare hospital quality information.
Administrative and Billing
Products and Programs
- e-Prescribing resources and tools available
- Generic medication programs
- Medical record documentation standards audit
- Medication Cost Integration launched
- Potential adverse interactions between Plavix® and proton pump inhibitors
- Provider components of the 2010 Quality Program
- Washington state members receive online support tool
- Weight management programs and assistance for children and adults
Policies
Changes to our medical and reimbursement policies are listed below. Learn how policies are reviewed. Our Coding Toolkit includes codes that require clinical information (updated monthly), a complete list of code groupings and our Correct Code Editor (updated quarterly).
Medical
- ConsumerTxSM summaries for your patients
- CPT 31641 deemed potentially investigational
- Investigational and medical necessity reviews
Reimbursement
Medication
Summaries of recent changes (PDF) and detailed policies are available in our Medication Policy Manual at http://blue.regence.com/policy/medication/
View our group and Individual products Preferred Medication List/Formulary.
Search the Asuris TruAdvantageTM + Rx and Medicare Part D formulary.