January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month ~ The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reminds health care professionals that Medicare provides coverage of a comprehensive annual glaucoma screening exam for Medicare beneficiaries at high risk for developing glaucoma.
Medicare Coverage Medicare provides coverage of an annual glaucoma screening for beneficiaries in at least one of the following high risk groups: * Individuals with diabetes mellitus; * Individuals with a family history of glaucoma; * African-Americans age 50 and older; and * Hispanic-Americans age 65 and older. A covered glaucoma screening includes: * A dilated eye examination with an intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement; and * A direct ophthalmoscopy examination or a slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination. What Can You Do? As a health care professional who provides care to seniors and others with Medicare, you can help protect the vision of your Medicare patients who may be at high risk for glaucoma by educating them about their risk factors and reminding them of the importance of getting an annual glaucoma screening exam. For More Information CMS has developed several educational products related to Medicare-covered preventive services, including glaucoma screenings: * The Glaucoma Screening brochure ~ provides information on risk factors, coverage, and documentation for Medicare-covered Glaucoma screenings. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/glaucoma.pdf <http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/glaucoma.pdf> * The MLN Preventive Services Educational Products Web Page ~ provides descriptions and ordering information for Medicare Learning Network (MLN) preventive services educational products and resources for health care professionals and their staff, including products related to Medicare-covered glaucoma screening. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.asp <http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.asp> * Quick Reference Information: Medicare Preventive Services ~ This double-sided chart provides coverage and coding information on Medicare-covered preventive services, including Medicare-covered glaucoma screenings. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MPS_QuickReferenceChart_1.p df <http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MPS_QuickReferenceChart_1. pdf> * The Guide to Medicare Preventive Services for Physicians, Providers, Suppliers, and Other Health Care Professionals ~ This comprehensive resource provides in-depth information about the many preventive services Medicare covers, including glaucoma screenings. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/mps_guide_web-061305.pdf <http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/mps_guide_web-061305.pdf> Please visit the Medicare Learning Network <http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNGenInfo/> for more information on these and other Medicare fee-for-service educational products. Thank you for helping CMS improve the health of patients with Medicare by joining in the effort to educate beneficiaries at high risk for developing glaucoma about the importance of getting a Medicare-covered glaucoma screening. ________________________________________________________________________ ______________ It's Not Too Late to Get the Seasonal Flu Shot. While seasonal influenza outbreaks can happen as early as October, influenza activity usually peaks in January.[1] The seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to prevent infection and the complications associated with the flu. Re-vaccination is necessary each flu season because flu viruses change each year. CMS is asking our health care provider community to please encourage your Medicare patients who haven't already done so to get their annual flu shot. It is also important to be sure that you immunize yourself and your staff. Remember - Influenza vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. Note that influenza vaccine is NOT a Part D covered drug. For information about Medicare's coverage of the seasonal influenza virus vaccine and its administration, as well as related educational resources for health care professionals and their staff, please go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/Downloads/flu_products.pdf on the CMS website. You will find a variety of resources that explain Medicare coverage and claims submission policies related to the seasonal influenza vaccine. For information on Medicare policies related to H1N1 influenza, please go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/H1N1 on the CMS website. [1] Seasonal Influenza, 2009-2010. Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine [online]. Atlanta, GA: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009 [cited 23 December 2009]. Available from the World Wide Web: (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm <http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm> ) ________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________ Note: If you have problems accessing any hyperlink in this message, please copy and paste the URL into your Internet browser. If you received this message as part of the All FFS Providers listserv, you are currently subscribed to one of eighteen Medicare Fee-For-Service provider listservs. If you would like to be removed from all NIH listservs, please go to (https://list.nih.gov/LISTSERV_WEB/signoff.htm <https://list.nih.gov/LISTSERV_WEB/signoff.htm> ) to unsubscribe. If you would like to unsubscribe from a specific provider listserv, please go to (https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/show_list_archives <https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/show_list_archives> ) to unsubscribe or to leave the appropriate listserv. Please DO NOT respond to this email. This email is a service of CMS and routed through an electronic mail server to communicate Medicare policy and operational changes and/or updates. Responses to this email are not routed to CMS personnel. Inquiries may be sent by going to (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ContactCMS <http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ContactCMS> ). Thank you. ________________________________ [1] Seasonal Influenza, 2009-2010. Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine [online]. Atlanta, GA: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009 [cited 23 December 2009]. Available from the World Wide Web: (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm <http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm> )
