Please join the CMS in recognizing the 4th annual National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD). NHAAAD focuses on the challenging issues facing the aging population with regard to HIV prevention, testing, care, and treatment. CMS reminds healthcare providers that Medicare now provides coverage for certain HIV screening tests under Medicare Part B for eligible Medicare beneficiaries, subject to certain eligibility and other limitations.
What Can You Do? In an effort to continually expand awareness about HIV/AIDS among the aging population, CMS asks that you help seniors and others with Medicare who may be at increased risk for HIV, to understand their risk factors for HIV and encourage HIV screening, as appropriate. Eligible beneficiaries who meet certain increased risk criteria may receive HIV screenings covered by Medicare at no cost to them (no coinsurance, copayment, or deductible). Please note: beneficiaries with any known prior diagnosis of HIV-related illness are not eligible for this screening test. For More Information * CMS National Coverage Determination - National Coverage Analysis for Screening for HIV<http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/nca-details.aspx?NCAId=229&ver=19&NcaName=Screening+for+the+Human+Immunodeficiency+Virus+(HIV)+Infection&bc=BEAAAAAAAAAA&> * MLN Guide to Medicare Preventive Services<http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/mps_guide_web-061305.pdf> for healthcare professionals (see Chapter 13) * MLN Matters Article MM6786, "Screening for HIV"<http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6786.pdf> * MLN's "HIV Screening" Brochure<http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/HIV_brochure_ICN905713.pdf> for healthcare professionals * US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) - Screening for HIV Recommendation Statement<http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf05/hiv/hivrs.htm#clinical> * Department of Health & Human Services - National HIV Testing<http://www.hhs.gov/aidsawarenessdays/days/testing/> * The AIDS Institute's website section on NHAAAD<http://www.theaidsinstitute.org/programs/education/national-hivaids-and-aging-awareness-nhaaa> Thank you for joining CMS in educating beneficiaries about the importance of taking advantage of HIV/AIDS screening coverage. ---------------------------------------------------------- Vaccinate Early to Protect Against the Flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. Remind your patients that annual vaccination is recommended for optimal protection. Medicare pays for the flu vaccine and its administration for seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries with no co-pay or deductible. Take advantage of each office visit and start protecting your patients as soon as your 2011-2012 seasonal flu vaccine arrives. And, don't forget to immunize yourself and your staff. Get the Flu Vaccination -- Not the Flu. 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 influenza vaccine and its administration, as well as related educational resources for health care professionals and their staff, please visit http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.asp. --------------------------------------------------------- Note: If you have problems accessing any hyperlink in this message, please copy and paste the URL into your Internet browser. If you know someone who would like to subscribe to a Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) provider listserv, go to (http://www.cms.gov/prospmedicarefeesvcpmtgen/downloads/Provider_Listservs.pdf). If you would like to unsubscribe from a specific provider listserv, please go to (https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?INDEX) 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.gov/ContactCMS). Thank you.
