CMS Recognizes October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month[cid:[email protected]]<http://www.nbcam.org/>
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in women and is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the United States. Medicare provides coverage for an annual screening mammogram for all female beneficiaries aged 40 or older, as well as coverage for one baseline mammogram for female beneficiaries between the ages of 35 and 39. What Can You Do? As a healthcare professional who provides care to patients with Medicare, you can help protect the health of your patients by talking with them about the importance of regular mammography screening and encouraging them to take advantage of Medicare-covered screening mammograms, as appropriate for them. For More Information § The Guide to Medicare Preventive Services for Healthcare Professionals<http://www.CMS.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/mps_guide_web-061305.pdf> (see Chapter 8) § Medicare Preventive Services Quick Reference Information Chart<https://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MPS_QuickReferenceChart_1.pdf> § Cancer Screenings Brochure for Physicians, Providers, Suppliers, and Other Healthcare Professionals<https://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/cancer_screening.pdf> § Department of Health and Human Services<http://www.hhs.gov/> * National Breast Cancer Awareness Month official website<http://www.nbcam.org/> * The CDC's Breast Cancer Awareness website<http://www.cdc.gov/Features/BreastCancerAwareness/> * The CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program<http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/> Thank you for joining CMS in educating beneficiaries about the importance of taking advantage of Medicare-covered screening mammograms. ----------------------------------------------------------- Vaccination is the Best Protection Against the Flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging everyone 6 months of age and older to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu. The risks for complications, hospitalizations, and deaths from the flu are higher among individuals aged 65 years and older. Medicare pays for the seasonal flu vaccine and its administration for seniors and others with Medicare with no co-pay or deductible. And remember, vaccination is particularly important for healthcare workers, who may spread the flu to high risk patients. Don't forget to immunize yourself and your staff. Protect your patients. Protect your family. Protect yourself. Get the Flu Vaccination -- Not the Flu. Remember - Influenza vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. CMS has posted the 2011-2012 seasonal influenza vaccine payment limits at http://www.CMS.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/10_VaccinesPricing.asp. 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 healthcare professionals and their staff, 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.
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