I have two news items to share this morning.
Regarding the Star+Plus Program, long term care providers with limited but relevant information about a client (Client Name, Social Security Number, Client Number, Date of Birth) can submit a Medcaid Eligibility Service Authorization Verification (MESAV), and Managed Care information will be available, effective November 4, 2005.
As long as Managed Care information on a client (with valid information) exists, MESAV will return Medicaid and Managed Care information (PDF copy of provider letter).
In Medicare news, a new finding about stent surgery may encourage Medicare to expand coverage for the procedure. According to a report released last week, doctors with limited experience can successfully perform surgery to open carotid arteries. From the New York Times (free registration required):
The federal government has estimated that as many as 200,000 Americans undergo carotid-clearing surgery each year. Regulators approved marketing the stents to a high-risk group that could include as many as 25 percent of those people, but Medicare is covering fewer than 10 percent of them.
