| Kick Off National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month! |
 |
 |
 |
|
Dress in Blue This Friday and Kick Off National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month! (201003-05) March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and March 5 is Dress in Blue Day! The Colon Cancer Alliance has designated Friday, March 5 as Dress in Blue Day to promote awareness about colorectal cancer and to encourage people to get screened. In addition to Dress in Blue Day , the entire month of March has been designated as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reminds health care professionals that Medicare provides coverage for certain colorectal cancer screenings. Screening can help prevent and detect colorectal cancer in its earliest stages when outcomes are most favorable. Medicare Covered Colorectal Cancer Screenings Medicare provides coverage of colorectal cancer screenings for the early detection of colorectal cancer. All Medicare beneficiaries age 50 and older are covered; however, when an individual is at high risk, there is no minimum age required to receive a screening colonoscopy or a barium enema rendered in place of the screening colonoscopy. Medicare provides coverage for the following colorectal cancer screenings subject to certain coverage, frequency, and payment limitations: Screening Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)Screening colonoscopyScreening sigmoidoscopyScreen Barium enema (as an alternative to a covered screening flexible sigmoidoscopy or screening colonoscopy) For More Information CMS has developed a variety of educational products and resources to help health care professionals and their staff become familiar with coverage, coding, billing, and reimbursement for all preventive services covered by Medicare.The Medicare Learning Network (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. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.asp Cancer Screenings Brochure ~ This tri-fold brochure provides health care professionals with an overview of cancer screenings covered by Medicare, including colorectal cancer screening services. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/Cancer_Screening.pdf . The Guide to Medicare Preventive Services for Physicians, Providers, Suppliers and Other Health Care Professionals ~ This comprehensive resource contains coverage, coding, and payment information for the many preventive services covered by Medicare, including colorectal cancer screening. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/mps_guide_web-061305.pdf Quick Reference Information: Medicare Preventive Services ~ This double-sided chart contains coverage, coding, and payment information for the many preventive services covered by Medicare, including colorectal cancer screening, in an easy-to-use quick-reference format. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MPS_QuickReferenceChart_1.pdf To order hard copies of certain MLN products, including the Cancer Screenings brochure, please visit the MLN homepage at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mlngeninfo Scroll down to Related Links Inside CMS and click on MLN Product Ordering Page For information to share with your Medicare patients, visit http://www.medicare.gov The American Cancer Society offers free materials to help clinicians continue encouraging colorectal cancer screening among patients 50 and older: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PRO/PRO_4_ColonMD.asp The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, which is convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Cancer Society, provides resources for providers, including a guide for primary care physicians: http://www.nccrt.orgFor more information about colorectal cancer, please visit the Prevent Cancer Foundation at: http://www.preventcancer.org/education3c.aspx?id=1036 For more information about Dress in Blue day, please visit the Colon Cancer Alliance at: http://www.ccalliance.org/news_events_dress-in-blue.html Thank you for helping CMS improve the health of patients with Medicare by joining in the effort to educate eligible beneficiaries about the importance of taking advantage of colorectal cancer screening services and other preventive services covered by Medicare. Registration and playback for the "On Demand" Medicare University 2009 Virtual Convention has been extended by popular demand to March 31, 2010. National Government Services has extended the availability for registration and playback of the 2009 Medicare University Virtual Convention "On Demand" courses through March 31, 2010. For the low cost of $150, you have access to over 60 unique on-demand courses, not offered through Medicare University, at a time that is convenient for you. Plus, you can earn as many as 57 continuing education units! Visit the Course page on the Medicare University 2009 Virtual Convention Web site to view a list of all the on-demand courses. After March 31, 2010 there is no turning back, so register today at www.NGSMEDICARECONVENTION.com Remember! National Government Services' Jurisdiction B DME MAC List Serve is for out going messages only. Please do not respond back to messages as your response will not be answered, as this is not an authorized mode of communication at this time, Thank you! National Government Services encourages all Web site users to provide feedback regarding ways to improve our Web site. The ForeSee Results (pop-up) survey is an easy mechanism for providers to use to let us know how we can best serve you. Your comments play a large role in the enhancements that are made to the National Government Services Web site. CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This E-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply E-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. To unsubscribe/change profile: click here. Email list management powered by http://MailerMailer.com |