December 19, 2023

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The Department of Community Health (DCH) advised that the new administration codes for Beyfortus (CPT codes 96380 and 96381) are expected to be loaded in GAMMIS in March 2024 with a January 1, 2024, effective date.

Until all systems updates are completed, health check providers should code the Beyfortus product (CPT codes 90380 or 90381 w/EP modifier) and report the administration of Beyfortus with code 96372.

The CDC released a health advisory to alert healthcare providers to low vaccination rates against influenza, COVID-19, and RSV. Low vaccination rates, coupled with ongoing increases in national and international respiratory disease could lead to more severe disease and increased healthcare capacity strain in the coming weeks. CDC recommends that healthcare providers should administer influenza, COVID-19, and RSV immunizations now to patients, if recommended.

Click here to view additional details on CDC recommendations.

We are excited to present to you our newly developed TCCN RSV Toolkit! 

The RSV Toolkit is designed to guide practices through the necessary steps in providing support to your staff and your patients/families. The information will be changing as we learn more from our respected partners in clinical practice, compliance/risk, billing/coding, and reimbursement, as well as the AAP, CDC, and FDA.

The deadline date to revalidate your enrollment has been extended to December 31, 2023.

Federal regulations require State Medicaid Agencies to revalidate the enrollment of all providers, regardless of provider type, at least every five years. The revalidation process requires an enrolled provider to confirm the accuracy of its enrollment information and to make corrections where appropriate. Providers that have not complied with federal regulations are required to complete the revalidation process by December 31, 2023. The deadline date has been extended to allow additional time to complete the revalidation process.

The Department has identified several providers that have not revalidated their enrollment in accordance with federal regulations. A complete listing of the providers who have not submitted a revalidation application can be found online on the GAMMIS website at www.mmis.georgia.gov. Once you reach the landing page, select the “Provider Information” tab at the top of the page. Then select “Reports for Public Access.” Select the report titled “Provider Revalidation Past Due by Provider Type.”  Providers who are listed on this report will be suspended if they do not revalidate their enrollment by December 31, 2023.   

Effective January 1, 2024, DCH will suspend the enrollment of those providers who have failed to revalidate their enrollment.  As a result, suspended providers will not be able to participate in the Georgia Medicaid/PeachCare for Kids programs. The suspension will apply to providers serving Traditional Fee-for-Service Medicaid members, PeachCare for Kids members, and the Georgia Families and Georgia Families 360 managed care programs which are administered by Amerigroup, CareSource, and Peach State Health Plan. Claims with dates of service on or after January 1, 2024 will not be paid. 

Upon successfully completing the revalidation process, your suspension will be lifted. However, your effective date will be the date that you submit your revalidation application. Retro-enrollment is NOT applicable in this instance. Should you fail to revalidate your enrollment within thirty (30) days of receipt of the suspension letter, you will receive a notice of termination from DCH. The notice of termination will outline your appeal rights.

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding revalidation can be found on GAMMIS at www.mmis.georgia.gov. Click on the Provider Information tab at the top of the screen. Select FAQ from the drop-down menu. Providers may also contact Gainwell Technologies for assistance at 800-766-4456.

The 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (federal) and the 2022 Mental Health Parity Act (state) require that health insurance plans not impose more restrictive benefit limitations on mental health and substance use disorder benefits than on medical and surgical benefits. 

A recent update to Georgia AAP Board members stated: “Insurance plans not covering mental health services: Commissioner Tanner (and Reps. Oliver and Jones too) reported that the Insurance Commissioner has received no complaints about this happening. So members are encouraged to report instances in which you see a private insurance company not observing mental health parity in their coverages. You can do so via the Insurance Commissioner’s website, or report it to the Rick at the Chapter office. ” 

The Insurance Commissioner’s website is https://oci.georgia.gov/insurance-resources/complaints-fraud. DCH’s mental health parity portal is at https://dch.georgia.gov/how-do-i/mental-health-parity-information. Rick Ward at the Georgia Chapter of AAP can be reached at rward@gaaap.org. 

Thank you to all who joined us for our 3-part virtual series 'Antibiotic Stewardship: Why it's Important for Your Practice and Patients'.

This lunchtime series presents the new Georgia Pediatric Antibiotic Stewardship website, gpas-online.org, designed to help you in your busy practices with guidelines and a new antibiogram visualization tool

Please follow the links below to view the recordings for all three webinars:

Webinar #1: How to Access and Use the Website

Webinar #2: Prescribing Guide



Webinar #3: Antibiotic Dosing: Maximize antibiotic adherence, limit wastage, and promote antibiotic stewardship

For questions regarding TCCN Value Added Services, please reach out to

Barbara Douglas, TCCN Associate Director of Programs at Barbara.douglas@tccn-choa.org.

Resources available for practices who participate in the TCCN GSK Program: 



• Quick Guide to GSK Flu Delivery
• Ordering Information with GSK Flu
• 2023-2024 Price Sheet

Please reach out to Barbara Douglas at barbara.douglas@tccn-choa.org or your GSK Rep if you have any questions.

TCCN and McKesson are pleased to announce a special buying program for the Welch Allyn SPOT Vision Screener. This program is only available to TCCN Members through McKesson. Please see the brochure here for additional information.

The TCCN Value Added Services Team is excited to announce a new Medical Supplies Purchasing Program with McKesson! TCCN and McKesson have entered into a multi-faceted program for all TCCN Community practices! Click here for more program details

As pediatricians increasingly play a critical role in “whole-child” care, they consistently identify a need to learn more about how to care for children with Behavioral and Mental Health (BMH) needs. Specifically, learning how to screen, when and how to treat, understanding the referral options and when it is appropriate to refer for specialty care. Providing BMH education to pediatricians stimulates confidence in their abilities to deliver care while allowing them to become more perceptive and resourceful in the process. By educating just one pediatrician, we can positively impact the lives of hundreds of kids needing BMH care.

Utilizing the Project ECHO platform, Children's has been providing Behavioral and Mental Health education in multiple cohorts since March 2021. This cohort will meet every other Wednesday at lunchtime starting January 10^th for six sessions and will cover multiple facets of caring for pediatric patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Upon the conclusion of this cohort, we will offer additional cohorts through 2025 covering new behavioral and mental health topics.

Project ECHO uses the online platform, Zoom, and participation in Project ECHO is free of charge. Participants will have the opportunity to earn CME and MOC Part II credits for their participation.

Registration is open now through January 23^rd. Registration is open to primary care providers in the state of Georgia only. Active participation is required and participants are expected to present at minimum one case during the series.

Event Details:

Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Cohort sessions will take place every other Wednesday from 12:00pm – 1:00pm via Zoom. This series will be facilitated by Rebecca Schneider, PhD.

· January 10th: Diagnosis and Assessment of OCD - Eric Storch, PhD 

· January 24th: Detecting OCD Across Developmental Stages - Natasha Daniels, LCSW

· February 7th: Common Comorbidities and Differential Diagnosis - Joseph McGuire, PhD

· February 21st: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) - Lisa Coyne, PhD

· March 6th: Medication Management - John Lee, DMSc, PA-C

· March 20th: Parent Guidance - Eli Lebowitz, PhD   

This series will be limited to 35 participants due to the time constraints of case presentations. There will be an active waitlist so please add your name if the course is full and you will be contacted if you are able to join.

To register for this series, click here.

Free virtual training for TCCN primary care physicians in 2024!

This is an excellent opportunity for TCCN members to get free training in pediatric mental health. An Atlanta donor has granted the REACH Institute an opportunity to allow free training for the Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care (PPP) program,

The PPP Program trains clinicians to diagnose and treat pediatric mental health conditions including ADHD, anxiety, depression and other common disorders seen in everyday practice.

Upcoming dates for this training in 2024 are:

• January 19-21, 2024
• February 2-4, 2024

For More Information About the Program Click Here.

Participants will earn a maximum of 29.75 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM for completing this program.

Click Here to Submit an Online Application for the Program

HB458 was passed into Law in 2021 and was effective January 1, 2022 and requires that each physician complete a 2 hour course in “professional boundaries and sexual misconduct in medical practice” before renewing their GA medical license (this is a one-time requirement).  

TCCN’s Malpractice Carrier, Curi, has two 1 hour CME courses on “Sexual Misconduct” that fulfills the new GA license requirement for HB458. Please see instructions below on how to access.

Instructions:

• Login in to your Curi account at www.curi.com
• Click on your initials at the far top right of your screen. (Your initials will appear with a yellow circle around them)
• Select CME webinars
• There you will find two new CME activities- Patient Harassment and Sexual Harassment

If you are not part of TCCN’s Malpractice Program with Curi, please reach out to your malpractice carrier as they may have a class available as well. 

TCCN Requirements

• 2023 Primary Care Quality Program Attestation
• March 23rd Clinical Quality Forum Recording and Attestation - DEI Education and Meeting Attendance Requirement
• Effective August 1st: 2-Week Data Submission Requirement

TCCN Resources

• Top 5 Cyber Mistakes Medical Practices Must Avoid
• TCCN Seizure Action Plan
• Endocrinology Referral Guide
• Nephrology Referral Guideline
• 2023 TCCN OSHA Webinar Recording and Slides and Bloodborne Pathogens Test
• TCCN Webinar: New AAP Clinical Practice Guidelines for Obesity
• TCCN Pediatric Coding Seminar- Webinar Recording and slides
• Children’s Launches Educational Materials Webpage for Patients and Caregivers

Community Updates

• Important Information About the Correct Dosage and Administration of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2023-2024 Formula) for Individuals 6 Months Through 11 Years of Age
• Georgia Smoke-free Air Act
• Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)
• DEA Requirement for All Providers - MATE Act FAQ and Resources
• Resilience and Emotional Wellness – Healthcare Training | Strong4Life
• The InFLUence of Vaccine Technology on Pediatric Influenza Outcomes
• URAC Clinical Integration Accreditation Announcement
• Bilirubin Level Testing and Phototherapy Vendors
• Antibiotic Alternatives Tip Sheet

We are here for you. Please reach out to your TCCN Provider Relations Representative contact@tccn-choa.org with any questions.