The Connection OnlineSM
August 2010
Welcome to The Connection Online
This publication contains important information, including updates to policies and procedures, for physicians, dentists, other health care and dental professionals, facilities and their staff.
Editions are published in February, April, June, August, October and December.
If you haven't already, please subscribe to receive email notifications when new editions are available.
Note: Other important updates can be found in our What's New section.
Enhancements to our Treatment Cost Estimator tool
This fall, members enrolled on select consumer driven products will be able to access procedure-specific out-of-pocket cost estimates, using the Treatment Cost Estimator tool on myRegence.com.
Designations added to our Provider Search tool
The Provider Search tool on myRegence.com will soon display physician, hospital, and other provider recognitions and designations from nationally recognized third parties.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
Regence has long been an advocate for transforming our health care system to one that rewards efficiency, improves access and outcomes, and reduces health care costs.
With the recent passage of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, some of the issues plaguing our health care system have been addressed.
Administrative and Billing
Products and Programs
- Blue Distinction Centers® expand
- Identifying Regence ActivateSM Member Choice Account payments
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- Refer Regence MedAdvantage members to in-network providers
- Regence Innova® Expanded Office Services optional benefit now available
- Regence MedAdvantage to pilot prospective risk adjustment through in-home assessments
- The BlueCard® Program reminders
Policies
Changes to our medical policies are listed below. Learn how policies are reviewed. Our Coding Toolkit includes codes that require clinical information (updated monthly), a complete list of code groupings and our Correct Code Editor (updated quarterly).
Medical
Medication
Summaries of recent changes (PDF) and detailed policies are available in our Medication Policy Manual.
View our group and Individual products Preferred Medication List/Formulary.
Search the Regence MedAdvantage + Rx and Medicare Part D formulary.