December 30, 2008

New E-Mail Alert Advises Providers of TriWest.com Password Expiration

Starting late December, providers registered on www.triwest.com will receive a QuickAlert e-mail notification 5 days prior to their TriWest.com password expiring. This QuickAlert was developed based on feedback from our online users.

Behavioral Health Form Updated

TriWest has recently updated the Preauthorization for Psychological/Neuropsychological Testing form available on www.triwest.com/provider. Updates and improvements to the form include changes aimed at simplifying the form (referring provider contact information is no longer required and multi-part questions have been separated) and ensuring the form arrives at TriWest complete and ready for prior authorization.

Educating Providers, Beneficiaries about the Benefits of Aspirin

In June 2008, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a new policy to increase education among physicians on the importance of appropriate aspirin counseling for the prevention of heart disease and stroke. To support the AMA policy and other scientific findings, TriWest has initiated efforts to share information on the preventive value of a low-dose aspirin regime, when appropriate.

Attached is a link to an article titled Aspirin: Good for More Than Your Headache. The article appeared in the October 2008 issue of the TRICARE to You newsletter, which is distributed to TRICARE beneficiaries in the West Region. Its intent was to help TRICARE beneficiaries understand the benefits of a low-dose aspirin regime.

Billing Change for Infused Drugs Administered in Ambulatory Infusion Suites

The TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) recently advised TriWest that infused drugs (IV) administered in an ambulatory infusion suite (AIS) should be billed with a place of service 11 (office), instead of a place of service 12 (home). Reimbursement will be processed by the J-code, injectable CMAC file, if available. Effective January 1, 2009, the process applies to infused drugs administered in an AIS.

Provider News Issue 1 Now Online

The latest issue of Provider News (Issue 1, January 2009) has been posted to the Resource Library section of www.triwest.com/provider . Topics in this issue include:

• Help Pregnant Beneficiaries Transfer to a New Region
• TriWest Offers Continuing Education Course
• 2009 National Patient Safety Goals
• Durable Medical Equipment Requests