Posted January 16, 2020 Comparison Table Medicare and Kentucky Telehealth Comparison Medicare Kentucky Telehealth Parity Yes – covers and reimburses based on the Medicare Physician  Fee Schedule Database (MPFSDB) Yes – covers and reimburses medical services to the same extent medical services are covered face-to-face when medically necessary and furnished by licensed healthcare providers and performed within their scope of practice Medicaid Fee Schedule Coverage Limited – although not every face-face service is covered many are Expanded – Medicare now

Posted January 7, 2020 Governor Beshear has appointed Lisa Lee as Medicaid Commissioner. A graduate of Kentucky State University, Lee has more than two decades of experience in state government. She previously served as Deputy Medicaid Commissioner and was also appointed Medicaid Commissioner by former Governor Steve Bashear. Insurers interested in a Medicaid contract will have to rebid, which allows another chance for Anthem and Passport to win a contract and negates the previously filed protests. The Request for Proposal

Posted December 7, 2020 Sen. Max Wise of Campbellsville was presented with KMA’s 2019 Advocacy Award on Tuesday, Jan. 7 during the opening day of the 2020 General Assembly. The award is presented to individuals who have effected positive change in the healthcare space through their advocacy efforts. Sen. Wise is chairman of the Education Committee and a member of a number of others, including Health and Welfare.  In 2014 he defeated a Republican Senate Candidate in the primary by

Posted December 30, 2019 Less than a month after the Medicaid MCO contracts were announced, Governor Andy Beshear stated that he is canceling and rebidding Kentucky’s Medicaid managed care contracts. Anthem Kentucky and Passport Health Plan had previously submitted their appeals to the state protesting its exclusion from the Medicaid contracts. Gov. Beshear plans for new requests for proposals to be issued by Jan. 10 or earlier, and providers will be selected in early spring after a competitive bidding process.

The Kentucky Health Information Exchange is excited to announce the launch of the Provider Assistance Program mini-grant opportunity.  In collaboration with the Department for Medicaid Services (DMS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Kentucky Health Information Exchange (KHIE) is offering Pharmacies, Eligible Providers (EPs), Eligible Hospitals (EHs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) the opportunity to apply for a mini-grant to offset the vendor fees associated with connecting to KHIE. The Provider Assistance Program was created to help

Posted December 18, 2019 On December 16, 2019 Governor Andy Beshear signed an executive order sustaining the Medicaid expansion that will continue coverage for 479,000 Kentuckians. On the same day, the Governor also signed an executive order that ending the Section 1115 waiver or Kentucky HEALTH program created under former Governor Matt Bevin. The Kentucky HEALTH 1115 Waiver executive order terminates 1115 Waiver components including: Work requirements or community engagement for able-bodied adults between the ages of 19 and 64

Posted December 17, 2019 With the holidays right around the corner, I am making my last few visits throughout the state for 2019 and preparing for what promises to be an interesting session of the legislature. In just a few short months, I have had the privilege to meet with physicians and community leaders in Hyden, Hazard, Pikeville, Lexington, Louisville, Glasgow, Princeton, Morehead, Munfordville, Owingsville and Florence to discuss the various initiatives of the KMA and how important it is

Posted December 16, 2019 The Lexington Medical Society (LMS) has nominated Dale E. Toney, M.D., for the office of 2020 KMA President. Dr. Toney is a board certified internist in Lexington. He is employed by the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, is an Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, and is the Interim Division Chief of General Internal Medicine and Women’s Health. He currently serves as Vice President of the KMA. He served as

Posted December 13, 2019 KMA leaders have traveled to schools across the state this fall to present new campus signage to districts who have agreed to comply with the new tobacco free schools law passed during the 2019 legislative session. Tobacco-Free for Students is a partnership with the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care. Since the law passed in April, more than 95% of Kentucky school districts have agreed to enact tobacco-free policies. However,

Posted December 11, 2019 On Nov. 26, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services announced five new statewide contract awards for managed care organizations (MCOs): Aetna Better Health of Kentucky, Humana Health Plan Inc., Molina Healthcare of Kentucky, United Healthcare DBA UnitedHealthcare community Plan of Kentucky and WellCare Health Insurance of Kentucky. WellCare was also awarded a contract to serve all foster children in Kentucky. Anthem and Passport Health Plan have confirmed that they are in the process of filing