Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Office of Medicaid 600 Washington Street Boston, MA 02111 www.mass.gov/masshealth MassHealth All Provider Bulletin 197 October 2009 TO: All Providers Participating in MassHealth FROM: Terence G. Dougherty, Interim Medicaid Director RE: Coverage of H1N1 and Seasonal Influenza Vaccinations Background This bulletin contains MassHealth payment and coverage policies and billing instructions for H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccine administration implemented in response to the H1N1 2009 influenza pandemic. MassHealth will continue to pay for the seasonal flu vaccine as in previous flu seasons, in accordance with established payment methods. Eligible Members To expand access during the 2009-10 flu season only, all MassHealth members are eligible to receive the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines regardless of coverage type (except where MassHealth pays only for premium assistance). Coverage of the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines for MassHealth members enrolled in MassHealth managed care organizations (MCOs), including senior care organizations (SCOs) and Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), will be through the MCOs. Providers should use the MassHealth eligibility-verification system (EVS) to check member eligibility and managed care enrollment. Eligible Providers Effective October 18, 2009, MassHealth will pay the following providers to administer the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccine, as further described in this bulletin: • acute outpatient hospital departments (includes hospital-licensed health centers, other satellite clinics, and school-based health centers operating under a hospital license); • community health centers (includes school-based health centers operating under a community health center license); • home health agencies; • independent nurse midwives; • independent nurse practitioners; • limited service clinics; and • physicians. (continued on next page) Eligible Providers Effective November 1, 2009, to meet increased demand as a result of the (cont.) pandemic, MassHealth will also pay pharmacy providers for the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines and their administration as further described in this bulletin. Please Note: No direct MassHealth payment is available to other Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH)-designated vaccinators (see MDPH Order Allowing for the Administration of Vaccines by Designated Health Care Professionals and Medical and Nursing Students, effective September 14, 2009) for the administration of the H1N1 or seasonal flu vaccines. H1N1 Vaccine and MDPH will provide the H1N1 vaccine and necessary supplies Supplies (needles, syringes, sharps containers, alcohol swabs, and H1N1 immunization cards) at no cost to providers registered with MDPH, based on vaccine availability. Payment and Billing Whenever possible, providers should make every effort to administer flu for H1N1 Vaccine vaccines during regular visits with their members. In such cases, Administration MassHealth will not provide any additional payment for administering the vaccine(s). In instances where providers cannot administer H1N1 as part of a regular visit, MassHealth will pay only for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine, and will pay all providers the same fee, regardless of the provider type, in accordance with DHCFP Medicine regulation 114.3 CMR 17.00. Providers should bill for H1N1 administration as follows when the sole purpose for the visit is vaccine administration. All Providers, Except Home Health Agencies and Pharmacies: Bill only for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine on a CMS-1500 claim form or through a HIPAA-compliant 837P transaction, using CPT code 90470 and diagnosis code V04.81, regardless of the type of administration (that is, intramuscular or intranasal). Acute Outpatient Hospitals: Bill only for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine by hospital-based physicians as described above. MassHealth will not pay a PAPE (payment amount per episode) in this instance. Community Health Centers: Bill only for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine as described above. MassHealth will not pay for a medical visit in this instance. (continued on next page) Payment and Billing Home Health Agencies: Bill only for the administration of the H1N1 for H1N1 Vaccine vaccine on a UB-04 using CPT code 90470 and diagnosis code V04.81, Administration regardless of the type of administration (that is, intramuscular or (cont.) intranasal). MassHealth will not pay for a skilled nursing visit or office visit in this instance. Pharmacies: Bill in accordance with the instructions provided further in this bulletin. Billing for Seasonal Flu MassHealth will make a separate payment to home health agencies as (Home Health Agencies described below to administer the seasonal flu vaccine to eligible Only) MassHealth members only in the absence of a skilled nursing visit or office visit. Home health agencies should bill as follows. Service Description Service Code Diag Code Admin Fee Immunization administration (includes percutaneous, intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular injections); one vaccine (single or combination vaccine/toxoid) 90471 V04.81 $13.76 Immunization administration by intranasal or oral route; one vaccine (single or combination vaccine/toxoid) 90473 V04.81 $9.06 Billing for H1N1 and When the sole purpose for the visit is vaccine administration, to bill for Seasonal Flu Vaccines H1N1 vaccine administered at the same time as seasonal flu vaccine, all Administered at the Same providers, except pharmacies, should bill first for the H1N1 vaccine and Time (All Providers, then for the seasonal flu vaccine using the following service and Except Pharmacies) diagnosis codes as applicable. Vaccine Service Description Service Code Diag Code Admin Fee H1N1 Flu Vaccine H1N1 immunization administration (intramuscular, intranasal), including counseling when performed 90470 V04.81 $13.76 (continued on next page) Vaccine Service Description Service Code Diag Code Admin Fee Seasonal Flu Vaccine Immunization administration (includes percutaneous, intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular injections; each additional vaccine (single or combination vaccine/toxoid) (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure.) 90472 V04.81 $7.23 Seasonal Flu Vaccine Immunization administration by intranasal or oral route, each additional vaccine 90474 V04.81 $6.13 Other Considerations As required in 130 CMR 450.316, all providers must make diligent efforts to obtain payment first from other resources, so that MassHealth will be the payer of last resort. Administration of the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines does not require a referral from a PCC (Primary Care Clinician) Plan member’s PCC. Pharmacy-Administered Effective November 1, 2009, MassHealth will pay pharmacies for the Flu Vaccines administration of the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines to MassHealth- eligible members, by properly trained and certified pharmacists and other health care professionals in accordance with MDPH regulations at 105 CMR 700.000. In such instances, pharmacies may not charge MassHealth members a copayment for the vaccine administration or flu vaccine serum. For the 2009-2010 flu season, MassHealth will pay pharmacies for seasonal flu vaccine serum without prior authorization if the vaccine is not available free of cost. (continued on next page) Billing for H1N1 and Seasonal Flu Vaccines Administered at the Same Time (All Providers, Except Pharmacies) (cont.) Pharmacy Billing Pharmacies should bill for H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccine administration through the Pharmacy Online Processing System (POPS) as follows. .. Bill with separate claims for each vaccine administered. .. When billing for both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines for a member at the same time, bill for the H1N1 vaccine as the first claim. .. Include the NDC of the vaccine serum. .. If the vaccine was obtained at no cost to the pharmacy, enter a zero amount as the submitted ingredient cost. .. Enter a zero amount in the dispensing fee field. (MassHealth will pay pharmacies an administration fee instead of a dispensing fee.) .. Enter the value of “MA” in the field called “Professional Service” (440- E5). .. Enter the appropriate administration fee (see chart below) in the field called “Incentive Amount Submitted” (438-E8). .. If the vaccine was obtained at a cost to the pharmacy, include the cost of the vaccine serum plus the administration fee as the Gross Amount Due. Pharmacy Payments MassHealth will pay pharmacies according to the following table. Payment Rates for Vaccine Administration by Pharmacy Providers Vaccine Service Description Admin Fee H1N1 vaccine, by injection or intranasal $13.76 Seasonal flu vaccine only, by injection $13.76 Seasonal flu vaccine only, by intranasal route $9.06 Seasonal flu vaccine, by injection, administered at the same time as H1N1 vaccine $7.23 Seasonal flu vaccine, by intranasal route, given at the same time as H1N1 vaccine by injection $6.13 Questions If you have any questions about the information in this bulletin, please contact MassHealth Customer Service at 1-800-841-2900, e-mail your inquiry to providersupport@mahealth.net, or fax your inquiry to 617-988-8974.