Monthly Archives - November 2019

Provider Alert!

Provider Alert! Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Laboratory Web Portal

On October 25th, it was reported that the laboratory web portal application for public health experienced unexpected technical difficulties. It is currently not available and as a result, the provider report cards are unavailable at this time. While DSHS Laboratory is actively working on a solution, there is not a date for when the matter will be resolved. How this impacts providers: Texas Health Step Providers that normally receive results via the Laboratory Web Portal will have the reports mailed to...

Provider Alert!

Provider Alert! Acute Therapy Services

Acute Therapy Services Requests for acute occupational speech and physical therapy services will require documentation from the prescribing provider that a visit for the acute injury or acute exacerbation of the medical condition requiring therapy has occurred within the last 90 days. Acute speech therapy authorization will not require evidence of current Texas Health Steps well checkup for therapy treatment requests of 60 days or less. Therapy services for greater than 60 days will require evidence that the member is current in their...

Provider Alert!

Provider Alert! Syphilis testing laws updated effective 9/1/2019

Texas law now mandates three syphilis tests for all pregnant women: at the first prenatal exam, during the third trimester (no earlier than 28 weeks gestation), and at delivery.  This new testing is required because congenital syphilis cases reported to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) more than doubled last year.  There were 367 cases of congenital syphilis in Texas in 2018, up from 164 in 2017. The increase in reported cases is likely due to a combination...