Author - Texas Children's Health Plan

05Oct

Texas Children’s Health Plan Provider and Member Portals

As a Texas Children’s Health Plan provider, you have access to the Texas Children’s Health Plan provider portal, called TouCHPoint. This portal can be used to check member eligibility, benefits, primary care provider selection, and claims status. To access Provider TouCHPoint, just log on to TexasChildrensHealthPlan.org/for-providers and find the TouCHPoint log-in on the right-hand side of the web page. Texas Children’s Health Plan members can access their own portal at TexasChildrensHealthPlan.org/for-members. The Member Portal allows your patients to play an active...

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02Oct

Provider Alert! Nutritional Supplement Guideline Change

Effective 10/1/2018, Texas Children’s Health Plan will no longer require prior authorization for nutritional products for members 20 years and younger who: receive all or part of their nutritional intake through a tube as documented by ICD-10 codes (z43.1; z93.1, z93.4), OR have a metabolic disorder that has been documented with one of the diagnosis codes listed in the current TMPPM Section 2.2.17.2.2. Providers will retain the responsibility of maintaining appropriate documentation for the nutritional products supplied. A retrospective review may be performed...

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01Oct

Authorization and Verification Process Updates

Texas Children’s Health Plan has made updates to the authorization process. Individual Member Fax Requests To ensure Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance, providers must send one fax request per member with each fax having its own cover sheet. Requests received with multiple members per fax will be returned to the provider and not processed. Minimum Information Required to Process a Request Providers must use the Texas Standard Prior Authorization Request Form*, which can be found at https://www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/for-providers. Click on Downloadable Forms...

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01Oct

CDC data released show STD diagnoses at record high in U.S.

The CDC has released preliminary surveillance data presented at the 2018 STD Prevention Conference in Washington, D.C.  Data analysis of the five year trend of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) showed a sharp increase in STDs for four consecutive years (see chart).   In 2017, almost 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported to the CDC, an increase of more than 200,000 cases from 2016 (see graph).   Young women continue to bear the greatest burden of chlamydia, having nearly...

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Provider Alert!
26Sep

Provider Alert! Authorization and Verification Process Updates

Subject:   Authorization and Verification Process Updates   Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) has made updates to the authorization process. The following outlines a summary of the changes.   Individual Member Fax Requests To ensure Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance, providers must send one fax request per member with each fax having its own cover sheet. Requests received with multiple members per fax will be returned to the provider and not processed.   Minimum Information Required to Process a Request *Providers must use the Texas Standard Prior...

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11Sep

What are Personal Care Services (PCS)?

Personal Care Services (PCS) is a Medicaid benefit to help clients with everyday tasks. These tasks are called activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Examples of ADLs are: Bathing Eating Going to the toilet Dressing Walking Examples of IADLs are: Laundry Light housework Fixing meals To get PCS, a patient must: Be 0 years to 20 years and receive Medicaid. Have a disability, physical or mental illness, or a health problem that lasts for a long time. Have a reason why his or her guardian cannot help with...

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11Sep

Flu Protection Starts Now

Flu season is on its way and vaccinating continues to be the best way to protect ourselves and our patients against serious complications from the flu.[1] Patients under the age of 18 should be offered the flu vaccine during office visits, while those over the age of 18 also have the option of receiving it at pharmacies. While the AAP and CDC each support the use of LAIV4 for the 2018-19 influenza season with the goal of accomplishing adequate vaccination coverage...

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09Sep

Protection for Two

Influenza vaccination is an essential element of pre-pregnancy, prenatal, and postpartum care because influenza can result in serious illness, including a higher chance of progressing to pneumonia, when it occurs during the antepartum or postpartum period. In addition to hospitalization, pregnant women with influenza are at increased risk of intensive care unit admission and adverse perinatal and neonatal outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that...

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07Sep

Clarification In Limitations of Allergen Immunotherapy

Based on recommendations of network providers, the immunotherapy preparation (CPT 95165) benefit has been modified to allow 80 units in 6 months. This will facilitate ease of payment for initial preparation of antigen mixture for new patients and is consistent with national guidelines. Subsequent to the initial preparation claim, Texas Children’s Health Plan anticipates immunotherapy preparation (CPT 95165) maintenance claims consistent with national guidelines. Billing Use of CPT code 95165, professional services for the supervision and provision of antigens for allergen immunotherapy in...

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