Primary Care Providers

Articles with relevant information for Primary Care Providers (PCP).
01May

The new and improved Provider Portal is here!

The upgraded Texas Children’s Health Plan Provider Portal is now live! We have worked to bring a revamped user experience to our entire provider network. Our goal is to empower our providers with the tools to access accurate, timely data, so that they are able to deliver the best possible care to our members and their families. The redesigned portal features: Improved functionality for the claims, appeals, and messaging center Health Management Tools menu Access to Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) data...

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Provider Alert!
30Apr

Provider Alert! Texas Children’s Health Plan Claim Editing System Update

Attention:  All Providers Reminder: Texas Children’s Health Plan Claim Editing System Update   Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) previously sent a Provider Alert notifying providers that an intended transition to a new Claims Editing System (CES) by Optum was to occur in December 2018. Please be advised that this transition will now be occurring May 31, 2019.  Any claims submitted May 31, 2019 and after, including corrected and adjusted claims, will be processed with the Optum CES edits. TCHP is required by Texas Health...

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26Apr

Appointment Availability Standards

Appointment availability standards What are appointment availability standards? How do you as a provider with Texas Children’s Health Plan play a role? In 2015 Senate Bill 760 passed, requiring Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to monitor the provider networks of managed care organizations. Texas Children’s Health Plan would like to ensure members are able to schedule appointments with providers in accordance with the HHSC’s appointment accessibility guidelines.                                                 AFTER HOURS: Primary Care Physicians who are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days...

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24Apr

Prior Authorization Reference Information

The Texas Children’s Health Plan website now has an additional resource for information related to prior authorization requirements. The Prior Authorization Reference Information documents the codes that require authorization for payment based on authorization category. This list is not yet all-inclusive. It can be found at: https://www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/sites/default/files/pdf/PA%20Code%20List%20December%202018.pdf In addition, providers can submit an authorization request online for the codes listed on the Prior Authorization Reference Information document via Clear Coverage. For access to or training on the use of Clear Coverage,...

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23Apr

Update to Children’s Services Handbook THSteps Medical Checkups

Note: Texas Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) must provide all medically necessary, Medicaid-covered services to eligible clients. Administrative procedures such as prior authorization, pre-certification, referrals, and claims/encounter data filing may differ from traditional Medicaid (fee-for-service) and from MCO to MCO. Providers should contact the client's specific MCO for details. Beginning February 1, 2019, TMHP will update the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures Manual, Volume 2, Children’s Services Handbook, subsection 5.3.6 “Texas Health Steps Medical Checkups,” to remove the referral indicator requirement and...

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21Mar

Smoking cessation help available for parents and caregivers

Smoke-free homes lead to better health outcomes and reduced ED admissions for patients with asthma. Texas Children’s Health Plan provides free smoking cessation counseling and up to $75 of nicotine replacement products for the parents and caregivers of members with asthma. As a provider, you can help your patients more by supporting smoking cessation for parents and caregivers. If your practice site is interested in learning how to enroll parents/caregivers in this program, please contact Texas Children’s Health Plan’s Care...

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Provider Alert!
18Mar

Provider Alert! Update: Reimbursement Code for Sports and Camp Physicals

As spring training and sports begin, it’s an ideal time to ensure that all members are receiving their Texas Health Steps check ups timely. Texas Children’s Health Plan wants to remind our pediatric providers about sports physicals as value-added services. Members aged 5 - 19 (STAR & CHIP), 5 – 20 (STAR Kids) who have had a Texas Health Steps check up in the last 12 months will be eligible for one annual sports and school physical delivered by their Primary...

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19Feb

Physician Incentive Program (updated Jan. 2019)

Texas Children’s Health Plan is introducing its new Physician Incentive Program in an effort to align with state performance and quality measures. The new program focuses on rewarding physician groups for reducing Potentially Preventable Emergency Room Visits (PPV) as well as improving utilization of preventive care based on the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures. More Information

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Provider Alert!
15Feb

Telemedicine support now available

Texas Children's Health Plan supports the delivery of telemedicine, telehealth and telemonitoring services to its members. Telemedicine and telehealth services should be provided in compliance with standards established by the respective licensing or certifying board of the professional providing the services. Telemedicine and telehealth services do not require authorization when provided by an in-network provider, except in the case of telemonitoring services. Of note, Texas Children’s Health Plan will not cover telemedicine or telehealth services that are provided through only synchronous or...

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Provider Alert!
09Feb

Health risk warning: infant botulism and risk of honey pacifiers

In November 2018, the Texas Department of State Health services released a health alert regarding infant botulism and the use of honey pacifiers. Because honey can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum, which can produce a neurotoxin known to cause serious illness in infants, parents are advised not to feed it to children younger than 12 months old. Consumption of honey is widely recognized as a risk factor for infant botulism by healthcare and public health professionals. Cases of infant botulism in...

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