On the most recent episode of the Northwest AHEC Healthcare Insights podcast, host Andrew Brewer speaks with Dr. Gretchen Hoyle.

Dr. Hoyle returns to provide a post-launch update of implementing a collaborative care management model (CoCM) in primary care practice in a large health system. The model provides continuity of care for chronic conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Learn how CoCM operates and insights on transforming care practices with a behavioral care manager, data registry, EHR workflows, and billing.

According to Dr. Hoyle, "This model allows us as pediatricians to use a team based approach for pediatric patients with mental health issues." Members of the CoCM team include the primary care provider who makes a diagnosis and referral, a psychiatric consultant who provides subspecialist level expertise and advice, and the behavioral health care manager (BHCM) who interacts most closely with the patient and their family. Dr. Hoyle finds it is the BHCM that is the "hero" of the CoCM team!

Check out the latest episode of NW AHEC Healthcare Insights podcast!

Excerpt from CMS QPP Small Practices Newsletter:

2025 Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers Survey (CAHPS) for MIPS Survey Registration Now Open

Registration is open through June 30, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET for the CAHPS for MIPS Survey for the 2025 performance year. 

Who can register? 

• Groups, virtual groups, and APM Entities that intend to administer the CAHPS for MIPS Survey as 1 of their 6 quality measures for reporting traditional MIPS
• Groups, subgroups, and APM Entities that are registered to report the following MVPs and that intend to administer the CAHPS for MIPS Survey as 1 of their 4 quality measures:
• Adopting Best Practices and Promoting Patient Safety within Emergency Medicine MVP
• Advancing Cancer Care MVP
• Value in Primary Care MVP

 How to Register 

Groups, virtual groups, and APM Entities will register on the QPP website. You’ll need to have the Security Official role to register your organization. Please refer to the QPP Access User Guide (ZIP, 4MB) for information about obtaining a Security Official role for your organization. To register: 

• Sign in to QPP.
• Click Start Registration from the landing page.
• Click Register or Edit CAHPS Registration.

Subgroups interested in administering the CAHPS for MIPS Survey as 1 of their 4 required quality measures will need to complete their MVP registration prior to registering for the CAHPS for MIPS Survey. After completing the subgroup’s MVP registration, they will need to contact the QPP Service Center by email at QPP@cms.hhs.gov, by creating a QPP Service Center ticket, or by phone at 1‑866‑288‑8292 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET) to register for the CAHPS for MIPS Survey.

You must register by 8 p.m. ET on June 30, 2025. 

 Additional Resource

• 2025 CAHPS for MIPS Survey Registration Guide (PDF, 946KB)

Complete one or both of the interactive, self-paced eLearning modules on your computer or mobile device. Earn free contact hours!

PART 1 - About 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, with 90-95% of those having Type 2 Diabetes. (CDC) The majority of these people receive health care in the primary care setting (Pilla et. al). Physiologically, diabetes affects multiple organ systems, as well as the emotional well-being of the affected person. Medicine regimens can be complex, especially for an older person with other chronic conditions. To enable the practice staff to support the person with Type 2 Diabetes, this course uses case studies of familiar patients seen in primary care. Practical office-based clinical assessment and patient education concepts are presented. Basic pharmacology of diabetes drugs, laboratory tests used to assess and monitor the disease and common physical exam findings are covered. Register online at www.nwahec.org/75805

PART 2 - Managing diabetes requires much more than taking medicines and visiting the primary care provider’s office---lifestyle changes at the heart of a person’s very self are needed. People with diabetes are 2-3 times more likely to have depression than those without diabetes (CDC). Typically considered a lifelong chronic condition, Type 2 diabetes requires the affected person to incorporate it into their self-image and work every day on difficult behavior changes. Mood disturbances may also be the result of physiologic changes caused by the illness, or from medication side effects. Building on the foundation of Part 1 of this series, this module focuses on the impact a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes can have on the mental health of patients they see in primary care. Register online at www.nwahec.org/75808

Part 2 builds on the case study presented in Part 1, so you are encouraged (but not required) to take both modules.

There is no charge for either online course. Course registration is generously supported by the Division of Health Benefits.

NEW WEBINAR SERIES

NC Medicaid Provider Enrollment

NCDHHS-DHB Credentialing Committee Initiative Stakeholder Engagement Session#3

Please join NC AHEC and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), Division of Health Benefits (DHB), for the third stakeholder teleconference on June 25 from 2-3 p.m. to continue the discussion of a new initiative led in tandem with General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). This initiative will establish a Credentialing Committee aimed at maintaining a high-quality, ethical, and competent provider network to support NC Medicaid beneficiaries.

This third forum will offer stakeholders:

• A collaborative forum to discuss the committee’s future role in the provider enrollment and credentialing process to determine compliance of regulatory requirements by NC Medicaid provider applicants.
• A deeper dive into the roles of committee members. 
• Status of committee bylaws.
• Review of frequently asked questions and answers pertaining to the development of this project.

These stakeholder engagement sessions will occur monthly, as follows, until the project implementation and are intended to be interactive as the Department values input from partnering stakeholders:

• June 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• August 27, 2025
• September 24, 2025

You are encouraged to submit your related questions and comments for targeted open discussion at the meetings to Medicaid.credcommittee.stakeholders@dhhs.nc.gov. We look forward to connecting with you!

We’re excited to share a new opportunity from SEAHEC: the Healthcare Mastery Series, a free three-part learning experience designed to strengthen your front office operations and clinical documentation practices.

This series offers practical tools and expert-led insights on:

• Front Office Professional– June 11 at 12 PM
• Point of Service Collections– June 18 at 12 PM
• Coding and Documentation: Revised Guidelines for Office and Hospital Evaluation and Management Coding– July 16 at 12 PM

Each session is a FREE, one hour and tailored to help your team enhance patient engagement, streamline workflows, and stay current with evolving standards in healthcare delivery. 

You can register for any or all of the webinars.

For more details, see the brochure HERE. 

From NC Medicaid:

Some private and commercial insurers already require these codes, so providers should check with their billing team to review relevant protocol. These F codes are required by NC Medicaid’s clinical policy and apply to all delivery claims (not just those that are globally billed).

NC Medicaid urges providers to begin using the new codes as soon as possible. After July 1, 2025, Medicaid claims for delivery will deny if 0500F is not in the patient's history. This change will apply to both NC Medicaid Managed Care and NC Medicaid Direct claims.

Details and Source: New F Codes: Capturing Prenatal and Postpartum Care Services

NEW WEBINAR SERIES

MEDICAID MANAGED CARE

Disaster Preparedness for Members with Chronic Conditions

June 12, July 15 and August 19

NOON - 1 p.m.

Please join us for a new webinar series focused on disaster preparedness for members with chronic conditions. This series will cover topics such as:

• Overview of Disaster Preparedness in North Carolina 
• Understanding At-Risk Medicaid Populations 
• General Preparedness for High-Risk Members 
• Condition-Specific Considerations 
• Sheltering in Place vs. Evacuation 
• Special Considerations for Populations with Disabilities 
• Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Preparedness 
• Building Resiliency and Promoting Equity 

The first webinar will take place on June 12, 2025, followed by July 15 and August 19. Register for this series by clicking on the button below. We look forward to connecting with you!

Join us virtually on August 13th to explore the latest developments in sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Registration Open!

2025 NC Annual STI Update
Live Webinar - August 13th 8:00AM - 4:00PM

Topics (subject to change):

• Let’s Talk About Sexual Health: Taking a History and Introducing Shared Decision Models Into Practice
• Sexual Health in Aging People
• Best Practices in STI Prevention Vaccination
• Leveraging Point of Care Diagnostics to Address STI Syndemics
• A Practical Guide to Implementing DoxyPEP
• Updates for North Carolina Providers: What’s New From the NC SLPH, the Role of NC DIS Teams in STI/HIV Case Investigation and Response, Complex Cases in STI Management

Get registered today

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced it is suspending eight improvement activities for the 2025 performance year.

The suspension is in accordance with the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Improvement Activities Suspension Policy finalized in the CY2021 Physician Fee Schedule final rule.  CMS intends to propose removing these improvement activities in future rulemaking.

MIPS Improvement Activities Suspended for PY 2025

CMS says that clinicians should select other improvement activities to complete.  However, if any of the suspended improvement activities have already been completed or were in the process of being completed, clinicians will still be able to attest to completing them and receive credit.  Please review the 2025 Improvement Activities Inventory for available improvement activities.

Visit the QPP website for more information.

Source: Improvement Activities Suspension Announcement, Small Practices Newsletter, 2025

The Practice Manager Boot Camp is designed to provide new practice managers with the information they need to run their practices effectively, for experienced managers seeking refresher training or to learn new skills, and for staff members with practice management or leadership responsibilities.

The next cohort for this virtual program begins on July 17,2025 and registration fee discounts are available for early registration.

Divided into a total of 36 on-hour sessions within nine separate modules, participants can choose to either register for the full boot camp  (with a 25% discount on the full registration fee), or for individual modules within it. 

The courses meet via live webinar on Thursday afternoons from 3:00-4:00 PM and are recorded for later viewing.

Learn more about the boot camp and individual modules.

If you have any questions, contact Jane Moran at jane.moran@sr-ahec.org!