Provider E-News

Monthly newsletter with information about clinical practice and business updates. Newsletters are in print-friendly PDF format.

November 2020 (PDF)

• COVID-19 household prevention program resources available
• Important changes effective 1/1/2021 to our Women's Health payment policy
• Kaiser Permanente offering $0 copay for primary care visits for Medicare Advantage members through December 2020
• We need your help to transfer your patients' refills to Kaiser Permanente mail order
• Acupuncture Medicare benefit for chronic low back pain
• Generic albuterol HFA (Proventil) is Kaiser Permanente's preferred short-acting beta agonist
• 30-day supply limit added for opioids, benzodiazepines, and non-benzodiazepine receptor agaonists (Z-drugs) for KP Commercial Plans
• Upcoming changes

October 2020 (PDF)

• Kaiser Permanente offers $0 copay for primary care office visits for Medicare Advantage members through December 2020
• Women's health care performed by non-network providers requires prior authorization
• Flu campaign toolkit
• New ways to deliver flu shots to our members
• Updated guidelines

August 2020 (PDF)

• More authorizations upgrades going live on August 17
• Kaiser Permanente walk-in pharmacy opening in Bellingham on August 20, 2020
• Expedited appeals
• New ambulance partnerships for Kaiser Permanente
• Kaiser Permanente will not reopen CareClinic by Kaiser Permanente at Bartell Drugs locations
• Upcoming changes

July 2020 (PDF)

• New pre-authorization code check tool added to provider site
• More provider site upgrades coming in August
• COVID-19 vaccine well tolerated, generates immune response
• Non-invasive prenatal fetal testing - temporary change extended to September 15, 2020
• Kaiser Permanente partners with Magellan Healthcare to support mental health access
• Upcoming changes

May 2020 (PDF)

• Understanding hierarchical condition categories & accurate coding
• New referrals and authorization improvement launch date
• Upcoming changes
• CME opportunities

April 2020 (PDF)

• COVID-19 provider resources page
• Medicare telehealth services
• Quality program patient outreach moratorium
• New referrals and authorization improvement launch date
• Credentialing applications process update
• Non-invasive prenatal fetal testing
• Smokey Point Medical Center is open for business!
• Flu vaccines

February 2020 (PDF)

• New provider site tools debuting in March
• Authorization updates
• Access to psychiatry consultation
• Updated network/plan crosswalk
• Kaiser Permanente Federal Employees Health Benefits pre-authorization requirements change
• Upcoming provider manual changes

January 2020 (PDF)

• Provider site: Referral tools and status upgrades coming this Spring!
• KP Medicare plans are now separated into Individual and Group plans
• Medicare beneficiary identifier numbers now required
• Important change in authorization requirements for FEHB members not enrolled in a KP Medicare Advantage plan
• New provider reconsideration process page
• Clarification regarding authorization process for outpatient mental health therapy
• Hedis® medical record review season: February-May 2020
• Pre-payment review process updated
• Greg Adams named Chairman, Chief Executive Officer