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Provider Newsletter | Issue 30

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Complete your ACEs attestation

Providers play an important role in screening children and adults for Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs). ACEs and toxic stress are linked to serious and costly health conditions, but the effects of ACEs are treatable. ACEs screening is an Alliance benefit and providers must attest to taking the “Becoming ACEs Aware in California” training in order to continue receiving payment for screening patients for ACEs.

Attestation only takes a few minutes on the DHCS website.

Once providers complete the training and attestation, the Alliance will reimburse $29 per screening using the billing codes listed below. Federally Qualified Health Centers are eligible for the payment in addition to their existing Prospective Payment System payment but need to bill on a separate claim. ACEs screenings completed via telehealth visits qualify for payment.

HCPCS CODE DESCRIPTION
G9919 Score 4 or greater (high risk), results are positive.
G9920 Score between 0 and 3 (lower risk), results are negative.

The Alliance has added ACEs screenings as an Exploratory Measure in the 2022 Care-Based Incentive program. If you have questions, contact your Provider Relations Representative.

For more information about ACEs Aware training, attestation and payment for qualified screenings, visit ACEs Aware.

Alcohol and drug SABIRT: validated screening and assessment tools

Alcohol and drug Screening, Assessment, Brief Interventions and Referral to Treatment (SABIRT) screen for unhealthy alcohol and drug use and provide individuals who meet these criteria with brief behavioral counseling interventions. SABIRT services are for members 11 years and older, including pregnant women.

Unhealthy alcohol and drug use screening must be conducted using validated screening tools. Validated screening tools include, but are not limited to:

  • Cut Down-Annoyed-Guilty-Eye-Opener Adapted to Include Drugs (CAGE-AID).
  • Tobacco Alcohol, Prescription medication and other Substances (TAPS).
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Quick Screen for adults. The single NIDA Quick Screen alcohol-related question can be used for alcohol use screening.
  • Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10).
  • Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C).
  • Parents, Partner, Past and Present (4Ps) for pregnant women and adolescents.
  • Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble (CRAFFT) for non-pregnant adolescents.
  • Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test Geriatric (MAST-G) alcohol screening for geriatric population.

When a screening is positive, validated assessment tools should be used to determine if unhealthy alcohol use or SUD is present. Validated alcohol and drug assessment tools may be used without first using validated screening tools. Validated assessment tools include, but are not limited to:

  • NIDA-Modified Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (NM-ASSIST).
  • Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-20).
  • Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).

Please contact a Provider Relations Representative if you have questions or need more information at 800-700-3874, ext. 5504.

Virtual Immunization Training on April 27

The Alliance is partnering with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to host an immunization training for providers in Merced, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

Discussion topics will include:

  • Updates from the Alliance and Santa Cruz County.
  • A back-to-school and COVID-19 vaccine training with Steven Vantine, Education Consultant with CDPH.

This will be a virtual training, so please forward this event information to others you feel would also benefit. We hope you join us!

Preparing for Back-to-School and COVID-19 Immunization Updates

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Register now

Questions?

If you are in Merced County, please contact Veronica Lozano, QI Program Advisor II with the Alliance, at [email protected].

If you are in Monterey or Santa Cruz counties, please contact Jo Pirie, QI Program Advisor II with the Alliance, at [email protected].

Alliance leaders participate in national leadership program to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care

Three Alliance leaders have been selected to participate in a year-long executive leadership program designed to address racial and ethnic disparities in health care.

These leaders include:


Michelle Nepomuceno Stott, MSN, RN
Quality Improvement &
Population Health Director

Dianna Diallo, MD
Medical Director

Deborah Pineda, MPH
Quality and Health Programs Manager

Stott, Diallo and Pineda are three of only 48 individuals across the United States to be selected for the 2021-2022 Disparities Leadership Program (DLP).

With health equity as a key focus of the Alliance’s five-year Strategic Plan, our leadership looks forward to the learning, collaboration and innovation that will come from this year’s DLP class. As our staff members engage in meaningful dialogue about eliminating disparities, we will collectively be better equipped to pursue more equitable health outcomes at multiple touchpoints. Together, we will continue to pursue our mission to provide accessible, quality health care guided by local innovation.

Visit our website for the full press release.