El Paso Health | About Your Health | Fall 2018

2 stay informed T exas Health Steps is 1 of the most comprehensive medical and dental screening, prevention, and treatment programs for children of low-income families. In addition, THSteps online provider education (OPE) offers free continuing education (CE) credit courses to various Provider types: physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, dentists, and general Providers. THSteps OPE offers over 60 accredited courses that range from A to Z, including topics such as: ■  ■ Childhood and Adolescent Depression. FIRSTCALL Medical Advice Infoline WHAT IS THE FIRSTCALL MEDICAL ADVICE INFOLINE? FIRSTCALL Medical Advice Infoline is a value-added service for El Paso Health members. This service is provided at no cost. When members call FIRSTCALL Medical Advice Infoline, they will receive immediate information to take care of their medical or health concerns. WHO CAN CALL? STAR, CHIP, and CHIP Perinatal members of El Paso Health or their caregivers. WHEN CAN MEMBERS CALL? The FIRSTCALL Medical Advice Infoline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. WHO WILL ANSWER THE MEMBER’S CALL? The call will be answered by a nurse or pharmacist. THSteps free online provider education BE READY FOR 2019 CODING CHANGES It’s time to incorporate the 2019 coding changes. Effective Oct. 1, 2018, there are a total of 473 ICD-10-CMs. There will be 279 new diagnosis codes, 143 revised codes, and 51 codes that are deactivated. It is important to update your practice management system to prevent claim denials due to incorrect diagnosis codes. Start preparing for the 2019 CPT updates that will be effective Jan. 1, 2019. Most importantly, educate your staff to ensure they are utilizing the correct 2019 new and revised codes. ■  ■ Developmental Surveillance and Screening: Birth through 6 Years. ■  ■ Effective Asthma Management at School. ■  ■ Identifying and Treating Young People with High-Risk Behaviors. ■  ■ Oral Evaluation and Fluoride Varnish. ■  ■ Preconception and Prenatal Health: Identifying and Intervening in High-Risk Behaviors. ■  ■ SBIRT in the Office (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treat). ■  ■ Texas Health Steps: Overview. ■  ■ Transition Services for Children and Youth with Special Health-Care Needs. ■  ■ And many more to choose from. For more information and a complete listing of the free accredited CE credit courses, please visit the THSteps website at txhealthsteps.com .