• Wyoming Medicaid Update
• WY STI Update
• Wyoming State Hospital Update

• Medicaid & CHIP Renewals Toolkit
• WMS Organizational News
• WMS Partner Message
• Education Opportunitiy

Wyoming Medicaid to Cover Transitional Care Management in 2024

The time of transition from an inpatient hospital stay to a residential setting can be of high risk of readmission, particularly for those with higher acuity medical issues or complex living situations. Potential pitfalls include medication reconciliation, scheduling follow-up appointments, and transportation. In 2022, Wyoming Medicaid paid approximately $9M in claims associated with readmissions.

Transitional Care Management (TCM) aims to facilitate prompt follow-up with a primary care provider after a hospital admission to reassess a patient’s condition and treatment plan. Medicare covers TCM since 2013. Studies show a significant reduction in hospital readmissions in patients who received a TCM visit. Effective 1/1/24 Wyoming Medicaid will be covering codes 99495 (moderate acuity; follow-up within 14 days) and 99496 (high acuity; follow-up within 7 days). These visits may be provided by telehealth.

To facilitate TCM visits, I want to remind Wyoming physicians and PAs about the Notify feature on the WYFI (Wyoming Frontier Information) exchange. Notify alerts providers when a patient is admitted, discharged, or transferred from a hospital. These notifications can be tailored to provider preference. Some of you may be registered with WyFI through your clinics. Most Wyoming hospital-based EMRs are also connected with WyFI. To see if you are connected with WyFI or to enroll in Notify, you may contact the WYFI team at wdh-wyfi-hie@wyo.gov for assistance.

Wishing you and your families a healthy and happy 2024!

Paul

A message from Alexia Harrist, MD, PhD to Wyoming Healthcare Providers

The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) appreciates the opportunity to share information with providers about concerning trends in certain sexually transmitted infections. 

Syphilis cases, including congenital syphilis, are increasing nationwide and within our state. Provisional 2023 data indicate HIV diagnoses have also increased across Wyoming. 

Kristi Barker has been named as administrator for the Wyoming State Hospital (WSH) in Evanston.

The WSH is part of the Wyoming Department of Health’s Behavioral Health Division. It is the only state-operated psychiatric hospital in Wyoming.

WSH is a licensed acute care psychiatric inpatient hospital with 104 beds. WSH provides psychiatric acute care stabilization services to individuals involuntarily committed via W.S. 25-10-101 and competency, restoration, and not guilty by reason of mental illness (NGMI) services to those committed via 7-11-301 of the Wyoming criminal code.

WSH serves patients in a recently renovated facility, which houses all patient care units, all administrative areas, and support service functions including dietary, housekeeping, and laundry services.

Click image to view Medicaid & CHIP Renewal Toolkit.

The Wyoming Leaders in Medicine program is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 cohort! Apply today!

WMS is excited to announce plans for the 2024-2025 Wyoming Leaders in Medicine-Physician Leadership Academy. If you are an alumni of the program, please talk to colleagues in your community who would enjoy the program. Help us reach every corner of the state! The application process is short, and the memories will last a lifetime!

If you have any questions about the program please email info@wyomed.org or call the WMS office at 307-635-2424.

Please renew your WMS membership!

We are grateful for the opportunity to represent the physician voice across Wyoming. This voice is stronger with every member we have, and we hope you'll join us again in 2024 as a member. If there's ever anything we can do to ensure we're representing our membership to the best of our abilities, please contact a member of the WMS Board of Trustees or Executive Director Sheila Bush to share your thoughts. We're here for you!

Wyoming Medical Society dues are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for income tax purposes but may be tax deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses, excluding the portion used for association lobbying activities. WMS estimates that 20% of your WMS dues are not deductible because of lobbying activities on behalf of its members.

If you have any questions about the renewal process please email mcowley@wyomed.org or call Maria at 307-635-2424.

WMS seeks physician and PA volunteers for the 2024 Legislative Session

The 2024 Legislative Session will convene Monday, February 12, 2024 and will adjourn Friday, March 15, 2024. New for the 2024 Session will be an opportunity to serve as Doc or PA of the Day via Telehealth for anyone unable to make the trip to Cheyenne.

Click for details

(Scroll to Feb/Mar to see available dates)

Dear Wyoming Medical Society Members, 

We are thrilled to introduce ourselves, Physician Wealth Advisors (PWA), a distinguished physician-focused personal investment advisory and financial planning firm committed to addressing the unique financial needs of physicians in the great state of Wyoming. With a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by physicians, our firm provides tailored financial solutions, empowering you to achieve your long-term personal financial goals while navigating the complexities of the ever-evolving financial landscape. 

At Physician Wealth Advisors, we recognize the unique demands of a medical career can, at times, leave little time for managing personal finances. That's why our team of experienced financial advisors specializes in creating comprehensive strategies designed to align with the distinct financial goals of medical professionals. Whether you are just starting your medical career, planning for retirement, or looking to optimize your investment portfolio, our advisors are here to guide you with personalized, physician-centric advice. At PWA, we understand the importance of safeguarding your financial future, and we invite you to explore the unique services and expertise that Physician Wealth Advisors brings to Wyoming Medical Society members. Our experience, training, and knowledge uniquely qualify us to provide exceptional physician-focused wealth advisory services. Your dedication to healthcare deserves a financial strategy that reflects your commitment, and we look forward to the opportunity to support you on your financial journey.  

Eric Halvorsen | MBA | CFP® | CIMA®

Wealth Advisor

801.971.9555

www.pwa.org 

ehalvorsen@pwa.org 

WMS Member Website

WMS Public Website

WMS Annual Meeting Website

The WIRE