Welcome From CHOICE Provider Relations

VNSNY CHOICE Orientation Training (All Health Plans) – COMING SOON
This Provider Orientation Training presentation contains an introductory overview of all VNSNY CHOICE health plans. The presentation features a brief overview of benefits, eligibility, and goals for each health plan. It also features documents that will help you with the on-boarding process. Please reach out to your assigned account manager with any further questions.

About Our Plans
Find out more about our long term care and special needs plans.

The Provider Portal User Guide
A step-by-step manual of how to set up our Provider Portal on a computer desktop. The portal will help you access several windows of information including:
• Member Eligibility
• Claim Status
• Set up for EFT

References for SelectHealth Providers

SelectHealth Provider Reference Guide
Quickly find out who to contact for specific plan information.

SelectHealth Advantage Fact Sheet
Learn more about SelectHealth, including special initiatives and program offerings.

Treatment of Gender-Dysphoric Persons Quick Reference Guide
This guide provides a summary of recommended medication therapies along with their VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth formulary coverage status.

Beacon Health Provider Reference Tools

Beacon Health Options Provider Reference Tool – Alcohol and Other Drug Dependence Treatment
This provider reference tool offers information about the initiation and engagement of treatment for alcohol and other drug dependence.

Beacon Health Options Provider Reference Tool – Follow-Up After Mental Illness Hospitalization
This provider reference tool offers information about the follow-up process after hospitalization for mental illness.

Special Topics

Access and Availability Standards for Medicare Patients
According to CMS, all health plans are required to maintain and monitor a network of appropriate providers, supported by written arrangements, that is sufficient to provide adequate access to covered services to meet the needs of the population served. This is a regulatory requirement that involves standards that must ensure that the hours of operation of the plan’s providers are convenient to, and do not discriminate against, enrollees. The plan must also ensure that, when medically necessary, services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This includes requiring primary care physicians to have appropriate backup for absences. The standards should consider the enrollee’s need and common waiting times for comparable services in the community. Please download this PDF for more information: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/downloads/mc86c04.pdf

High Risk Medications in the Elderly
At VNSNY CHOICE, we know that effective medication management — especially among the elderly population — is one of the key strategies for improving quality of patient care and reducing avoidable ED visits and hospitalizations. The Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) has developed a list of High Risk Medications, including their potential risks and safer treatment options.

Pain Assessment, BMI/ Functional Status Chart
This chart is available in case you do not have a way to document the result of a member’s Pain Assessment, BMI, or Functional Status in your EMR system. VNSNY CHOICE created this sheet to keep in the member’s chart to make it easier for you to document the member’s health vitals accurately.

Resumption of Prior Authorization Activities 7/7/2020:

Given the importance of medical review activities to CMS’ program integrity efforts, CMS will discontinue exercising enforcement discretion for the Prior Authorization Process for Certain Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) items beginning on August 3, 2020, regardless of the status of the public health emergency. For Power Mobility Devices and Pressure Reducing Support Surfaces that require prior authorization as a condition of payment, claims with an initial date of service on or after August 3, 2020 must be associated with an affirmative prior authorization decision to be eligible for payment.

Additionally, prior authorization will be required for certain Lower Limb Prosthetics (L5856, L5857, L5858, L5973, L5980, and L5987), with dates of service on or after December 1, 2020.

Please see more information here (PDF). The Required Prior Authorization list can be found here (PDF).

Health Information Exchange Facts and Forms

Information in Spanish and English to share with your CHOICE patients explaining how the Health Information Exchange works. Includes an FAQ. (English and Spanish)

Authorization for Access to Patient/Member Information Through Health Information Exchanges (English and Spanish)

Advanced Care Planning Form
Health Care organizations such as VNSNY CHOICE are required by New York State Department of Health regulations to provide information about Advanced Directives to all of our members.

The New York Health Care Proxy Law allows patients to appoint someone they trust, for example, a family member or close friend, to make health care decisions for them if they lose the ability to make decisions for themselves.

As sensitive as it can be, a proactive discussion of end-of-life issues with patients is extremely important to avoid confusion and potential discord regarding their preferences for care. VNSNY CHOICE has developed this downloadable one-page overview of Advance Care Planning that contains helpful suggestions and information about various forms of advance directives. We are also providing a basic Advance Care Planning Checklist to make it easier for you and your patients to assess needs.

Additional forms include the following:
Appointing Your Health Care Proxy (English and Spanish)
New York Advance Directive Planning Guide

CHOICE Medications Adherence Tip Sheet
VNSNY CHOICE knows the importance of medication adherence. This Medication Adherence tip sheet makes it easy for providers to help CHOICE members take the right meds at the right time — no matter how complex their medication regimens. In addition, the tip sheet will help empower members and caregivers to easily see what medications to take and when to take them. Read the CHOICE Medications Adherence Tip Sheet.

What Is Medicaid?
VNSNY CHOICE offers helpful information about this important government program and How to Apply for Medicaid that may be useful for both you and your patients or clients.

Provider EMR Data-Sharing – Measure Definitions
This guide lists the measures providers may be asked to document details for in the VNSNY CHOICE member medical record. Definitions, applicable lines of business, and sample procedure codes are also included.

Provider EMR Data-Sharing – Measure Dictionary
The EMR data-sharing measure dictionary details the approaches providers may use to achieve measure compliance and close gaps. By utilizing these guidelines, providers will be able to assist VNSNY CHOICE in achieving and reporting total quality of care for our members. Specifications, key elements, and timelines are also presented for reference.

Here are some resources that may be helpful to those living with HIV/AIDS, and their families.

VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth supports the HIV Treatment Works (HTW) Campaign sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The HTW campaign features people who are living with HIV talking about how sticking with care and treatment helps them stay healthy, protect other, and live longer, healthier lives.

• HIV Treatment Works (HTW) website
• Watch videos of people living well with HIV
• Read profiles of people living well with HIV
• Resources for people living well with HIV

HIV Tobacco Cessation Improvement Campaign
The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute is excited to announce the launch of the HIV Tobacco Cessation Improvement Campaign. Antiretroviral therapy is extending the lives of people living with HIV (PLWH); yet, in the US, PLWH who smoke lose over six years of life expectancy compared to PLWH who do not smoke. Please let your patients know about the NYSDOH campaign to help improve the health of PLWH across New York State. Visit Have them visit www.hivtobaccofreeny.org to enroll and learn more about the campaign.

New York State Policies and Guidelines
• New York State Department of Health HIV Testing Policies and Procedures
• New York State Department of Health Updates and Changes to HIV Treatment Guidelines
• New York State HIV Testing Law – FAQs

Additional Resources
• New York State Department of Health
• New York City Department of Health
• Signs and Symptoms of Acute/Early HIV
• AIDSInfo (A Service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
• The AIDS InfoNet
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Women’s Health Information Center