• ULTRACare and the UB-04
• NPI in ULTRACare
• ULTRACare Program Update
• Directions 2007 Conference
• Microsoft Vista Warning
• Daylight Savings Time Warning

ULTRACare and the UB-04
March 1st is here - the start of the UB-04 and NPI transition period, ending May 23, 2007.

The UB-04 form, also known as the CMS-1450, is replacing the UB-92 billing form. The new form will be phased in over a transition period from March 1 to
May 22, 2007 and used exclusively for institutional billing beginning May 23, 2007. The UB-04 data set accommodates the National Provider Identifier and incorporates a number of other important changes and improvements.

Wolters Kluwer notified all ELF customers that they would discontinue all licensing and support for all healthcare forms as of April 30, 2007. If you are still using Electronic Laser Forms (ELF) for UB printing, you will need to change to using the Crystal Viewer version, as there is no ELF UB-04. To start printing this new form, simply change the Insurance Code filing control for all codes that should use the new form.

ULTRACare users should be on Version 14.14 to ensure that you have all the latest programs related to the use of the NPI and UB-04. The system allows you to print the new form by using a pre-printed form or by printing through Crystal Viewer.

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How to implement the NPI in ULTRACare
In the Clinical Application module, the NPI is entered under the Asses > Utilities > Edit Elect Header information option - there is a field at the bottom to fill in. Once this is done, the NPI will pull to section W of the assessments.

For Billing, enter the facility NPI in Admissions> Setup> System Setup in the NPI field. If you are sending your claims via McKesson you can also update the NPI on the doctor record if you are using version 14.14 of ULTRACare (we create a special record for McKesson in the electronic file with the doctor's NPI). Do not remove any provider numbers until your intermediary tells you to stop using them. As for Insurance codes, the NPI will replace the Receiver/payer ID - so do not change that field until the Intermediary says that they want the NPI for them as well.

As always, if you have any questions, please call us at 1-800-666-3883.

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ULTRACare Program Update
Have you downloaded the most current version of ULTRACare? We post a fresh ULTRACare update on the third Friday of each month for you to download from our secure web site. If you have not already done so, please download the update and install per the instructions provided on the site to ensure you have all the latest features. The current version of ULTRACare is 14.14.

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Directions 2007 User Conference
The tradition continues! We look forward to seeing all of you at our annual conference, representing our dedication to providing a uniquely superior learning experience to update you on the new features of our software. Mark your calendar now for September 10 - 13, 2007 and plan to attend. The location and all details will be announced soon.

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Are you buying a new computer?
A word to the wise: Even though you might want to buy a new computer loaded with Microsoft Vista, we have not yet approved that operating system for use with ULTRACare. There will be a new version of Synergy and ULTRACare tested for use on a Microsoft Vista computer, expected by late 2007. Sage Software has also issued similar reminders related to MAS 90 and Abra.

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Daylight Savings Time Warning
The U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005 will have a noticeable effect on computers across the country when Daylight Savings Time (DST) starts early this year. This legislation extends DST by four weeks, beginning three weeks earlier on March 11, 2007, and ending one week later on November 4, 2007.

Unfortunately, most computer operating systems such as Windows are programmed for the old DST schedule. This means that you must apply an update in order to ensure that the clock on your computer will be correct when DST begins. This will be critical for any software applications that are dependent on an accurate time stamp. We recommend checking with your Systems Administrator for more information regarding your work computers.

For more information on the Windows DST Update, please visit the Microsoft website at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx.

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