Meridian of Illinois

We know at times it can be a challenge for our members in rural areas to access healthcare. Meridian is partnering with providers who offer telehealth to help bridge this gap. Read our recent announcement about one of these providers: https://bit.ly/4fAeLnR #NationalRuralHealthDay

The flu virus continuously mutates, so a yearly vaccine is important to protect you and those around you. Yet continuing vaccine hesitancy means more children and adults are unnecessarily susceptible to the flu and the potential for severe illness. Find Meridian’s Fluvention? program trusted resources to promote and encourage flu vaccinations as part of our collective effort to safeguard members and communities. https://bit.ly/3VmTOov

Providers, start using Availity Essentials? for your Meridian members beginning November 18! With our new, secure provider portal, you can: ? Validate eligibility and benefits ? Submit claims ? Check claim status ? Submit authorizations Get Availity Essentials portal transition help and information with our provider notice. If you already work in Availity, you can use your existing credentials for Meridian members.

Complete the Meridian 2024 Provider Satisfaction Survey by November 15, and you’ll be entered into our drawing for five Apple iPads! We truly value your feedback. Last year’s results informed structural changes to deliver more personalized support, enhancements to the call center, and our statewide networking events with providers.

We’re humbled when we receive feedback like this from our providers. Thank you to Shannon Jones, LCSW, Senior LTSS Service Care Manager, for all you do for our members! “We are a DME supplier and have been working with Shannon, a social worker at Meridian, regarding a patient of ours who requires bilateral prostheses.?Shannon has been a very kind and helpful person to work with, and she genuinely cares?about our patient.?She deserves a 5-star review.?We need more people like Shannon in our field.”? - Jorene M., Rockford Orthopedic Appliance Co.

On Sunday, October 20, Chaya Grant, RN and Care Manager, and Andrea Davenport, Director, Community Relations, represented Meridian on Fox32 Chicago to discuss the importance of breast cancer screening. Chaya talked about early detection of breast cancer with mammograms. And Andrea shared details on Meridian Mammogram Mondays, in which we partner with local hospitals like The New Roseland Community Hospital and St. Bernard Hospital to make mammograms more accessible for women. Watch the interview: https://bit.ly/40fZgga.

Providers, when was the last time you logged into the Illinois Medicaid Program Advanced Technology System (IMPACT)? With Medicaid provider revalidation underway, now is a good time to confirm your organization’s contact information is up to date. Starting in December, providers whose 90-day revalidation cycle has ended will be terminated from Medicaid if they have not taken the proper steps. Learn more about the process—required every five years for Medicaid providers—in our notice, and attend an upcoming information session hosted by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services on October 24 from 3 to 4 p.m. https://bit.ly/4eThN68

Starting on November 18, Meridian providers can start using Availity Essentials as their secure provider portal. Providers will be able to validate eligibility and benefits, submit claims, check claim status, submit authorizations, and access payer resources. If you need additional assistance, please call Availity Client Services at 800-AVAILITY (282-4548) or your Meridian Provider Engagement Administrator. https://bit.ly/3Nuhina

In July, we launched a new pilot program with Main Stay Therapeutic Farm. It provides animal assisted education. Members ages 8 to 17 can connect with farm animals, garden, walk the trails, and more. See how this program can help children and teens.

Today we recognize World Mental Health Day—and more than 5,700 behavioral health and substance use providers in our network whose work saves and changes lives. All providers can be champions for mental health. Meridian offers virtual training opportunities, delivered live by expert instructors, on the field’s most current behavioral health topics to all providers participating in our network—at no cost. Many courses are eligible for continuing education credits. Review the upcoming schedule here and register: https://bit.ly/4eFq2mh