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FTC’s labor-market rule ends most noncompetes for physicians, if it clears

05/06/2024

On April 24 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) un-veiled a final rule that essentially ends noncompete agreements of the sort that allow medical organizations to keep employed physicians from working for their competitors after they leave. While legal challenges from pro-business interests promise to tie the rule up for a while, it’s vital to know what the rule does and does not prohibit.

After FTC rule bans noncompetes, legal expert discusses direct impact

05/06/2024

by: Roy Edroso

On April 24 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) previewed its final rule on noncompete agreements (NCA), which effectively bans the practice for most workers in for-profit businesses. The rule would have a direct effect on the restrictive covenants that practices often use to prevent departing physicians from setting up shop nearby.

PrEP now: CMS urges providers to prepare for a shift to Part B coverage

05/06/2024

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Watch for a new Medicare Part B benefit designed to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Consider whether your practice should offer the services and be ready to answer your patients’ questions.

Reduce denials for CPT critical care E/M services with detailed documentation

05/06/2024

by: Hamilton Lempert, M.D., FACEP, CEDC

Question: What documentation criteria are required to report CPT critical care codes 99291-99292?

Advance care denials dropped as utilization surpassed 2.4M claims

05/06/2024

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Practices have learned to avoid coding mistakes that trigger denials of advance care planning (ACP) services (99497-99498). The time-based services were introduced in 2015 and Medicare covered the codes in 2016.

HHS OCR: Penalize non-compliant employees to protect privacy, security

04/29/2024

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Make sure your HIPAA compliance toolkit includes a few sticks to punish employees who violate your practice’s compliance guidelines, along with any carrots you use to reward compliance. And warn staff that the practice can’t let violations slide: Sanctions for HIPAA non-compliance are mandatory and the threat of punishment is designed to encourage compliance and safeguard patients, protected health information (PHI) and your practice from a breach.

‘Administrative’ fees for patient messages? Not if it’s about treatment.

04/29/2024

by: Roy Edroso

Question: I have seen stories in the press about practices charging “administrative fees” for calls, emails and texts from patients. I can’t see how this would be allowed by insurers. Can I really charge for this?

Make sure TPIs scheduled before April 1 will meet new LCD policy

04/29/2024

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Question: Our Medicare administrative contractor (MAC) has adopted the new local coverage determination (LCD) for trigger point injections (20552-20553). The LCD limits the number of trigger point injections a patient may receive to three sessions per rolling 12-month period. Will the April 24 visit count as the third injection under the LCD?

Take tips from Green Ridge cybersecurity case to bolster compliance

04/29/2024

by: Dom Nicastro

In a significant development underscoring the growing threat of cyberattacks in the health care sector, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently announced a settlement with Green Ridge Behavioral Health LLC concerning a ransomware attack that compromised the protected health information (PHI) of over 14,000 individuals.

Take note of new code, billing method for injectable steroid

04/29/2024

by: Laura Evans, CPC

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