Welcome to the Help section of PartBNews.com! We've put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) designed to help you navigate PartBNews.com and find the content you need more easily. If you are unable to find the answer you need, please send us a note using the Contact the Part B News Editors link at the bottom right of the page (under Communities).

Q: Where do I find the latest issue of Part B News?

A: You can access the latest issue of Part B News by mousing over the News & Analysis menu, then clicking PBN Current Issue, which opens the most up-to-date, online edition of the current issue.

Q: Can I access a PDF version of your most recent issue?

A: Yes. On the user account box, located on the right-hand side of the screen, there is a link that says Current Issue. Click the link and it will take you to the online edition of the current issue. Once there, look for the PDF icon and the text “Download this issue” on the right-hand side of the header. Click either the icon or text to download the PDF version.

Q: What are the Features?

A: Features refer to special components of Part B News that are always part of every issue. These include the Benchmark of the Week, the Ask a Part B News Expert column, and the monthly Non-physician Practitioner (NPP) Report. Two of these features can be displayed at one time on your Part B News homepage. You can use the “feature view” buttons (with the small icons) to select which two features are always displayed on the home page. Once you choose a view, it will stay that way whenever you are logged in.

Q: What is the Blog?

A: The Part B News Blog is used by the editors to keep you up-to-date on the latest Medicare news in a more informal, faster way than via preset releases of the print newsletter. Editors might use the blog to share the latest breaking news, or offer some details on a story still being written. Our editors may also share their analysis of a key meeting involving Medicare's players that is likely to impact the way your practice operates. Our Blog gives you a chance to step inside the world of Medicare Part B here in Washington and get a better sense of how it affects you.

Q: What are Bookmarks? How do I save or Bookmark something on the Web site?

A: Bookmarks are stories, blog posts, or articles of any kind on the Part B News website that you choose to “mark” for future reference. On the lower right-hand corner of stories, blog posts and other resources, you will see a gray, star-shaped outline. Clicking this shape turns it gold, and indicates that you have stored this piece of content as one of your Bookmarks. You can view all the Bookmarks you have stored at any time by clicking the gold text link that reads “My bookmarks” on your user account box on the right-hand side of the homepage. If you wish to remove a Bookmark, simply go to your bookmarks on the user account box and click the yellow star next to the content you wish to remove.

Q: How do I find CMS content?

A: You will find official documentation by mousing over the Regulations & Guidance menu on the navigation bar at the top of the homepage. Under this menu, you can choose from Coding Resources (such as CCI edits, E/M guidelines and so forth), Fee Schedules, Medicare Transmittals and Medicare Manuals.

Q: How come I can access some sections of PartBNews.com and not others?

A: Access to PartBNews.com is divided into two categories – non-subscribers and subscribers. Only subscribers are able to access all the features of the site, including full online editions of articles, our comprehensive archive, exclusive tools and library of CMS source documents. Non-subscribers can view the first few paragraphs of articles, but not full articles. They also may not download tools or source documents.

Q: How do I search for something?

A: You can start typing keywords into the Search prompt at the top right of the page. This prompt is persistent on all pages. You can click the Advanced Search link beneath the prompt to search within only certain categories or content types.

Q: What are PBN User Tools?

A: These are exclusive tools you can download and use in your practice. Examples include templates for various encounter forms, scripts for your front desk staff, guides for billing and coding, and much more. They are a benefit of your subscription to Part B News. The top few Tools are always visible on the home page under the Tools header near the bottom left. For the complete list, either click the See more… link underneath the header or mouse over the News & Analysis menu on the top navigation bar and click PBN User Tools. You may also use the Advanced Search prompt to search for a specific tool.