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eClinicalWorks fraud settlement bad for co-conspirators – but likely not for users

06/12/2017

A fraud settlement by a major electronic health record (EHR) vendor with the Department of Justice (DOJ) has some providers spooked, but it’s unlikely that providers who use that system will lose incentive program money because of the vendor's alleged malfeasance — assuming they are innocent.

Start prep now for the new SSN-free Medicare cards as CMS rolls out initiative

06/12/2017

by: Roy Edroso

Tell your electronic health record (EHR) vendor and billing department to get ready as CMS goes public with its plan to replace Social Security numbers on Medicare cards with new Medicare beneficiary identifiers (MBIs).

Adhere to a system, meet time requirements for alcohol-screening code

06/12/2017

by: Richard Scott

More practices are providing formalized alcohol-screening services to patients, so pay close attention to the time requirements and use a standardized tool to get your coding through.

Give the green light to medical assistants for cerumen-removal procedure

06/12/2017

by: Richard Scott

Question: Can you bill for a 69209 (Removal of cerumen using irrigation/lavage) when a medical assistant performs the service? The CPT Changes clinical example is for a nurse but my providers feel that it should be able to be billed for when a medical assistant performs it.

Tally total time for same specialists to get compliant with critical care codes

06/12/2017

by: Richard Scott

Question: In the following scenario, is critical-care code 99291 payable for the attending physician and add-on code 99292 payable for a non-physician practitioner (NPP)? Here’s what happened: The physician spent 60 minutes with the patient providing critical care. Later that day, the NPP spent 20 minutes with the patient providing critical care. How should they bill?

You can claim TCM for patients who elect hospice — if they’re at home

06/12/2017

by: Roy Edroso

Question: Can we claim transitional care management (TCM) codes 99495 or 99496 on a patient who is discharged to hospice?

As overall practice ownership rates decline, some specialties retain control

06/12/2017

by: Richard Scott

The number of physicians who own and operate their own practices has been falling for years, and a new study on 2016 practice patterns shows that ownership rates have fallen below the 50% mark for the first time.

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