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Pandemic practice fallout persists; shore up with short-term savings

11/09/2020

A new AMA survey shows that the financial impact of the pandemic on medical practice has been brutal and widespread, indicating that practices should prepare to withstand more lean times in the coming months.

CMS delays start of Radiation Oncology Model by six months

11/09/2020

by: Sarah Gould

CMS recently announced that it intends to delay the launch of the new Radiation Oncology Model (ROM) to July 1, 2021 instead of Jan. 1, 2021. The decision comes after stakeholders commented that a January start date would place an unfair burden on providers already challenged by staff shortages.

Medical practice pay up prior to COVID; telehealth takes hold

11/09/2020

by: Richard Scott

The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) hasn’t made it easy, but medical practice personnel have a lot to be proud of this year, including steady pay gains, new responsibilities on the job and the mettle to meet a once-in-a-century pandemic with steely resolve.

COVID disrupts salary gains, challenges medical practice business ops

11/09/2020

by: Richard Scott

In the wake of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), medical practices have confronted — and continue to grapple with — a barrage of business, financial and staffing repercussions, all of which are leaving practice staffers with unprecedented shake-ups in their day-to-day roles.

QPP 2019 wrap: High participation and scoring rates but low bonuses

11/09/2020

by: Roy Edroso

On Oct. 27, CMS released preliminary figures on 2019 participation in the Quality Payment Program (QPP) and the Merit-Based Incentive System (MIPS). More than 97% of eligible clinicians (EC) took part in MIPS that year, as did 85.2% of eligible small practices.

Final price transparency rule announced

11/09/2020

by: Roy Edroso

On Oct. 29, CMS announced a final rule on transparency coverage requiring insurers to provide accurate prices for health care procedures.

COVID vaccine, therapeutics rule issued

11/09/2020

by: Roy Edroso

On Oct. 28, HHS announced an interim final rule with request for comments. The rule, issued by HHS, the U.S. Departments of Labor and the Treasury and the IRS, calls for all health care payers to offer a COVID-19 vaccine, when it becomes available via FDA authorization, as a Medicare preventive vaccine without cost-sharing.

Review advance care planning charts before OIG starts its audit

11/09/2020

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Check the time and other possible billing hazards for advance care planning (ACP) claims. The two ACP codes (99497, 99498) show an average denial rate of 19% since Medicare started covering the service, which may be a sign that practices are making easy-to-avoid mistakes for the two codes.

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