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Patient blocks exam elements? Work with them before turning them away

01/17/2022

If a patient declines part of their examination — a weigh-in or disrobing, for example — you may be able to work around it, or take the opportunity to educate the patient on the necessity of the declined element. If you can’t get past it, however, make sure to proceed carefully to avoid charges of discrimination or abandonment.

Split/shared billing: 4 steps to ease adoption this year – and next

01/17/2022

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Take steps to ease the transition to new billing rules in 2022 when physicians and non-physician practitioners (NPP) are involved in a single patient encounter. Experts predicted that Medicare’s new rule for split or shared services in facilities and for critical care services will create coding challenges for practices.

Considering app-based payments? Watch privacy concerns

01/17/2022

by: Marla Durben Hirsch

Tread carefully when accepting payment from patients via payment apps such as Venmo, PayPal and Zelle. It’s personal health information, and there’s a risk that it can be accessed by third parties.

Stave off privacy risks when patients use payment apps to pay you

01/17/2022

by: Marla Durben Hirsch

Payment apps have become a popular and convenient way for patients to pay providers (see story, above). While providers are not obligated to accept payment via this method, many have been adding this option to foster patient engagement and satisfaction.

ACA proposed rule might spur provider contracts, SDOH coding

01/17/2022

by: Roy Edroso

While a new proposed rule on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mainly affects health plans, providers who contract with them may feel an impact in patient population and Z-coding if it’s finalized as written.

SCOTUS restores CMS vaccine mandate, but OSHA rule stay remains

01/17/2022

by: Roy Edroso

The Supreme Court has ruled on two vaccine mandates — against one that requires vaccination in businesses with 100 or more employees, but for another that would require many if not most health care workers to be vaccinated.

CMS issues HCPCS code for remdesivir medication

01/17/2022

by: Richard Scott

You’ll find a new HCPCS codes, J0248 (Injection, remdesivir, 1 mg), for remdesivir antiviral medication used to treat COVID-19, but you should check with your Medicare administrative contractor (MAC) about coverage eligibility and payment terms.

Phone E/M codes exploded in ’20, easing office visit shortfall

01/17/2022

by: Richard Scott

As in-person E/M visits cratered during the first year of the COVID-19 health crisis, practices successfully turned to phone-based encounters (99441-99443) and brought in millions in payments.

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