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Monkeypox PHE declared; tighten intake protocols, prep for anxious patients

08/15/2022

U.S. health agencies are now operating under a second public health emergency (PHE) due to the growing number of monkeypox infections in the country. While the declaration shouldn’t change day-to-day life for most providers, you may take it as a cue to increase surveillance and make preparations in case the formerly-rare disease finds its way to your door.

Use these new CPT codes for monkeypox tests, vaccines

08/15/2022

by: Laura Evans, CPC

Practices testing or providing vaccinations for monkeypox will find it easier to bill for those services. The AMA on July 26 issued one new clinical lab test code and two vaccine codes for the virus, effective for use immediately.

Telemedicine or telescam? Heed the warnings in the latest special fraud alert

08/15/2022

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Physicians and non-physician practitioners who are approached by recruiters from a telemedicine company should read the latest fraud alert from the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) before they opt to get involved.

Provider beware: OIG issues 7 signs of a telemedicine scam

08/15/2022

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Physicians and other qualified health care professionals should check a recruiting telemedicine company’s pitch against the seven signs of a problematic arrangement that the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) included in its special fraud alert “OIG Alerts Practitioners to Exercise Caution When Entering into Arrangements with Purported Telemedicine Companies."

Know your rights for medical record access in post-Roe landscape

08/15/2022

by: Roy Edroso

It is expected that prosecutors will seek medical records to support charges against patients they suspect of violating new statutes against abortion, either as evidence of illegal treatment or to determine from notes that the patient sought such services. HIPAA offers some limited protection to practices that don’t want to give them up, and case law suggests the Privacy Law actually prohibits the surrender of protected health information (PHI) in some circumstances.

NPs set to benefit from the domiciliary, home visit merger

08/15/2022

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Nurse practitioners (NP) will find it easier to report visits in the domiciliary and home settings when the next E/M update goes into effect Jan. 1, 2023. The update will delete the code family for domiciliary, rest home and custodial care services (99324-99337) and fold the services into the home services family (99341-99350). That code family will be renamed “home or residence services.”

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