Part B News | Part B News

Generous rate increase aids MA plans — but will it help providers?

04/21/2025

After a lean year under the Biden administration, Medicare Advantage (MA) plans got a big payday in the 2026 final MA rate notice. There’s good news for them in a recent final rule, too.

Skin deep: Accurately code, document skin lesion excisions and repairs

04/21/2025

by: Betty A. Hovey, BSHAM, CCS-P, CDIP, CPC, COC, CPMA, CPCD, CPB, CPC-I

Gain a detailed overview of coding guidelines for excisions and repairs to ensure that you correctly report these procedures.

CMS makes it official: Now more MA than Medicare FFS enrollees

04/21/2025

by: Roy Edroso

A recent slowdown in its rate of growth notwithstanding, the latest CMS figures show Medicare Advantage has overtaken traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare in enrollment.

Short-term closing? To-do list includes emails to patients, call to counsel

04/14/2025

by: Roy Edroso

In case your practice suffers a temporary closure due to an accident or emergency, have on hand a list of the parties you will need to contact and the questions you will need to ask.

Switching to concierge? Don’t short-change existing patients

04/14/2025

by: Roy Edroso

Question: I’m thinking of transitioning my practice to a membership concierge model, but I suspect many of my current insured patients will object. Would I have to worry about getting sued or sanctioned?

CMS assigned an absolute edit to most new CPT codes

04/14/2025

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

To prevent denials of your claims for new CPT codes, share the final piece of the latest National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) update with your team.

HCPCS 2025 first quarter update brings nearly 150 changes

04/14/2025

by: DecisionHealth staff

CMS recently published its HCPCS quarterly update, which brings 148 HCPCS Level II code additions, discontinuations and revisions. The changes, which became effective April 1.

Modifiers tell the tale of audio/video vs. audio-only telehealth service

04/14/2025

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Telehealth services for Medicare Part B soared under the expansions that were first enacted during the COVID-19 public health emergency and have been extended by Congress several times. The expansions and waivers included coverage of audio-only services, including the popular telephone E/M services (99441-99443), which CMS reimbursed at rates equivalent to an office/other outpatient E/M encounter.

Lab tests score poorly on CERT; use protocols, EHR to beat the spread

04/07/2025

by: Roy Edroso

The latest CERT report shows that you may be skating on lab orders that could get taken back upon post-payment review — mainly because of documentation errors. Take a few simple steps to make sure your claims are clean.

HHS cuts 20,000 employees, closes and combines departments

04/07/2025

by: Roy Edroso

HHS has announced the dismissal of 10,000 employees Department-wide, which takes the official number of cashiered employees so far to about 20,000.

Login

User Name:
Password:
Remember me Forgot password
Welcome to the new Part B News Online. If you are a returning user having trouble logging in, please click here.