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HHS extends COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE)

08/03/2020

You can continue to perform telehealth services under loosened restrictions, get paid at the E/M office visit rate for audio-only services and take advantage of other waivers and allowances under the ongoing COVID-19 PHE.

Telehealth visits start declining as in-person encounters bounce back: Study

08/03/2020

by: Roy Edroso

Telehealth has emerged as a big part of American health care in the COVID-19 era, and in its early days some practices reported most of their visits being done by videoconference or phone. But a recent study from The Commonwealth Fund suggests that telehealth use may be trending down as practices reopen.

As AMA, experts warn of new PPE shortages, use 5 tips to keep your practice stocked

07/27/2020

by: Roy Edroso

While it may appear that in some areas the immense shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) stock is over, providers and medical organizations are warning that a lack of supplies remains a concern. But by planning ahead and forging purchasing relationships, smart practices can make an effort to head them off.

Navigate modifier reporting for COVID-19 visits to ensure your claims get paid

07/27/2020

by: Sarah Gould

In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE), CMS has expanded patient access to telehealth services, allowing beneficiaries to receive a wide range of services without having to visit a health care facility.

Can you amend time on encounter notes? Yes — but don’t make a habit of it.

07/27/2020

by: Roy Edroso

Question: I have a doctor who’s billing critical care codes without putting the relevant times in his notes. We send these back to him and he amends them properly. Could this still be trouble for us down the road?

Robust TCM payment growth slows but still sees double-digit results

07/27/2020

by: Richard Scott

The ascendance of transitional care management (TCM) payments and claims may be slowing, but the codes (99495-99496) continue to maintain strong year-to-year growth, most recently reaping more than $186 million in Part B payments.

If your provider gets COVID: A 5-step plan to ease patients’ minds, adhere to privacy rules

07/20/2020

by: Roy Edroso

With COVID-19 a focus of so much patient concern, you should take special care to reassure them when one of your providers comes down with it.

New ICD-10-CM guidelines revise COVID-19 instructions, advise on social factors

07/20/2020

by: Julia Kyles, CPC, and Laura Evans, CPC

Coders and medical practice staff can get a head start on a series of updated rules for diagnosis coding — the 2021 version of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines on Coding and Reporting was issued on July 8, weeks ahead of the typical early August release date.

Think ahead for Physician Compare review: It can’t help 2018 scores but may help future ones

07/20/2020

by: Roy Edroso

Is it worth going in and looking at the expanded performance review data CMS has for your Physician Compare page? While only some providers can actually change or suppress their scores, you can use the opportunity to get your providers serious about making a better showing next time, when their score may count for a great deal more.

Generous MUEs for office visits haven’t changed the rules for same-day visits

07/20/2020

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Question: I’m trying to figure out the impact of the new medically unlikely edits (MUE) for E/M codes 99201-99215. All codes have an MUE of 24. Does that mean a patient can see multiple physicians of the same specialty who bill under one tax ID on the same date of service? For example, could I bill two E/M visits if a patient saw Dr. Smith for shoulder pain and then saw Dr. Jones for knee pain?

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