Part B News | Part B News

Go the extra mile to onboard new providers and keep them happy

08/12/2024

Given current provider shortages, it’s important to start your new clinical hires on the right foot. A survey of clinicians and recruiters suggests new provider onboarding in medical practices works best when there’s a formal process and early intervention.

Temps need help too: The case for onboarding locums

08/12/2024

by: Roy Edroso

You may be surprised to see locum tenens providers mentioned in an onboarding story, especially if you think of them as the paratroopers of the medical profession, ready to parachute in at a moment’s notice. But many of these temporary assignments will blossom into longer-term and even permanent positions.

Learn 4 terms that are the key to migraine coding

08/12/2024

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Whether your practice performs services to diagnose or manage and prevent chronic migraines with conservative therapy or your practice specializes in state-of-the-art migraine treatments, a recent draft local coverage determination serves as a call to review the terminology that drives migraine coding.

Your patient wants records sent via unsecure email. Are you covered?

08/12/2024

by: Roy Edroso

Question: If a patient requests medical records via email and we currently do not use a secure email system, can we send it unencrypted if they agree to it?

HIPAA Q&A: Reproductive care, Change breach, informed consent

08/12/2024

by: Julia Huddleston

Part B News welcomes compliance expert Julia Huddleston, CIPP/US, CIPM, CCSFP, principal with Apgar & Associates, to answer a series of questions about HIPAA compliance areas, focusing on reproductive health care policies, data breaches and more.

Telehealth by mental health providers surged while other specialties slipped

08/12/2024

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Providers from three specialties broke the trend for Medicare Part B telehealth services, based on claims data submitted by the 10 specialties that reported the highest volume of telehealth services in place of face-to-face encounters in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Loper Bright ruling brings new challenges to health care rules: Experts

08/05/2024

by: Roy Edroso

A Supreme Court decision has major repercussions for federal regulations, including the final rules on which health care providers rely. Experts say that even bedrock Medicare payment and coverage rules may now be vulnerable to challenge, but other rules with more limited impact are likely to be attacked first.

CMS considers extra payment for some post-operative care work

08/05/2024

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Practitioners who provide post-operative care for patients without a formal transfer of care from the surgeon could receive a few extra dollars for their trouble if CMS finalizes a proposed add-on code (PBN 7/29/24). But CMS envisions a variety of limits for the new complexity of care code, including who can perform it, where it can be performed and a time limit for performing it.

Don’t let patient disputes escalate; plan to protect yourself

08/05/2024

by: Roy Edroso

Minor patient disputes that do not rise to the level of malpractice or negligence can still be troublesome for a practice, especially if poor handling lets them get out of hand. Have an action plan in place to address them when they arise to avoid seeming brusque, overpromising or encouraging a more negative reaction.

The next ICD-10-CM code set is expansion packed

08/05/2024

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Alert your team to new diagnosis codes that will require more detail at the documentation and coding level. The FY2025 ICD-10-CM code set deletes a variety of more general diagnosis codes and replaces them with dozens of specific codes.

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