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Have patients write down questions, concerns for more constructive encounters

08/13/2018

A new study suggests that the time crunch in patient encounters is keeping patients from getting their concerns addressed — but you can get around that by adding a process to put some of the responsibility on the patient.

Foreign body codes usually get over, but watch for problems – and play the odds on 65210

08/13/2018

by: Roy Edroso

There are 115 CPT codes accepted by Medicare that relate to the removal of a foreign body, and in 2016, the most recent year for which we have Medicare data, they were used only 491,376 times, with 18 codes being used fewer than 100 times, and 62163 (Neuroendoscopy, intracranial; with retrieval of foreign body) used zero times.

Add-on E/M codes produce payment gains under CMS proposals

08/13/2018

by: Richard Scott

As CMS considers significant E/M pay revisions, your reimbursement may vary based on the exact proposals the agency winds up adopting. The chart below compares the pay-rate differences between the current E/M rates and the single-stream rates for codes 99212-99215. The chart also details the positive impact of the proposed add-on codes that would apply to a dozen specialists.

Have patients write down questions, concerns for more constructive encounters

08/06/2018

by: Roy Edroso

A new study suggests that the time crunch in patient encounters is keeping patients from getting their concerns addressed – but you can get around that by adding a process to put some of the responsibility on the patient.

Trump does Obamacare a favor – but experts think he’s unlikely to repeat it

08/06/2018

by: Roy Edroso

The Trump administration’s reinstatement of risk-adjustment payments is a genuine benefit for the insurance exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare, whether that was the president’s primary motivation or not. But there are still big challenges waiting in the wings for the exchanges, which currently cover 11.8 million Americans.

2019 OPPS proposed rule: CMS pushes for site-neutral reimbursement, lower drug payments

08/06/2018

by: Steven Andrews

CMS’ 2019 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) proposed rule introduces policies to reduce reimbursement for hospital outpatient clinic visits at off-campus, provider-based departments (PBD) and expand last year’s payment reductions for drugs purchased under the 340B discount pricing program by nonexcepted PBDs.

Don’t be too trusting – watch staff, finances to beat embezzlement

08/06/2018

by: Roy Edroso

A huge embezzlement case in New York's Nassau County is a stark reminder that physician practices are likely targets for embezzlers, and many managers don’t make the simple adjustments that can prevent it from happening to them.

Limit blood-draw reporting to one service even when performing multiple tests

08/06/2018

by: Richard Scott

Sharpen your venipuncture coding to ensure you’re not losing out on easy money in the bank for one of the most common services that practices perform.

Oft-reported venipuncture code shows scant denial rates among most specialists

08/06/2018

by: Richard Scott

Many specialists who often report blood-draw code 36415 (Collection of venous blood by venipuncture) outperform their peers in a comparison of national denial rates, according to Medicare claims data from 2016, the latest year available.

Mandate follow-up, have an assistant track results to keep patient tests under control

07/30/2018

by: Roy Edroso

No one plans to make a mistake with patient diagnostic tests, but you can plan to avoid it by setting up a process for result review that removes room for error.

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