Part B News | Part B News

01/17/2014

Need expert answers to your most pressing physician practice questions? Part B News will find them for you. Email your questions to askpbn@decisionhealth.com.

Benchmark of the week: Primary care, NPPs dominate billing for impacted cerumen removal

01/17/2014

by: Scott Kraft

Otolaryngologists bill by far the most claims for impacted cerumen removal using code 69210, according to a Part B News analysis of Medicare billing data from 2012, the most recent year available.

Drive patient behavior to meet meaningful use portal, messaging measures

01/13/2014

by: Roy Edroso

Use customer service innovations such as scheduling and payment features to get patients to cooperate with the “patient-portal” measure of stage 2 meaningful use.

Experts: Private practice purchase market stays go-go through 2014 at least

01/13/2014

by: Roy Edroso

If you or your boss is thinking of selling the practice, opportunities will persist a while longer, experts tell Part B News. But remember: You’re not the only one looking to sell.

Sign of crackdown on incident-to services amended in fee schedule

01/13/2014

by: Scott Kraft

New language about incident-to services from the final 2014 Medicare physician fee schedule could be a sign that contractors will focus their audits on those services.

MACs question modifier 59 use; consider more appropriate modifiers

01/13/2014

by: Roy Edroso

Be careful with modifier 59 (Distinct procedural service) now that several Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) are tightening up on its use, and consider using alternative codes when billing distinct but similar procedures to avoid denials.

Revised CMS-1500 form expands diagnosis code section

01/13/2014

by: Scott Kraft

Your practice will have room to include more diagnosis codes — quite a few more — on CMS’ recently revised CMS-1500 form, set to be the only one accepted by CMS after April 1. You also will no longer need to include certain demographic information that most payers likely already have readily accessible, experts tell Part B News.

Benchmark: Most-often denied codes with modifiers 59, 76 in 2012

01/13/2014

by: Roy Edroso

Many of the most-often denied codes billed with modifiers 59 or 76 in 2012 could have been salvaged if coders were checking their CPT manuals.

2014 presents challenges with ICD-10, PQRS and more for physician practices

01/06/2014

by: Karen Long

A long-awaited switch to the ICD-10 code set, increased requirements to avoid Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) penalties and implementation of Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions will tax practice resources in 2014.

President signs doc fix law; your CF is $35.8228 through March 31

01/06/2014

by: Part B News staff

For the first three months of 2014, your Medicare physician conversion factor will increase 5.3%, CMS announced in an email Dec. 27. The conversion factor is $35.8228 starting Jan. 1, compared with $34.0230 in 2013. However, previously announced changes to relative value units (RVUs) will keep most of your fees flat, DecisionHealth analysis shows.

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