Part B News | Part B News

4 steps to develop a contingency plan if vendors won’t be ready for ICD-10

05/13/2013

Practices need back-up plans if their vendors say they won’t be ready for ICD-10, give vague answers about their preparedness or don’t respond at all (PBN 5/13/13), advises Robert Tennant, senior policy advisor, Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), Washington, D.C.

“Hope for the best but assume the worst and prepare accordingly,” he adds.

10 questions to get your practice answers about your vendors’ ICD-10 readiness

05/13/2013

by: Karen Long

Asking your practice management software (PMS) vendor whether it is ready for ICD-10 is not enough to ensure you’ll avoid revenue disruptions when your practice switches to the new code set Oct. 1, 2014.

HHS aims to extend EHR subsidy protections in two proposed rules

05/13/2013

by: Marla Durben Hirsch and Lauren Williams

Practices that haven’t taken the leap into adopting an electronic health records (EHR) systems, or are looking to upgrade, may get even more incentive to do so thanks to two HHS proposed rules.

Voluntary self-disclosure protocol gets streamlined revamp from the OIG

05/13/2013

by: Marla Durben Hirsch

It’s now easier and faster to report and resolve potential fraud concerns related to federal health programs after HHS’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) updated its self-disclosure protocols (SDP) last month.

8 tips for accurate billing of new psychiatric, psychotherapy codes

05/13/2013

by: Karen Long

With the host of new psych codes introduced in 2013, you risk denials and payment delays if you don’t know how to bill the codes correctly. Follow this guidance provided by Betsy Nicoletti, consultant with Medical Practice Consulting, Springfield, Vt., to ensure timely payments.

OIG focuses on PODs; distributor docs should batten down hatches

05/13/2013

by: Roy Edroso

In you’re involved with a physician-owned distributorship (POD) or have been thinking about investing in one, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) just gave you a big heads-up in the form of a Special Fraud Report. And, our experts say, its significance may be greater than it looks.

Use denial rates from 2011’s psych codes to map 2013 billing

05/13/2013

by: Lauren C. Williams

The following graph illustrates the denial rates for 2011 psychotherapy codes. Even though those codes have been deleted, you can use the CMS claims data and Part B News’ analysis to get an idea of what to expect when using the new 2013 codes (see crosswalk, below and related story). For most services, denial rates were low — under 10% — but providers struggled most when billing interactive therapy (90810) and the initial psychiatric exam (90802). And while psychologists, clinical social workers and psychiatrists billed these codes the most, primary care providers, such as family practitioners, suffered overall denial rates above 30%.

Physician’s past with practice owing Medicare debt could stifle new enrollment

05/06/2013

by: Karen Long

Imagine that you’re about to hire a physician who left a practice because of another doctor’s pattern of overcharging and incorrectly coding procedures. Under a proposed rule published April 29, if the former colleague was caught and owed an outstanding Medicare debt, your new physician’s enrollment could be denied.

Missing ABNs mean missed payments; 6 tips for getting them done right

05/06/2013

by: Roy Edroso

If you’re losing payments on denials because you aren’t collecting Advance Beneficiary Notices of Non-Coverage (ABNs), put in a process that makes sure you get them when you need them.

RACs in 11 states start pre-payment review of therapy claims over $3,700

05/06/2013

by: Karen Long

Make sure your therapy claims can withstand recovery auditor (RAC) scrutiny now that those contractors will review your claims for patients who have exceeded the $3,700 therapy threshold.

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.