Develop a standard policy for drug sample distribution with a consistent set of guidelines for when you would deviate from that. Otherwise, you might wind up running out of samples or allowing patients to abuse your generosity. Due to a slumping economy and high unemployment rates, there’s likely an increase in certain parts of the country of patients asking physicians for more samples, experts say.

You and your peers lost over $93 million in 2010 on wound care code denials with an overall denial rate of 13%, according to the latest CMS claims data available. Since these denials are largely due to lack of documentation, it’s vital your providers correctly document wound care services and follow CPT policy changes in order to avoid even deeper revenue losses, experts say.

Example 1: A mechanic was admitted to hospital with burns on both arms and hands, after his gasoline-saturated clothing was ignited from a spark.

Hospital-practice relationships are very complex and come in many different forms. Use this chart featuring six business arrangements and policy explanations to help your practice decipher whether it will be subject to CMS' three-day payment window (see related story).

This chart presents the total annual professional charges per practice, broken down by a diverse array of specialties. The charges exclude technical component and amounts collected from work by non-physician practitioners or NPPs.

Our obstetrics/gynecology practice sees Medicare patients for their pap smears and breast exam. How do we bill these services and explain to our patients what our doctors recommend and what Medicare covers?

You’re not alone if you’ve been getting paid late or not at all by Medicare this year, Part B News has learned. Despite the fact CMS’ 10-day claims hold has long passed, there are still several reasons, including lost provider enrollment forms, why your claims are not getting paid. Some providers haven’t gotten paid since November 2011 as a result of such issues. 

The stress of first quarter collections does not have to fall entirely on your shoulders. Contract with a third party credit card processing company that will set up financially strapped patients on a payment plan, and increase your cashflow. Bonus: This automatic outsourced system will save you and your patients time.

Thanks to Congress’ rushed effort to shield providers from the scheduled 27.4% rate cut, you will see several changes affecting billing and payments in an emergency update to the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.The update alters relative value units (RVUs) for some codes, which guarantees them through Feb. 29, the last effective day of the fee fix. 

More evidence that careless electronic health records (EHR) implementation could lead to denials: A recent Trailblazer Health Enterprises probe review revealed a 40% error rate for new patient Evaluation and Management (E/M) visit documentation, a trend the Dallas-based carrier’s medical director attributes in large part to faulty EHR systems.