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09/30/2024
Question: Have you ever encountered a practice wanting to bill T1016 (Case management, each 15 minutes) for a workers’ compensation visit where the case manager is present and the provider discussed the case with them? The practice wants to report T1016 in addition to the office visit E/M code. When I researched this code it appears to be for behavioral/mental health and not the work comp case manager situation. Do you have any insight on this?
09/09/2024
Question: Recently one of our providers was in the news and reporters called our office. We all refused to comment when contacted. That seemed the safest course, but now we’re wondering if we should have done something else.
08/19/2024
Question: CMS’ prolonged service code G2212 was originally based on the maximum times in the descriptors for codes 99205 and 99215. But the 2024 CPT manual replaced the minimum and maximum time ranges for the office/other outpatient codes with minimum times that the provider must meet or exceed.
 
Should our practitioners continue to use Medicare’s prolonged service times for office/other outpatient E/M visits, or should they switch to the shorter times for prolonged service code 99417 in the 2024 CPT manual?
08/19/2024
Question: We are hiring a chief information security officer (CISO). What are the top traits and skills they should have?
08/12/2024
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?
07/15/2024
Question: Does Medicare allow CPT code 22630 (Arthrodesis, posterior interbody technique, including laminectomy and/or discectomy to prepare interspace [other than for decompression], single interspace, lumbar) and add-on code 63052 (Laminectomy, facetectomy, or foraminotomy, during posterior interbody arthrodesis, lumbar; single vertebral segment) to be reported at the same level?
07/08/2024
Question: We have some patients asking questions about Wegovy (semaglutide) coverage. In some instances they apparently want it for weight loss, but suggest they might be suffering from heart trouble in ways that lead us to believe they’re just looking to get it covered by Medicare Part D, which will not pay for it otherwise. Do we need to have a policy for this?
07/08/2024
Question: How can health care entities ensure their business associate agreements (BAA) fully address the cybersecurity risks and responsibilities related to PHI protection?
06/24/2024
Question: Can we bill 99211 for an anticoagulation monitoring check when the patient does not see the provider during the visit?
06/17/2024
Question: We charge patients $50 if they miss an appointment. I think it’s helped reduce no-shows. But we had one patient who missed an appointment and has refused to pay the fee. My boss wants to send it to collections, but I want to make sure first: Are we actually allowed to do that? (The patient is on Medicare.)

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