With finals weeks of 2018 upon us, 'tis the season to stretch our gaze ahead to the new year -- and the new, evolving, changing or otherwise revised Part B policies that are only days away from making a real impact on the bottom lines of medical practices around the country.
In the spirit of the season, CMS was kind enough to bundle a gift-wrapped distillation of policies that are on track to knock on our front doors in 2019 -- covering changes to frequently used E/M services, new codes allowing you to communicate with patients virtually and get paid for doing so, easing telehealth restrictions when treating opioid disorders and more.
MLN Matters 11063 gives you a concise look at the updates taking effect Jan. 1.
Of course, regular readers of Part B News will be up to date on the new items, such as the new policy allowing your mid-level providers to "re-record" core E/M documentation elements, your ability to capture revenue through remote patient evaluations and "store and forward" technology, and an opening up of remote-monitoring technology that lets you track patients offsite.
But keep an eye on other policies coming to bear in the upcoming months. For instance, you'll soon gain flexibility when using telehealth to treat patients with opioid-use disorders. Starting July 1, CMS will remove the "originating site geographic requirements and [add] the home of an individual as a permissible originating site for telehealth services furnished for purposes of treatment of a substance use disorder or a co-occurring mental health disorder," the guidance states.
Check out the full transmittal for additional information on off-campus payment rates, approved telehealth services, therapy payments and more: www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/MM11063.pdf.