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The trickle of new Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) targets continues, with Region D's HealthDataInsights (HDI) pumping out a single new issue yesterday.

The new issue primarily affects DME providers, particularly orthopedic practices. It concerns bundled knee orthotic codes.

The Hill, a Washington-based political reporting outfit, reports House Democrats are talking about re-branding the public option in the current health care reform debate as an extension or expansion of Medicare. Creating a Medicare Part E, a Medicare for everyone, is an idea you may have heard before.  

Reimbursements under this new public option would be tied to Medicare rates plus a 5% increase, The Hill notes.

I've been told S. 1776, the Medicare Physician Fairness Act of 2009,  just doesn't have the votes in the Senate to pass, right now. Washington-based The Hill also reports the bill has stalled.

CMS recently released the following payment allowances for flu shots:

CPT Code  

Allowance

90655 (flu vaccine, no preserv, 6-35m)

$15.447

90656 (flu vaccine, no preserv 3 & older)

$12.541

90657 (flu vaccine, 6-35m)

$5.684

90658 (flu vaccine, 3 & older)

$11.368

Close your eyes and imagine a world without a sustainable growth rate (SGR) mechanism that promises to slash your Medicare payments. There'd be no more worries of a 21.5% Medicare payment cut in 2010; no fears of a doomsday 25% cut in 2011.

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