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MACs demand repayment on ‘incarcerated’ patients but offer little help to track them

07/29/2013

A number of providers have been hit with demand letters and takebacks — one for more than $100,000 — from Medicare contractors for claims of patients who were allegedly “incarcerated” at the time of their treatment. Some of those patients may not have been incarcerated — but it’s up to providers to find the evidence of that and use it to appeal to the contractors.

Check whether administrative claims measures apply before signing up

07/29/2013

by: Laura Evans

If you are planning to register to have CMS report your Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) measures for you under the administrative claims-based option this year, look at the list of measures first, billing experts recommend.

Withstand auditor scrutiny with 7 ways to bolster your E/M documentation

07/29/2013

by: Roy Edroso

Check common problems and use physician education to keep your high-level E/M coding from getting out of hand and attracting the attention of Medicare administrative contractors (MACs).

5 tips for getting vendors’ ICD-10 timelines for software changes

07/29/2013

by: Jennifer Clampet

Medical practices and their vendor partners aren’t talking about ICD-10 — and that could be slowing down your preparations for the Oct. 1, 2014, coding changeover, say experts.

Benchmark of the Week: About 60% of practices well-informed but concerned about vendors’ ICD-10 plans

07/29/2013

Most practices feel at least somewhat well-informed about their vendors’ plans for ICD-10 software implementation, according to a recent Part B News survey of 133 readers.

Part B News briefs

07/29/2013

On SGR in the House and DME at CMS.

Correction

07/29/2013

Re: "Keep track of your claims during MAC transitions to ensure payment," July 1.

Advance preview -- 5 tips for getting vendors’ ICD-10 timelines for software changes

07/23/2013

by: Jennifer Clampet

Medical practices and their vendor partners aren’t talking about ICD-10 – and that could be slowing down your preparations for the Oct. 1, 2014, coding changeover, say experts.

Advance preview -- Withstand auditor scrutiny with 7 ways to bolster your E/M documentation

07/22/2013

by: Roy Edroso

Check common problems and use physician education to keep your high-level E/M coding from getting out of hand and attracting the attention of Medicare administrative contractors (MACs).

Fall of DOMA gives more same-sex spouses health benefits — but not right away

07/22/2013

by: Roy Edroso

The end of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) will increase the number of patients who will be able to obtain health coverage and seek treatment at practices, experts say. But for now, at least, those changes appear to be confined to states where same-sex marriage is already recognized.

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