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Time is on your side when documentation doesn’t support MDM

04/11/2022

Question: Under the new E/M office visit guidelines, is there a way to code an office visit when the note doesn’t contain enough information for medical decision-making (MDM)? We regularly see charts that say things like “nosebleed” or “reviewed labs.” Asking providers to update their notes doesn’t work.

Stick to Medicare’s guidelines if you revise the ABN

04/11/2022

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Question: Our practice is looking for ways to reduce the number of documents we use. Are we allowed to create our own version of Medicare’s advance beneficiary notice of non-coverage (ABN) that is based on a financial waiver used by some of our private payers?

Shared Savings reverses slide, gaining members – and patients

04/11/2022

by: DecisionHealth Staff

More groups opted into the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in 2022 than they did the previous year, ending a one-year slide that had softened enrollment rates in the national value-based model.

Telehealth was critical during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

04/11/2022

by: DecisionHealth Staff

On March 17, the OIG published a data brief regarding the use of telehealth during the first year of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). The OIG found that 43% of Medicare beneficiaries, or more than 28 million people, used telehealth during the first year of the pandemic, and it was most commonly used for office visits.

Listen and empathize: Tips to support patients grappling with ‘long COVID’

04/04/2022

by: Roy Edroso

The phenomenon known as “long COVID,” which is well observed but not well defined, can create havoc in patients’ lives and leave providers perplexed. As federal agencies slowly develop a response, you may want to consider care alternatives, including post-COVID clinics developed by medical centers throughout the country, to help provide relief.

Don’t sign up for trouble; secure your providers’ electronic signatures

04/04/2022

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Electronic signatures are a convenience, but they also can be a compliance risk. Stick to guidance from Medicare administrative contractors (MAC) and HIPAA and implement seven steps to safeguard your practice and providers.

Evaluate documentation and ICD-10-CM coding for anxiety disorders

04/04/2022

by: Shelley C. Safian, PhD, RHIA, CCS-P, COC, CIC

After two years of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of patients are experiencing overwhelming feelings of fear and anxiety, and it cuts across age groups, from children and teens to adults. Get a handle on ICD-10-CM coding for common types of anxiety disorders and psychotherapy treatments used to manage them.

Eye 2022 CPT code changes for extracapsular cataract removals

04/04/2022

by: Sarah Gould

Question: How do CPT codes 66989 and 66991 differ from now-deleted Category III codes 0191T and 0376T?

In first, lawmakers extend telehealth waiver beyond COVID emergency

04/04/2022

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Practices and patients that have benefited from Medicare’s telehealth flexibilities no longer have to worry about a hard stop to the popular waivers on the day the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ends.

Audio-only clearance didn’t boost behavioral health codes

04/04/2022

by: Roy Edroso

Behavioral health codes cleared for phone use in 2020 did not gain much in utilization compared to previous years, but providers were largely successful when reporting them.

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