Modifier 50 Is the Backbone to Your Bilateral Spinal Surgery Reimbursement

Ask your carriers how they want these surgeries reported to avoid reduced reimbursement. Spine surgeons who perform bilateral surgeries such as lumbar laminotomies (63030) should append modifier 50 (Bilateral procedure)…

Comments Off on Modifier 50 Is the Backbone to Your Bilateral Spinal Surgery Reimbursement

The Opioid Payment Crisis

Addiction services may be a societal necessity – especially as the Central Massachusetts opioid crisis proves particularly fatal – but it is a business, and in this area of medicine,…

Comments Off on The Opioid Payment Crisis

How to Take Advantage of New Coding Opportunities in 2017

A new year means new codes and new revenue opportunities for medical practices—but also new challenges to ensure the codes are used correctly. Below is a brief summary of new…

Comments Off on How to Take Advantage of New Coding Opportunities in 2017

Reimbursement, Billing in Radiology: Updates and Issues

Radiology, as a business, has become increasingly complex as regulatory demands grow and revenues, both on the hospital and physician side decrease. Doing more with less has become a common…

Comments Off on Reimbursement, Billing in Radiology: Updates and Issues

The Evolution of the International Classification of Disease

The International Classification of Disease is perhaps one of the most important diagnostics documents in the medical world. It categorizes diseases and medical incidents that can be encountered, and the…

Comments Off on The Evolution of the International Classification of Disease

Coding for Clarity: Echocardiography Gains Two New CPT Add-On Codes

New technologies need new codes CPT codes describe medical, surgical and diagnostic services and procedures. These codes communicate uniform information about medical services and procedures to healthcare providers, payers, administrators…

Comments Off on Coding for Clarity: Echocardiography Gains Two New CPT Add-On Codes

Healthcare Reform Can Create Confusion Over Compliance for Providers

In 2016, the federal government recovered more than $3.3 billion in healthcare fraud judgments and settlements. On Monday, TeamHealth agreed to pay $60 million to settle allegations that a company…

Comments Off on Healthcare Reform Can Create Confusion Over Compliance for Providers

You Had Better Be Savvy With Your Coding

With the change in payment focusing on quality medicine instead of the old-fashioned fee for service, providers better be savvy with their coding or they will lose out on the…

Comments Off on You Had Better Be Savvy With Your Coding

Everything Doctors Should Know About ICD-10 Glitch

CMS has announced a glitch in the quality reporting measures brought upon by the changes in the ICD-CM (Clinical Modification) and ICD-PCS (Procedural Coding System) updates that went into affect…

Comments Off on Everything Doctors Should Know About ICD-10 Glitch

How to Successfully Communicate Your Clinical Validation Concerns

Five tactics to educate physicians and improve documentation. Q: Our coders and coding auditors often see patterns of incorrect physician documentation. Sometimes the error impacts the MS-DRG, but many times…

Comments Off on How to Successfully Communicate Your Clinical Validation Concerns

ICD-10 Glitch Causes CMS To Relax Payment Penalties

Massive ICD-10 code update is responsible for clogging system and leading to reporting problems. ICD-10 has hit yet another snag after massive code updates resulted in a clogged system and…

Comments Off on ICD-10 Glitch Causes CMS To Relax Payment Penalties

Top 5 Tips for Combating 2017 Coding Concerns

The calendar may say the ICD-10 transition is long gone, but practices still will likely feel its repercussions in 2017 in terms of payer requests, denials and the new code…

Comments Off on Top 5 Tips for Combating 2017 Coding Concerns

Surprise Medical Bills: Why They Occur And What To Do

Imagine going on Amazon, buying an Electronic Spin the Bottle Game for its listed price of $32.92, receiving the product (sparing the arduous effort required to spin the bottle) and…

Comments Off on Surprise Medical Bills: Why They Occur And What To Do

11 Ways To Save Money on Medical Expenses

My health insurance plan jumped 24 percent this fall and dropped in quality of coverage. I’m not alone. Rising health insurance costs across the nation have many people worried. A…

Comments Off on 11 Ways To Save Money on Medical Expenses

ICD and DSM Coding Compliance Will Be Important In 2020 and Beyond

On October 1, the grace period for allowing providers to submit “less-than specific” codes ran out. If you recall, when ICD-10-CM went live in 2015, the federal government gave providers…

Comments Off on ICD and DSM Coding Compliance Will Be Important In 2020 and Beyond