The confusion over what code to use when hospital-employed physicians perform virtual visits with patients has reared its head again in the latest FAQ from Medicare (released on July 28).…
Rightfully so, the coronavirus pandemic has shone the spotlight on front-line medical professionals who continue to risk their lives treating patients. In the background and often working from home, though,…
Not even six months ago, telemedicine served as a supplement to a hospital’s digital strategy. It was more of a novel offering, considered a nice-to-have or an add-on — not…
There’s nothing more frustrating than rendering a service and not being paid. Nuanced coding rules are difficult to understand, and physicians aren’t taught this information in medical school. Still, health…
Medicare outpatient payments are slated to increase by 2.6 percent next year, a $7.5 billion boost compared to 2020, according the proposed 2021 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) rule. Released…
Many of us have been immersed in COVID-19 and telehealth billing, coding, and the varying rules among payors of late, all the while the clock has remained ticking on the…
Minorities have been found to be disproportionately affected by adverse outcomes. Federal officials say their first monthly statistical update illustrating the impact of the COVID-19 virus on the Medicare population…
The terms closed and open are major players for traumatic fracture diagnosis coding. Brush up on some basics with this focus on ICD-10-CM coding for rib fracture initial encounters. First,…
Due to the consistent changes in the federal rules & regulations and payer’s policies, the physician billing services are getting complicated on a daily basis. The cacophony of codes can…
As employers grapple with how to screen employees for the coronavirus upon returning to the workplace, several federal agencies have issued new testing rules and guidance. In June, there were…
Telehealth reimbursement rates is one area CMS is assessing in order to make Medicare telehealth expansions permanent after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the agency’s administrator. In a recent Health…
We are learning more every day about the sequela conditions that might arise as a result of COVID-19. The early studies have found decreased lung function that might not be…
On July 20, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report that found that hospitals are overbilling or upcoding hospitals to the tune of $1 billion. OIG reviewed 200…
Hospitals are urged to devote the resources to ensure that medical necessity is met, and the proper status is ordered. The attention given to total joint replacement has been a…
Claims denials can be frustrating for a physician practice to deal with, but leaving them unattended leaves a significant amount of revenue uncollected, says Andria Jacobs, RN, CPHQ, chief operating…
When a physician’s telehealth visit with a Medicare patient on FaceTime cut out after five minutes, they shifted to an audio-only visit, with the physician and patient speaking on the…