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Advance preview -- 3 tips to prepare to become an ACO plus 5 steps to complete CMS’ application

04/22/2013

Practices can start the process May 1 to become accountable care organizations (ACOs) in 2014, but even before that, your practice should take three steps to ensure the ACO’s success.

New EFT form, prospect of fines for out-of-date enrollment information loom

04/18/2013

by: Scott Kraft

You’ll soon have to use a new CMS form to enroll your practice to receive payments via electronic funds transfer (EFT), a payment type set to become mandatory in 2014 under implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

In-office ancillary service changes could affect patients, practice finances

04/18/2013

by: Karen Long

Physician practices that offer therapy services, radiation therapy and advanced imaging could lose revenue and have to make operational changes if Congress votes to adopt a budget proposal to sharply limit physicians’ ability to bill those services in their offices.

Sequester’s reimbursement hit hurts more with low-margin drugs, services

04/18/2013

by: Roy Edroso

For some specialties, the across-the-board, 2% sequester cut to Medicare that became effective April 1 will be especially painful; experts advise you to prepare for the fallout.

Program integrity targets in HHS budget include enrollment, exclusions, PMDs

04/18/2013

by: Roy Edroso

While the HHS section of President Barack Obama’s budget proposed this month will probably undergo many changes over the coming months, experts tell us the program integrity section — dedicated to combating waste and fraud — gives clues that the department remains serious about squeezing money out of certain physician practice activities.

Save original meaningful use data — even if you switch EHRs — to prepare for audits

04/18/2013

by: Roy Edroso

Secure your $18,000 meaningful use bonus by keeping track of the electronic health records (EHR) documentation that you used when you attested. CMS auditors want to see it — and they prefer the originals.

Watch out for meaningful use pre-payment audits

04/18/2013

by: Roy Edroso

Simple checks, including making sure your enrollment is accurate in the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS), could help you past new CMS meaningful use edits. CMS added pre-payment edits for meaningful use attestation in January.

Indicator, descriptor changes highlight first-quarter fee schedule update

04/18/2013

by: Scott Kraft

Catheter placement codes 36222-36228 will see their bilateral indicators changed from 0 (bilateral indicator does not apply) to 1 (150% payment adjustment when billed with modifier 50), a change retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013, CMS announced in transmittal 2677 to the Medicare Claims Processing Manual.

PBN Salary Survey: Compliance officers saw near-guaranteed raises in 2012

04/18/2013

by: Lauren C. Williams

Part B News concludes its salary survey analysis with a look at compliance officers. The following analysis and graphs address pay trends for compliance or audit specialists and compliance managers.

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