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Ransomware on the rise: Protect your WFH, telehealth gaps and update your IT plan

11/23/2020

Ransomware, a bane of health care providers for years, has gotten even worse, leading to steeper consequences for providers who have been hit by it. Adding to the challenges, the pandemic-induced wave of work-from-home (WFH) orders has made attacks easier for crooks. It’s time to double down on your defenses.

Coalition of physician groups urges Congress to waive budget neutrality

11/23/2020

by: Richard Scott

As medical practices await the release of the final 2021 Medicare physician fee schedule, a number of provider association are calling on lawmakers to stave off a steep cut to the conversion factor, which determines service fees, that’s set to kick in Jan. 1.

The 3 elements of MDM: Document tests, outside input for MDM data review and analysis

11/23/2020

by: Laura Evans, CPC

To help subscribers prepare for the 2021 E/M office visit guidelines, Part B News will examine each of the three elements of medical decision-making (MDM) and how they will change starting Jan. 1. In this issue, you’ll learn about the amount and complexity of data to be reviewed and analyzed.

Following OIG’s lead, CBR scrutinizes critical care code usage; adhere to rules

11/23/2020

by: Roy Edroso

Auditors may be looking at your providers’ critical care codes, so make sure you have the basics right.

Providers again clear $1B in revenue for critical care services

11/23/2020

by: Richard Scott

The critical care code set may be small in size, consisting of two CPT codes (99291, 99292), but it packs a wallop when it comes to provider revenue. In 2019, practices surpassed the $1 billion mark in payments tied to the two codes.

Even with COVID, practice M&A market better than expected; watch terms

11/16/2020

by: Roy Edroso

You might think the mergers and acquisition (M&A) market for physician practices would be weak, thanks to COVID-19. But experts say there’s money out there — and some properties may be almost as hot as they were before March.

The three elements of MDM: Examine the levels of ‘problems addressed’

11/16/2020

by: Laura Evans CPC

Now that documentation of history and exam will no longer be required to assign the appropriate office visit code, some coders may be looking forward to coding E/M encounters (99202-99215) based only on time.

In latest interim final rule, CMS prepares for initial vaccine coverage and payment

11/16/2020

by: Alicia Kutzer

On Oct. 28, CMS published a draft copy of an Interim Final Rule with Request for Comments (IFC) concerning coverage, billing and payment for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.

OCR: Don’t honor patient requests that could violate Title VI

11/16/2020

by: Marla Durben Hirsch

Your patients may request treatment by a physician or other clinician at your practice. But if they request —or demand — a clinician based on the employee’s race, color or national origin, that’s not a request you can acquiesce to, because that would constitute discrimination.

5 ways to respond when a patient request is motivated by bias

11/16/2020

by: Marla Durben Hirsch

5 ways to respond when a patient request is motivated by bias Honoring a patient’s request or demand for a clinician based on race, color or national origin is not legal, as the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has pointed out in a recent bulletin about the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are five steps to prepare for and deal with such a situation.

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