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Prediction: The E/M documentation revisions will have little meaningful impact

01/07/2019

Part B News editors surveyed readers and interviewed experts to come up with nine predictions of what will affect physician practices in 2019. Below is a sneak peek of the predictions; full predictions will appear in the Jan. 7 issue of Part B News.

Prediction: The E/M documentation revisions will have little meaningful impact. Heading into 2019, medical practices will find a few tweaks to the sanctioned documentation process for office visits. For instance, a mid-level practitioner can record a patient’s history or chief complaint, and the physician or non-physician practitioner (NPP) won’t have to re-enter the information in the medical record

E/M doc changes, ‘remote’ consult services will grow slowly in 2019

01/07/2019

by: Richard Scott and Roy Edroso

Part B News editors surveyed readers and interviewed experts to come up with nine predictions of what will affect physician practices in 2019.

PBN’s 2018 predictions: Some came true, some did not, some a mixed bag

01/07/2019

by: Richard Scott and Roy Edroso

Part B News staff holds ourselves accountable for our predictions every year by sharing with our readers how we fared with last year’s predictions. Here are 2018’s results.

CCM use rises steeply, fueled by primary care adoption and value-based care

01/07/2019

by: Roy Edroso

Part B News predicts in our lead story that chronic care management (CCM) utilization will reach 5 million claims in 2019, and data from the first three years in which Medicare paid for the service (2015-2017) suggests we’re on track — and that primary care providers are driving the increase.

For QPP 2020, fairer MIPS cost scoring emerges amid array of smaller changes

01/01/2019

by: Roy Edroso

EHR upgrades are pain point for rev cycle execs, new survey shows

12/31/2018

by: Alexandra Wilson Pecci

The struggle to keep up with electronic health record (EHR) upgrades is an area of concern for revenue cycle professionals, finds a Navigant/Healthcare Financial Management Association analysis.

Watch for upcoming HHS agenda items that may mean changes for HIPAA

12/31/2018

by: Heidi Samuelson

HHS’ semiannual agenda, published in October, included a request for information (RFI) on provisions of HIPAA that may be stalling progress toward increasing coordinated care and case management among hospitals, physicians, payers and patients, and impeding the transformation to value-based payment systems.

Note from the instructor: How to perform a technical evaluation of denials

12/31/2018

by: Linda M. Huckin, RN BSN, ACM, CPC, CDEO, CIC

A denial represents the health care insurance company’s decision not to adjudicate the claim because of a conflict over service, payment or coverage. Starting from this perspective, the appeal strategy must begin with identifying the payer. Next, determine whether the health care insurance is classified and managed as a commercial or government payer and whether the provider’s organization is a contracted or non-contracted entity.

How to effectively document and bill chronic care management

12/31/2018

by: Nena Scott, MSEd, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CCDS

Within the past two years, Medicare began issuing a separate payment for chronic care management (CCM) services under CPT code 99490. In 2017, CMS issued new guidelines to provide greater specifications and updated details to improve CCM documentation and billing. This article provides guidance on correct coding, billing and documentation for chronic care conditions in health care as defined by CMS and effective in 2018.

Get definite about definitive drug tests to avoid the attention of auditors

12/31/2018

by: Julia Kyles, CPC

Practices that report definitive drug tests continue to struggle with high denial rates, the latest Medicare Part B billing data for the tests shows. Because CMS has worked to curb improper reporting of the services, continued high denials may trigger audits and other intrusive measures. If investigators get involved, they could use strong-arm methods to wring large settlements out of practices.

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