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How to find a HIPAA-compliant disposal vendor

03/05/2018

While there are many third parties that can dispose of a practice’s equipment and other materials that hold protected health information (PHI), that doesn’t mean that they’re doing so properly. Here are five questions you should ask a prospective vendor before you hand over your equipment:

Knee X-ray codes go down easy — except for some modifier combos

03/05/2018

by: Roy Edroso

The five CPT knee X-ray codes have relatively low denial rates — except for a bit of mayhem with the two least-used codes.

Is it finally time for telemedicine? Experts say there are opportunities, but no rush

02/26/2018

by: Roy Edroso

You may have good reasons to wait on adopting telehealth, experts say, but if you’re prepared to take advantage of specific opportunities that can make telehealth cost-effective and even profitable, you should explore them now.

Medicare opens up therapy program for heart patients; report up to 36 sessions

02/26/2018

by: Richard Scott

Establish a program to provide exercise therapy to patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and pay attention to billing specifics, such as supervision requirements and diagnosis codes, to take advantage of a new revenue opportunity that your Medicare administrative contractor (MAC) will soon be offering.

Watch for key regs on information blocking – and signs you may be doing it

02/26/2018

by: Roy Edroso

The information-blocking attestation required by the merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS) may seem like a gimme, but keep your eyes open — regulation changes and innocent adjustments made by you or your IT people may cause you trouble.

How to handle immigration enforcement changes that may affect your staff

02/26/2018

by: Roy Edroso

Question: I heard about a doctor who was in the U.S. on a green card and was detained by immigration authorities. Do I have to worry about my staff who are here on green cards or work visas getting taken away? Can I just decline to hire such people to avoid the problem?

Telehealth codes little used, but signs point to changes

02/26/2018

by: Roy Edroso

The difficulties attached to getting Medicare to pay for telehealth services — the originating-site and sometimes geographical restrictions — are evident in the low utilization for the codes specifically dedicated to telehealth. But some of the denial rates are low and, if hints from CMS mean what they seem, the codes may see more use in years to come.

Avoid reporting cast-removal code when same provider does the work

02/19/2018

by: Richard Scott

Question: My doctor wants to bill 29125 (Application of short arm splint [forearm to hand]; static) with 29700 (Removal or bivalving; gauntlet, boot or body cast), and from what I understand these codes should not be paired together when the original cast was put on by the same physician. Is that correct policy? If they are not to be billed together, is there anything in writing I can show my providers?

Budget bill ends GPCI, therapy cap issues, will extend MIPS ‘transition’

02/19/2018

by: Roy Edroso

Buried in the 250 pages of the budget bill that President Donald Trump signed into law Feb. 9 was a flotilla of changes to health care law, including a few major changes to the merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS).

Lost a provider’s prescription pad? Respond by the book and prove it

02/19/2018

by: Roy Edroso

If you suspect theft of a prescription pad at your office, report it quickly and thoroughly to minimize harm and protect yourself.

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