Year: 2021

Biden Administration Shares Latest Round of HHS Staff Appointments

Biden Administration Shares Latest Round of HHS Staff Appointments

Today the Biden Administration announced its latest group of appointments to the Department of Health and Human Services. The new appointees join tens of thousands of career officials throughout the agency at a time when expertise is critical to tackling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. WHAT’S THE IMPACT? Kristina Schake will serve as HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra’s […]
E_M Coding and Billing for Interventional Radiology

E/M Coding and Billing for Interventional Radiology

Radiology practices that perform interventional procedures have to be up to date on the use of documentation and coding techniques for evaluation and management (E/M) services. Since these current procedural terminology (CPT) codes in the 99xxx range are less commonly utilized in many radiology practices, identifying circumstances where E/M services are billable and then properly […]
2021 E_M Guidelines Based on Time

2021 E/M Guidelines Based on Time

Below is a listing of questions and answers regarding some of the nuances of billing Evaluation and Management office visits based on time. The new 2021 E/M coding guidelines for office visits (99202-99205, 99212-99215) allow physicians and qualified health professionals (QHP) to choose whether their documentation and code-selection level for E/M services provided is based […]
Get a Peek at Future ICD-10 Codes

Get a Peek at Future ICD-10 Codes

  An ICD-10 Coordination and Maintenance Committee virtual meeting is scheduled for March 9–10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics (CDC NCHS) have posted tentative agendas on their websites. Stakeholders will present on a […]
Denials Management Versus Denials Avoidance_ CDI Can Capitalize

Denials Management Versus Denials Avoidance: CDI Can Capitalize

  Typical CDI programs are intended to drive reimbursement through diagnosis securement, contributing to improved case mix index. The COVID-19 pandemic is placing monumental financial stressors upon hospitals, with added costs to treat patients with high acuity and long length of stays, coupled with significant revenue loss associated with postponement of more profitable elective surgeries, […]
CMS Clarifies Coding and Billing for NCTAP

CMS Clarifies Coding and Billing for NCTAP

The NCTAP was finalized as part of CMS’ fourth COVID-19 interim final rule. CMS on January 27 updated coding and billing instructions to hospitals for new COVID-19 treatments add-on payment (NCTAP). The NCTAP was finalized as part of CMS’ fourth COVID-19 interim final rule with comment period (IFC-4) and is effective November 2, 2020 through the end of the public health […]