Implement a compliance process in your practice for querying providers for outpatient services. Querying providers about their documentation may seem inappropriate, but it is an important part of the medical coding process. A physician query allows a medical coder to formally ask a healthcare provider a question about something they wrote (or didn’t write) in […]
How to avoid medical necessity denials and ensure timely payment. Sick visit on the same day as an annual wellness visit (AWV) Reason for denial: Lack of clear clinical documentation regarding why the physician had to go above and beyond what is normally addressed during an AWV. How to avoid it:“I often tell doctors to […]
Opponents of the loosened interstate telehealth restrictions that were instituted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic argued that it would result in out-of-state doctors luring patients away from their current physicians. But a new study finds that most out-of-state telehealth is used for continuity of care, not acquiring new patients. The study compares interstate […]
Exactly 1,468 new diagnosis codes will be added to the ICD-10-CM code set for fiscal year (FY) 2023. Moreover, 251 codes will be deleted, 35 code descriptors will be revised, and 36 codes will be converted to parent codes. The changes go into effect Oct. 1. Review the Latest Files The diagnosis code files and […]
CMS Releases FAQ for No Surprises Act Implementation, Requirements The No Surprises Act FAQ states that balance billing protections do not apply to individuals with public healthcare coverage and notice and consent forms must be provided and received in written format. June 28, 2022 – CMS has released Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the No […]
CMS issued a proposed rule to update payment rates and policies under the End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System for renal dialysis services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries on or after Jan. 1, 2023. Here are four takeaways from the proposed rule: Under the proposed rule, Medicare expects to pay $8.2 billion to approximately 7,800 facilities […]
The CY23 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule would increase Medicare reimbursement rates, among other policy changes. CMS recently proposed the Calendar Year 2023 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) Proposed Rule, which would boost Medicare reimbursement for ESRD facilities and refine a new mandatory value-based purchasing program. The proposed […]
The federal agency released the Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update proposed rule for CY23, which aims to permanently adjust Medicare payment based on PDGM. CMS proposes updated Medicare payment for home health agencies CMS is looking to apply a permanent prospective payment adjustment to the home health 30-day period payment rate to account […]
As Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to evaluate the inclusion of telehealth services that were temporarily added to the Medicare telehealth services list during the COVID-19 public health emergency, they have finalized that certain services added to the Medicare telehealth services list will remain on the list through December 31, 2023. This […]
Question: Can you please tell us what the new codes are for principal care management and chronic care management? Answer: There are three new codes in the care management section of the CPT codebook. Care Management Services Principal Care Management Services New CPT codes have been added in 2022 to describe “Principal Care Management Services.” […]