Category: Blog

How To Code EM Levels with Confidence

How To Code E/M Levels with Confidence

How many times has a provider asked you, “What do I need to document to get a 99215?” All too often, medical coders feel they should help their providers understand what elements of documentation are needed to warrant the higher level evaluation and management (E/M) service. Do not do it! If It Isn’t Documented, It […]
Prevent Billing Errors to Reduce Hospice Claim Denials

Prevent Billing Errors to Reduce Hospice Claim Denials

Effective revenue cycle management can reduce hospice claim denials, particularly those associated with billing or documentation errors. In addition to slowing down payments or losing revenue, submitting inadequate or incomplete required written documentation is a sure-fire way to bring surveyors or auditors to a hospice’s doorstep. As regulators increasingly fix their eyes on the hospice space, providers […]
Optimizing Revenue Cycle Management

Optimizing Revenue Cycle Management For 2020

With patients seeing higher medical bills than ever and healthcare costs continuing to rise, healthcare organizations need to stay on top of the revenue cycle to ensure they can capture payments and be prepared for changes in 2020. Speaking at the annual meeting of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) in Chicago, Cassi Birnbaum, […]
CMS Finalizes How It Will Cut Medicaid DSH Payments

CMS Finalizes How It Will Cut Medicaid DSH Payments

The Senate passed a continuing resolution that would temporarily stop the implementation of Medicaid DSH payment cuts until Nov. 22, 2019. CMS on Monday finalized a rule that will reduce Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments by $4 billion next year and $8 billion a year until fiscal year 2025. The new final rule will implement Medicaid DSH payment […]
Root Causes Linked to Claim Denials

Root Causes Linked to Claim Denials

Three revenue cycle tips are provided to reduce denied claims. Claim denials represent millions of dollars in lost and delayed net reimbursement annually. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), cost estimates of inefficient healthcare claims processing, payment, and reconciliation top out at $210 billion per year. Claim denials are so common, they’ve become a fixture […]
How Hospitals, Health Systems Should Approach Blockchain

How Hospitals, Health Systems Should Approach Blockchain

Pradeep Goel is the CEO of Solve. Care, a healthcare platform aimed at redefining care coordination. Recently, Solve.Care has made partnerships with healthcare organizations to implement it’s healthcare technology in the market. With more than 25 years of healthcare experience, Mr. Goel understands the demands of patients and providers. Below, Mr. Goel discusses how blockchain […]
The Coding Conundrum Vaping-Related Lung Injury

The Coding Conundrum: Vaping-Related Lung Injury

Confusion persists for the coding of vaping. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently investigating vaping-related illnesses that have recently been reported. There are 450 confirmed or suspected cases in 33 states. The first death was reported on Aug. 23, 2019, in Illinois. The concern has escalated to the point that the […]
Hospitals to Assume Risk in Value-Based Care Models

Verma Presses Hospitals to Assume Risk in Value-Based Care Models

Hospitals assuming downside financial risk under value-based care models is the key to lowering healthcare costs and improving quality, CMS believes. CMS Administrator Seema Verma urged hospitals on Tuesday to accept new value-based care models and price transparency requirements or face greater administrative burden, less competition, and lower reimbursement rates under Medicare for All. “Our choices are […]
How Health Systems Improved Revenue Cycle Performance

Tools, Automation and Bots: How Health Systems Improved Revenue Cycle Performance

Improving revenue cycle performance has become more challenging amid today’s healthcare payment trends and patient financial expectations. To gauge efforts at hospitals and health systems, Becker’s Hospital Review asked healthcare leaders to share changes their organizations have made to improve revenue cycle performance this year. Read their responses below, presented alphabetically. Venkat Bhamidipati Executive vice president and […]