Tag: CMS

Many Final IPPS Rules Are Released

Many Final IPPS Rules Are Released

While much attention has been focused on the release of the IPPS Final Rule, other final rules might have gone unnoticed. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) were very busy the first week of August, with the release of final rules for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), hospices, inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), and inpatient […]
CMS Prior Authorization—operational And Financial Impact

CMS Prior Authorization—operational And Financial Impact

CMS has expanded the prior authorization requirement to two new service categories within hospital outpatient department services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded the prior authorization requirement for two additional hospital outpatient department (OPD) services. Effective with date of service July 1, 2021, CMS has expanded the prior authorization requirement to […]
Hospital Price Transparency Strategies for Compliance, Patients

Hospital Price Transparency Strategies for Compliance, Patients

Hospital price transparency is now a requirement from CMS, but providers should be going beyond the rule to ensure transparency meets patient demands, too. Hospital price transparency goes beyond just compliance with federal regulations. Patients are also demanding more transparent pricing information from their providers in order to make more informed decisions about their healthcare. […]
Differentiating HCPCS Levels I and II Code Sets

Differentiating HCPCS Levels I and II Code Sets

Deciding which code to use starts with determining each payer’s policy. The Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) has two principal subsystems, referred to as Level I and Level II. Knowing when to use HCPCS Level I codes versus HCPCS Level II codes can be confusing, mainly because many services are described by both code […]
CMS Forecasts Increase in Dialysis Payment, Health Equity Gap Reduction

CMS Forecasts Increase in Dialysis Payment, Health Equity Gap Reduction

Proposed rule improves payment rates, incentives, and ESRD treatment choices. Disadvantaged Medicare patients suffer from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) at higher rates and are also more likely to be readmitted to hospitals, experience higher costs, and receive in-center hemodialysis when their kidneys are no longer able to function properly. Furthermore, non-white patients with ESRD are […]
5 Things rev cycle leaders need to know about surprise billing interim final rule

5 Things rev cycle leaders need to know about surprise billing interim final rule

  Understanding the qualifying payment amount and the initial information on the independent dispute resolution process “should be a short-term priority for revenue cycle leaders and their teams,” says attorney Harvey Rochman. Earlier this month, the federal government released an interim final rule outlining certain provisions of the No Surprises Act (NSA), which is designed […]
2021 E_M Guidelines FAQ

2021 E/M Guidelines FAQ

AAPC’s senior VP of products answers your questions about coding for office and other outpatient services. Ever since the release of the new 2021 evaluation and management (E/M) guidelines for office and other outpatient services, AAPC has been conducting numerous trainings through webinars, virtual workshops, conference sessions, online courses, and multiple articles in Healthcare Business […]
How to Increase Provider Utilization of Remote Patient Monitoring

How to Increase Provider Utilization of Remote Patient Monitoring

Increasing provider utilization in remote patient monitoring starts with effective backend processes and leaning into technologies that they already trust. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) took off during the coronavirus pandemic, but the industry will have to take decisive steps in order to build on that momentum, according to Eric Wicklund, senior editor of mHealthIntelligence. Remote […]