Whether a family wants a surveillance camera in their loved one’s room or your staff takes random pictures to post on social media, camera use compliance—not to mention patient privacy—in long term care (LTC) facilities is a real concern. You have an obligation, mandated by More..
To get paid for all you do, you must correctly code each and every procedure performed—which sometimes means unbundling codes using modifier 59 (Distinct procedural service). However, to decide if and when modifier 59 is appropriate, you must do some heavy lifting. Appending modifier 59 More..
Twenty years ago, telehealth was more concept than reality, popular among visionaries but absent from most doctors’ offices. Today, telehealth is a rapidly growing industry changing the way practitioners and patients interact. The technology and the capabilities change almost daily. And then there are the More..
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) hospital compliance requirements are ever-changing and evolving. But sometimes, the CMS Hospital Conditions of Participation (CoP) requirements and Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) rule revisions change for the better. Case in point: You can expect changes More..
CPT® coding of Injection and Infusion services isn’t easy for newbies and veteran coders alike. You have a myriad of overlapping and intertwining coding rules to follow, which makes proper selection of CPT® codes about as clear as mud. At the same time, accurate coding More..
If you think your hospital’s work is done when it comes to price transparency, think again. Posting your chargemaster online is enough to comply with the CMS mandate, but you’re not doing your patients any favors. Reminder: According to the 2019 IPPS Final Rule, hospitals More..
You know you have to comply with the requirements and protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as a U.S. healthcare provider, but what about the General Data Protection Rule (GDPR)? You might be surprised to learn that the GDPR may apply More..
Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) violations are expensive—and they’re not all that hard to come by. Unfortunately, the myriad regulations around the law’s components can trip up even the most compliance-minded hospital staff. EMTALA requires that you maintain a central log, proper EMTALA More..
If you’re running into problems when reporting CPT code 29826 for acromioplasty, you’re not alone. Follow these expert tips to ensure that you’re coding properly and avoid unnecessary claim denials. Crucial: The most important thing to remember when reporting code 29826 is that it’s not More..
From CPT® and ICD-10-CM code updates, to significant revisions to Medicare guidelines, you have a lot to contend with for your cardiology practice’s coding and billing in 2019. Here are some of the most important changes that you need to know. For 2019, you’ll face More..