If asked, chances are good that you would give patient privacy a rating of high importance to you and your practice. But prioritizing privacy rules and properly complying with them are not one and the same. And there are plenty to comply with. Whether you’re More..
Patient-centered care: Recently it’s a term you’ve heard promoted widely in the healthcare field, along with “data-driven” and “real world evidence” (RWE). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) is catching on to the trend and updating its programs accordingly. For instance, CMS has replaced More..
To do spinal coding right in 2019, you’ve got to get straight on several new techniques, guidelines and procedures that promise to complicate your billing. And you’ve got to do it quick given that payers and regulators are scrutinizing spinal procedures more closely than ever More..
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expects your long-term care facility (LTCs) to uphold certain requirements for Medicare participation—and conducts surveys to see that you are. Though the Phase 2 of CMS’s regulatory program took effect back in November 2017, it introduced an More..
Want to know one of the easiest ways to prevent payment denials? Here’s a trick: Understand “medical necessity” inside and out, especially with respect to ICD-10 coding, and you’ll be on your way to spotless claims. Not only that, but you’ll be able to confidently More..
If your New Year’s resolution includes giving yourself a professional skills upgrade, there’s no better way than to download new coding know-how from the experts. And that’s more convenient than ever to do: The AudioEducator 2019 Coding Updates Virtual Boot Camp—the most information-packed coding event More..
If your hospital is still struggling to comply with the final rule on Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records under 42 CFR Part 2, you’re certainly not alone. But don’t get lax on your compliance efforts. You could face severe penalties. Snapshot: This complicated More..
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently updated the durable medical equipment (DME) documentation guidelines. And the revisions are significant, as you’ll discover in the latest CMS documentation guidelines webinar presented by coding director Lynn Anderanin. Arguably one of the biggest changes involves More..
The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program has been around for a few years, but many clinicians and groups are still struggling with their compliance. And now you have another curveball thrown at you: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (BBA) will change several key More..
Filling out long, complicated forms is likely not a favorite task. Nevertheless, doing so is a critical part of your job if your facility treats Medicare patients. One (or, seven) of the forms you’ll see most is the set of paperwork known as CMS-855—and completing More..