news
HHS Press Release: HHS Announces Intent to Delay ICD-10 Compliance Date
February 16, 2012
On February 16, 2012, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that HHS intends to delay the compliance date for ICD-10. Currently, the compliance deadline stands at October 1, 2013 (which is already a two-year delay from the original date outlined in the January 2009 final rule). While no new date has been declared, this new release suggests that HHS is listening to the voices of healthcare providers, medical billing companies, and others with stake in the healthcare industry who are concerned that ICD-10 may bring about an increase in administrative burden that providers are currently unprepared to shoulder. The original HHS press release can be read here.
Deadline for “Doc Fix” Approaching
February 15, 2012
As the March 1, 2012 deadline approaches, all physicians, healthcare providers, and medical billing companies are keeping a watchful eye on Congress to make sure that the staggering 27% reduction in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is blocked. The bill, often referred to as the “doc fix,” is wrapped up in a broader deal concerning the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits. Political analysts most recently are reporting that a bipartisan compromise is likely to occur and the drastic cut will not go into effect. For a recent news article following the story, click here.
Medical Billing Basics: How to Code E/M Visits in the Hospital & Office Setting
February 4, 2012
Worried about under-coding or over-coding your patients’ Evaluation & Management (E/M) services? Not sure of whether to bill for a level 3, 4, or 5 exam? Many physicians experience confusion when deciphering what level of care is appropriate to bill. On one hand, under-coding can result in a decrease in reimbursement that rightly belongs to your practice; on the other, over-coding can result in denials for lack of medical necessity or even inadvertent insurance fraud. Whether you are working in a specialty practice, primary care setting, or are making hospital rounds, the challenge of E/M coding is universal. Fortunately, resources abound to help physicians determine the most appropriate coding of E/M exams. On February 7, 2012, Highmark Medicare (the Medicare contractor for physicians billing in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia Metropolitan Area) is offering a free webinar on the (advanced) Evaluation and Management scorecard. Registration is required. The webinar is offered between 1 – 2:30 PM EST. Short on time? Medicare offers free access to its webinar handouts for both the Basic and Advanced presentation on E/M Coding.
Registration & Handouts are available on the Highmark Medicare Services website: https://www.highmarkmedicareservices.com/calendar/partb/webinar/index.html.
For additional resources or questions, please feel free to contact Healthcare Data Management, Inc. directly!
Incentive Payments for Maryland Physicians that Practice in Underserved Areas
February 2, 2012
The state of Maryland is considering a proposal for the creation of “health enterprise zones.” These “health enterprise zones” would consist of rural and urban regions in Maryland in which the population has notably underserved medical needs; primary care physicians and healthcare providers who practice in these regions would then be eligible for financial incentives for their service. These financial healthcare incentives may take the form of tax breaks, student loan forgiveness for indebted physicians, and other financial rewards. The goal of this endeavor would be to increase access to primary care, decrease geographical healthcare disparities, and reduce the number of hospital emergency room visits for patients with neglected routine ailments. The Maryland Legislature is expected to examine the proposal in 2012. To learn more click here.
Billing Update for Anesthesia Providers: Not-Otherwise-Classified (NOC) Codes
January 31, 2012
On January 30, 2012 Medicare amended its Not-Otherwise-Classified (NOC) code set to remove unspecified anesthesia codes (CPT’s 00100 through 01996) from the list of codes that require a specific description to be supplied in order to pass 5010 edits. While this change may seem minor, it is indeed good news for medical billing services and providers alike, as one more obstacle toward quick reimbursement has been removed. More information on the new 5010 code edit for not-otherwise-classified CPT’s and a complete listing of affected codes can be found here.
