Archive for the Week of April 7, 2006
Archive for the Week of April 7, 2006
Welcome to the medical billing blog archive for the week of April 7, 2006.
Here you will find links to every article added to the Outsource Management Group web site during the week of April 7, 2006.
You can browse this week's archives by clicking the "More" button from any of the excerpts below.
Consolidating Your Medical Billing Lists
The Home Health Consolidated medical billing lists are currently changing. This new change comes about because the medical coding system is quickly changing and can no longer support certain medical codes and needs other medical billing codes for consistency. Be sure to update your medical billing consolidated lists with these new home health codes for accurate claim submission. There are three medical billing codes for home health that will be eliminated from the consolidated list. These codes include A5119 (Skin barrier wipes box pr), A6025 (Gel Sheet for dermal or epidermal application), and A4656 (Needle, any size each). Two of the codes, A5119 and A4656, will be replaced with more …
Thinking of Hiring a Medical Billing Consultant?
It can seem daunting to hire a medical billing consultant. Especially if you have never outsourced your billing or you feel as though you would be relinquishing control over your billing which is not the case. In reality, outsourcing your medical billing and coding needs through a consultant is one of the smartest business moves you can make. Don’t think you have to use a local company, many medical billing firms have branch offices in an area near you, but others may be miles to hundreds of miles away, and thanks to the power of the internet with secure connections and software advances that allow you to transfer your patient …
Use Correct Coding For Best Power Mobility Device Reimbursements
There are some strict medical billing requirements for power mobility devices now a days. These requirements, however, don’t come free. Now Medicare and other payers will have to pay your physician for his/her time spent working on extra documentation for these devices. You can expect an extra $21.60 for your extra time spent on power mobility medical billing. Recently there was an increase in the amount of documentation that is needed to do medical billing for power mobility devices. Medicare requires the prescription, patient’s medical records, and any other supporting information. This medical billing process was and is extremely time consuming. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services realized this …
ADD/ADHD Medical Billing Reimbursements
Attention providers, are you getting reimbursed for your medical billing ADD medication rechecks? With the rise of ADD/ADHD in America, it is very important to medical practices to understand how to get paid. When dealing with mental health diagnoses, you walk a fine line with most insurance companies. There is one way most payers will reimburse your ADD/ADHD medical billing. Most physicians like to code ADD medication rechecks with the 90862 medical billing code. This code means, pharmacologic management, including prescription, use, and review of medication with no more than minimal medical psychotherapy. Although there is no problem using this CPT code with the diagnosis 314. (Hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood), …
Avoid Fraud and Abuse Charges With Careful Gainsharing
Gainsharing may be beneficial for your bottom line in medical billing, but it raises a lot of suspicion for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The HHR Office of Inspector General believes gainsharing can be questionable because it can violate anti-kickback policy, and the Stark Law. The Office of Inspector General states there are three fraud safeguards to use when using gainsharing medical billing. First, when utilizing gainsharing arrangements, you should be sure your organization promotes accountability. If you are accountable for your policies and medical billing procedures, you look a lot less suspicious. Another gainsharing safeguard to use is to limit any payment that could change referral patterns. …
Correct Diagnosis and Dressing Medical Billing And Coding
The correct medical billing code for attending to surgical sutures is fuzzy. Currently the regional home health intermediary is closely examining the use of the code V58.3 (attention to surgical dressings and sutures). Medical billing constantly changes and the close examination of V58.3 is a perfect example of this statement. The medical billing question is whether or not V58.3 is a suitable primary diagnosis code. The Regional home health intermediary is pulling claims with this diagnosis code and reviewing them for medical necessity. The decision on how to use V58.3 correctly in medical billing will be released once the examination is completed. Since changes to procedures and policies are quite …
Be Aware of New Down Syndrome Screening in Your Medical Billing
Constant changes in medical care means constant changes in the medical billing world. One area of medicine that is constantly analyzed and improved upon is that of prenatal care. A new screening test for Down Syndrome may give parents sooner knowledge of their baby’s condition. Medical billing must always reflect the current changes in medicine. The new test for Down Syndrome allows mothers to get their fetuses tested in the first trimester of pregnancy. This test includes a blood sample and an ultrasound. That means your medical billing codes need to accurately reflect the new services provided. Apparently, the new Down Syndrome screening method more accurately diagnoses the disease than …
The Government’s Attempt at Simplifying Medical Billing
Although you may think so, the federal government is not out to get your medical billing department. The government has been and is making conscious decisions that will positively impact the way you go about your business. The goal of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is to make your medical billing as efficient as possible. The Department of Health and Human Services realize that there are some medical billing regulations in place that may hinder your efficiency and quality of care. They want your practice to be as profitable as possible while you give the best care as possible to your patients. With current medical billing regulations, …
HIPAA And Code Sets
Imagine this scenario: What if your medical billing claims were suddenly rejected at a rate of up to 25%. Sound like a nightmare? You bet it does,but it could happen to your practice if you don’t keep up with HIPAA regulations and current coding changes that occur many times per year. That is a huge chunk taken out of your reimbursement revenue, and could easily be avoided through proper filing of your medical billing claims. On Oct. 16, 2003, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) took effect and with that a new set of standards for the transactions and code sets that you use every day …
Medicare To Verify Necessity Of More Medical Billing Claims
There is currently a medical billing demonstration taking place that may lead to increased medical necessity reviews. Currently, the states of New York, California, and Florida are involved in a pilot demonstration led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has hired a Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) to do extensive evaluation of medical billing claims for three years. You may be asking: What does this medical billing audit mean to your practice? If the demonstration in these three states is successful and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are able to recover money in medical billing overpayments, it could mean a …
