You may know that medical coding modifiers can affect payment and bundling rules for your claims, but did you know modifiers are on the radar for Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs), too? Here are some of the recently added audit issues that have links to modifier use. Quick background: Medicare’s RAC program is used to identify […]
Continue reading...3. October 2019
As of Oct. 1, we are officially applying the 2020 ICD-10-CM code set. Get your diagnosis coding year off to a good start by refreshing your knowledge of some of the not-always-obvious terms essential to accurate claims: NEC, NOS, and, with. If you want full details, check Section I. A of the FY2020 “ICD-10-CM Official […]
Continue reading...15. August 2019
Medicare has announced two updates to the Medicare Claims Processing Manual (MCPM). The implementation date is set for Aug. 27, 2019, but they’re effective all the way back to Jan. 1, 2019. If your physician performs home visits or superficial radiation treatment, you’ll want to be sure your knowledge is up to date. 1. Eliminate […]
Continue reading...12. August 2019
At the end of July, Medicare released a set of modifiers that you need to know if you’re involved in ordering or coding for imaging. The modifiers, effective Jan. 1, 2020, are part of Medicare’s changes related to Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for advanced diagnostic imaging services. Check out the AUC-related modifiers below and then […]
Continue reading...5. August 2019
Another day, another change to E/M plans for 2021! Medicare has released the 2020 proposed rule for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), bringing in the recent AMA plan to revise E/M coding in 2021. But what does the MPFS say about Medicare payment for office/outpatient visits in 2021? Here’s the scoop. Know What to […]
Continue reading...2. May 2019
Determining date of service (DOS) can be harder than it seems. Once you dive into the world of professional/technical components, monitoring services, and other non-obvious DOS possibilities, things get complicated fast. You can use the Medicare rules below as a starting point. Apply Different Dates for Radiology Components For many radiology codes, the Medicare Physician […]
Continue reading...8. April 2019
Audit discussions often focus on the fear of upcoding and having to hope that repaying the extra amount is the worst of the consequences. But downcoding is another problem area affecting your payments and more. Here’s why you should never purposely downcode your services. Start With a CERT Story Wondering about the $325 million in […]
Continue reading...4. April 2019
There’s been a lot of buzz about what Medicare has planned for E/M in 2021. One question all that raises is how it will mesh with AMA CPT® coding rules. Here are some hints from the February 2019 CPT® Editorial Summary of Panel Actions about what is in store for the code descriptors and guidelines. […]
Continue reading...12. March 2019
OIG audit targets can feel like moving targets with the website updated each month. Find out where you can go to keep tabs on the Office of Inspector General’s Work Plan items, and see an example of a recently added area to watch. (Tip: For more OIG information, you also can check out this free […]
Continue reading...4. March 2019
Think Medicare’s April CCI updates are small potatoes? You may reevaluate that stance when you learn there are more than 11,000 additions planned for April 1, 2019. To help make it manageable, watch the three areas below. Our focus: The topic here is Medicare practitioner procedure-to-procedure (PTP) Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits that will be […]
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21. November 2019
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