Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert
In Other News...
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There's good news and bad news about the Medicare Trust Fund this week. The good news? The Trust Fund most likely won't go broke within the next decade, as previously projected. The bad news? The Medicare Trust Fund is only predicted to remain solvent through 2029. Because of reforms put into effect by the Affordable Care Act, the Medicare Trust Fund will remain solvent for 12 years longer than originally projected, said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at an Aug. 5 press conference. "As we work to secure Medicare's future, we are committed to honest accounting," Sebelius said. "That's why President Obama and I have called on Congress to pass a permanent fix to the Sustainable Growth Rate formula for doctors so that our projections can be based on the most accurate information." To read Sebelius's full statement, visit www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/08/20100805d.html.
Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert
- Billing and Collections:
Test Your Collections Skills With 5 Questions
Know what your options are for non-par patients.You know that solid collections knowledge is the [...] - Collections Quiz Answers:
Find Out Where You Need to Hone Your Collections Skills
Check your answers from the collections quiz on page 225.You know that solid collections knowledge [...] - Diagnosis Coding:
ICD-9 2011: Prepare for New Fluid Overload and Seizure Codes
Confirm documentation before you report the new morbid obesity codes.Come October 1, you must be [...] - Physician Reviews:
Face-to-Face Rule Brings New Round of Physician Headaches for Those Who Certify Home Health
Physicians must see patient 30 days before or two weeks after start of care -- and [...] - Reader Questions:
The Hard Truth about Phone Call Pa
Question: Another physician told my doctor that he's receiving payment from his contractor for telephone [...] - Reader Questions:
Follow Signature Rules or Risk Payments
Question: One of our physicians likes to sign everything with just his initials, or sometimes [...] - Reader Questions:
Check If Exceptions Exist in Fracture Modifiers
Question: A parent brings her 14-year-old son to the emergency department with an injured right [...] - Reader Questions:
Medicare Won't Cover Trays
Question: How do I code products like laceration trays for minor wounds, suture trays, facet [...] - Reader Questions:
Check Rules for Injection + E/M
Question: A payer denied our claim for an established patient office visit in addition to [...] - Reader Questions:
No Inpatient Contact = No E/M Service
Question: I read "When reporting discharge day management service, you must provide and document a [...] - Physician Notes:
Magic Number for Medical Record Retention is 6 Years, CMS Says
Plus: HHS believes Medicare Trust Fund will stay solvent through 2029.Medical practices often hear conflicting [...] - In Other News...
There's good news and bad news about the Medicare Trust Fund this week.The good news? [...]