Practice Management Alert

Upcoming policy change will slash your payments by half. Big changes are on the horizon if you participate with insurance provider Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of New Jersey. In a recent memo, BCBS states that effective May 17, 2010, they will cut reimbursement by half on many modifiers, regardless of the circumstances surrounding their use. Your practice might stand to lose thousands of dollars. Take a look at the policy details. (Then, evaluate your options for dealing with these cuts with the expert tips offered in the sidebar "Weigh Your Options Before Accepting Modifier Cuts.") Beware a New Reimbursement Trend The February 2010 memo offers a list of modifiers that BCBS states "will be considered nonstandard -- that either the full service was not performed or that the service in question was performed in conjunction with another service or procedure." If the policy proceeds as planned, the move will [...]