CMS recently finalized a multitude of new price transparency requirements in the 2024 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) final rule. These requirements have staggered enforcement deadlines, which means that revenue integrity professionals have their work cut out for them in the coming year to ensure their organization is in compliance.
Penny Jefferson, MSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CCS, CDIP, CRC, CHDA, CRCR, CPHQ , and Mercedes K. C. Dullum, MD, FACS, FACC , describe the advantages of creating CDI programs in outpatient settings and how they can decrease gaps in patient care and improve financial management.
Ronald Hirsch, MD, FACP, CHCQM, CHRI , and Valerie A. Rinkle, MPA, CHRI , explore common causes of denial, including prior authorization, missing documentation, medical necessity, and EHR formatting.
The lack of interaction with remote work has a variety of impacts. Managers must develop strategies for remote onboarding and training, find different ways to measure productivity, and keep employees engaged.
Trey La Charité, MD, FACP, SFHM, CCS, CCDS , analyzes the challenges that both inpatient and outpatient CDI specialists encounter and offers advice to lessen provider opposition to participating in outpatient CDI.
Katie Patterson, CPC , summarizes the Medicare Quality Payment Program, provider qualifications, clinician participation, and how they work to achieve the program’s main objectives.
Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT, and Karla VonEschen, MS, CPC, CPMA, CCDS-O, take a look back at the progression of diagnosis and mortality coding before looking ahead to ICD-11 and how coding departments can prepare for it.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has burst on the scene with numerous clinical and coding applications for providers. This article looks at how the technology can be used and where human oversight is still required.
Diane Pittman, CPC, CPMA, CRC, CCD-O, and April Russell, MBA, CPC, CPC-P, COC, CRC, CCDS-O , explain how reporting ICD-10-CM social determinants of health, their context, and coder feedback can influence natural language understanding.
A scan of healthcare news sources or the Office of Inspector General work plan often finds psychiatry and mental health practices under scrutiny . Laurie Bouzarelos, MHA, CPC , reviews revenue cycle functions, provider contracting/credentialing, and coding and documentation tips to avoid denials.
This Q&A is part of an interview with Nancy Enos, FACMPE, CPC-I, CPMA, CEMC , covering physician CPT E/M reporting and medical decision-making. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
CMS estimated $4.4 billion in improper payments in 2022 for hospital outpatient services, according to a Comprehensive Error Rate Test review recently published in the Medicare Provider Compliance Newsletter. According to the report, of the 1,899 inspected claims, 5.4% were improperly paid.
Providers and coders alike can find NCCI policies challenging to apply. Denise Williams, COC, CHRI , explains the basics of NCCI by defining the initiative, edits, modifiers, and clinical procedure examples.
Terry Tropin, MSHAI, RHIA, CCS-P , reviews the biggest changes to the 2024 ICD-10-CM guidelines and tabular list set to take effect October 1, including deletions of certain COVID-19 screening guidelines, and additional direction for new resistant hypertension and myocardial infarction codes.
While taking time to relax is important, professionals must seize all opportunities to prepare for updates. Connie White, CPC, CPAR , reviews the process her team at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia takes to prepare for annual CPT code changes.
CMS’ 2024 OPPS proposed rule, released July 13, details major changes to price transparency requirements and proposes numerous changes to behavioral health reimbursement, coverage of dental services, and more.
Q: What are some tips for organizations that are just starting out capturing the type of information to report social determinant of health (SDOH) diagnoses in ICD-10-CM?
CMS released the fiscal year 2024 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting on July 5. The release included updated language and examples for reporting COVID-19 preoperative testing, sepsis, the coma scale, and other conditions.
Coding audits are often a source of irritation in small and large practices alike. This article covers common misconceptions about the auditing process and offers tips from experts on how to correct them. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Trey La Charité, MD, FACP, SFHM, CCS, CCDS , discusses how the 2023 ICD-10-CM guidelines update the instructions for reporting intraoperative care complications.
The January 2023 update to the CPT manual had almost every chapter undergoing some form of change. In this article, Aimee L. Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT, delves into some of the major changes to E/M coding and considerations for documentation integrity.
E/M coding guidelines for emergency department services (CPT codes 99281-99285) were recently updated for the first time in decades. Hamilton Lempert, MD, FACEP, CEDC, reviews these changes, along with coding requirements for many other E/M services.
Pam Warren-Brooks, MHA, COC, CPC, explains different types of psychiatric healthcare providers, outpatient facilities, and best practices for reporting psychiatric services using CPT codes.
Kathleen M. Romero, MSN, RN, EBP-C , Cynthia Beal, MBA-HCM, BSN, RN, and Renee Pate, MSOL, MSN Ed., RN, CCDS, explain how they implemented a CDI program in their facility’s emergency department and the how establishing this program improved coding accuracy and increased reimbursement.
Tonya Moton, RHIA, CCS, defines social determinants of health coding, explains the challenges of reporting these factors, and outlines how coders and providers can work together to create a positive impact in at-risk communities.
The end of the public health emergency (PHE) will bring the expiration of many Medicare waivers issued since 2020. Ronald Hirsch, MD, FACP, CHCQM, CHRI, explains how facilities can maintain their compliance in this new era.
The new batch of diagnosis codes and revised guidelines for social determinants of health (SDOH) that will go into effect April 1 highlight the importance policymakers place on collecting this data. Julia Kyles, CPC, provides tips for capturing the SDOH using these new codes.
Coders can reinforce their understanding of the 2023 CPT E/M medical decision-making (MDM) requirements with tips from Peter Hollman, MD , who oversaw the changes.
CMS developed the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) to control improper coding and potentially inappropriate payment of Part B services. Review NCCI basics to ensure compliance with the latest coding policies.
Peter Hollman, MD , breaks down 2023 CPT guidance in a new section of the manual for initial and subsequent E/M services, which will impact reporting of hospital inpatient and observation care services beginning January 1.
Medicare finalized a care management service for chronic pain management (CPM). Effective January 1, CPM services can be reported by a wide range of providers, including primary care practitioners.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report in October to assess the results of 12 Medicare hospital and identify CMS’ actions as a result of OIG recommendations made in those audits.
A coder’s practice should check its telehealth claims against the information in the recent Office of Inspector General data brief on telehealth services, healthcare attorneys advise. Julia Kyles, CPC, reviews the September 2 report, which contains findings and program integrity measures for telehealth services.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently released a data brief on billing risks associated with Medicare telehealth services during first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Julia Kyles, CPC, explains the significance of using the OIG’s data brief and offers tips to adhere to compliance guidelines.
Many healthcare systems are looking at how to expand their CDI program to include outpatient and ambulatory settings. Jennifer Boles, BS, COC, CRC, CCDS-O, explores her ambulatory CDI program’s success and offers advice for those looking to expand.
Shelley Safian, PhD, RHIA, HCISPP, CCS-P, COC, CPC-I , describes how, beginning in 2023, medical decision-making (MDM) will be used to determine E/M leveling for additional visit services, following similar changes for outpatient visits implemented in 2022.
Streamlined coding and shorter time requirements for prolonged services are on the horizon for physicians and qualified healthcare professionals. The pending update to the E/M chapter of the CPT Manual , effective January 1, 2023, will replace four prolonged services with two 15-minute codes.
Revenue erosion and denials are often easily prevented, but simple errors may evade traditional, reactive denials management processes. Coders are encouraged to shift focus to take a proactive approach that targets common errors in claim submission and charge capture and eliminates resource-intensive rework.
Payment cuts are in the offing for Part B providers in 2023, along with a series of other projected changes targeting E/M services, COVID-19-related billing flexibilities, and value-based care, according to the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule released July 7.
The 3-day payment rule is known to coders by various names such as the 72-hour rule, the 3-day payment window, or MS-DRG window policy. Kimberly Lee M.Ed., RHIA, CCS-P , describes how to navigate the rule’s nuances for billing purposes.
The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) Policy Manual for Medicare Services is used to control improper coding leading to inappropriate payment for Part B services. This article provides an in-depth overview of 2022 updates to the NCCI Manual including new and revised reporting guidance. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Although many provisions of the 2022 OPPS final rule are a light lift for hospitals, several have far-reaching implications. Apply these expert tips to ensure you're up to speed and aware of compliance pitfalls.
Sometimes even the most seasoned revenue integrity professionals get stumped trying to navigate the maze of billing, charging, and coding rules that govern chargemaster structure. Review expert answers to perplexing chargemaster questions.
Determination of what is medically necessary for any given diagnosis is set forth by the healthcare industry’s Standard of Care. Shelley C. Safian, PhD, RHIA, CCS-P, COC, CPC-I , unpacks local and national medical necessity standards and best practices for avoiding denials due to inadequate documentation .
Although most organizations do a good job of tracking denials by reason, payer, and volume, they miss the mark when communicating information about appeals, according to the results of HIM Briefings’ 2022 Denials Management Survey.
Facilities can limit their exposure to claim denials and external reviews by implementing a robust internal coding compliance program. This article breaks down components of a coding policy and compliance plan and approaches to monitoring coding quality. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
State and federal prosecutors continue to extract sizable settlements from practices that allegedly submitted fraudulent claims for one type of service—urine drug tests (UDT). In this article, Julia Kyles, CPC , breaks down fraudulent coding and billing patterns for UDT services.
Coders continue to be in high demand, and given the importance of this function, evaluating coders’ performance is an essential task for revenue integrity. In this article, Lawrence A. Allen, MBA, CPC, CPMA, CEMA , makes the case for reevaluating coding performance.
Tackling reporting errors early on is an essential component of denials management. Leyna Belcher, MSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O , describes strategies that coding and billing professionals can employ to reduce claim denials and increase the success rate of appeals.
Joe Rivet, Esq., CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CHC, CCEP, CHRC, CHPC, CICA, CPMA, CAC, CACO , writes about key regulatory updates in the 2022 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) final rule, including increased price transparency penalties, changes to the inpatient-only list, and payment changes.
Joe Rivet, Esq., CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CPMA, CICA, CHRC, CHPC, CHEP, CHC, CACO, CAC, reviews findings from a recent Office of Inspector General audit of claims for neurostimulator implantation surgeries and their implications for coders.
CMS recently released the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule, which introduces new guidelines for reporting split/shared visit services. Julia Kyles, CPC , analyzes how the changes would impact physician practices.
Earlier this year, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) added a new OIG Work Plan item for reporting E/M services with minor surgical procedures. Joe Rivet, Esq., CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CPMA, CICA, CHRC, CHPC, CHEP, CHC, CICA, CAC, CACO , reviews appropriate use of modifier -25 for separately identifiable E/M services.
While technological solutions and electronic health records have made leaps and bounds over the past years in the inpatient setting, there still seems to be much lacking on the outpatient side. Learn how to leverage existing technology to track Hierarchical Condition Category capture and other coding metrics.
CMS withdrew the split/shared and critical care sections of the Medicare Claims Processing Manual and announced its intent to update coverage policies for these services. Prepare for changes to come by reviewing documentation, CPT coding, and billing guidance for split/shared and critical care services.
The monetary value of outpatient clinical documentation integrity (CDI) programs is increasing dramatically year after year. Read about steps your facility can take to create and maintain a successful outpatient CDI program.
Effective management of claim edits and denials is a cornerstone of a sound revenue cycle. See how your organization compares to others and what you can do to improve.
The mid-revenue cycle is rife with possibilities to lose earned, appropriate revenue. Learn how to identify common weaknesses and deploy coding and technology to avoid revenue loss.
Supporting accurate Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) capture is essential to success under the growing number of risk-adjusted payment models. With their strong knowledge of coding and documentation guidelines and insight into emerging trends, coders are a key part of that strategy.
Coding managers use risk assessments to measure their level of compliance with laws, regulations, and internal policies and procedures. Learn about the steps involved in E/M risk assessments and practices used to address E/M coding and billing errors.
Read about regulatory updates in the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule impacting CPT coding for chronic and transitional care management services, and billing for COVID-19-related services.
Audit defense is a key strategy in protecting earned revenue and ensuring coding and billing compliance. Read about auditing trends during the COVID-19 public health emergency and internal processes that organizations are using to track audit activity.
The COVID-19 public health emergency has not made it easy, but coders and medical practice staff have a lot to be proud of this year. Review key findings from a medical practice salary survey, including data to support medical staff pay increases and expanded job responsibilities.
Public comments on 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule offer insight into the policy preferences of the medical practice industry. Familiarize yourself with controversial proposed policies to restrict telehealth billing and reduce payment rates for audio-only E/M services.
Valerie A. Rinkle, MPA, CHRI , reviews what providers need to know about the latest payment model from CMS’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.
CMS continues to focus on site-neutral payment policies and keeping payments down for 340B-acquired drugs in the 2021 OPPS proposed rule, released in early August. Read about these proposals which if finalized, will impact hospital billing and payment starting January 1.
Dee Jones, CFO, describes eight ways 340B covered entities can optimize their 340B programs to gain immediate operational efficiencies while accelerating cash flow and savings.
Medicare’s rules for reporting blood products and applying the Part B blood deductible can be confusing. Judith L. Kares, JD , writes about unique HCPCS reporting and billing rules for blood products and related services reimbursed under the OPPS.
Familiarize yourself with notable code updates in the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule, including new E/M reporting guidelines and CPT® codes for lung biopsies, auditory testing, and chronic care management.
Bill Wagner, CHPS, CPCO , unpacks findings from a survey conducted by KIWI-TEK, a medical coding company in Indianapolis, that asked 157 coders how the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted their finances, workflow, and career prospects.
Familiarize yourself with proposed updates to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), including plans to significantly revise the E/M coding guidelines and extend telehealth flexibilities beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency.
CMS released the calendar year (CY) 2021 MPFS and OPPS proposed rules on August 3, introducing new CPT codes, reducing the PFS conversion factor by nearly 11%, and seeking commentary on how to gradually eliminate the inpatient only list.
Valerie Rinkle, MPA, CHRI , breaks down updated CMS guidance for reporting virtual clinic visits and other telehealth services rendered at on- and excepted off-campus provider-based departments.
Cathy Farraher Nakhoul, RN, BSN, MBA, CCM, CCDS , describes simple actions you can take to show appreciation for providers and make education unobtrusive during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency.
Recently published CMS guidance clarifies billing requirements for services rendered via telecommunications technology during the public health emergency. Valerie Rinkle, MPA, CHRI , breaks down the updated guidance as it applies to outpatient services provided at alternative care sites such as patient homes.
CMS on April 30 released an interim final rule with regulatory relief for hospital outpatient departments. In this article, Kimberly A. Hoy, JD, CPC , reviews Medicare provisions that allow outpatient departments to bill services at alternate locations during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency.
Coding audits are commonly used to determine the need for focused coder education and training. Learn about key considerations for conducting coding audits and summarizing significant audit findings.
Review up-to-date novel coronavirus (COVID-19) documentation tips, ICD-10-CM and CPT coding guidance, and advice for ensuring billing compliance during the public health emergency.
Physician practices have started reopening to patients but are not expecting a return to normal anytime soon. They continue to struggle with staffing shortages and lost revenue due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Read up on new CMS policies that expand COVID-19 care, ramp up diagnostic testing, and loosen restrictions on billing for telehealth services during the public health emergency.
Practices that have experienced a shutdown or a near-shutdown during the COVID-19 national public health emergency need to adhere to state regulations for re-opening. In addition, they must consider the impact that re-opening would have on staff members and patients impacted by the pandemic.
The Office for Civil Rights’ (OCR) enforcement discretion statement seems to open a whole new world of options for providers and patients. However, experts have warned providers that they can still get in a lot of trouble if they are not careful about how they use technology.
Coders will find a wide range of CPT and HCPCS Level II codes that have been assigned medically unlikely edits (MUE) this year. Review new MUE values that went live January 1 for codes involving drug injections as well as E/M, radiology, and therapy services.
As with any new clinical documentation integrity (CDI) initiative, there are many possible starting points for outpatient CDI. Review advice from healthcare professionals at Trinity Health on how to successfully implement an outpatient CDI program.
HCPro’s 2019 coding productivity survey showed that coding productivity held steady for 2019, but facilities continue to struggle with miscommunications between coding and CDI staff and unanswered physician queries.
Although the dollar figures aren’t big, the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) report on faulty chronic care management (CCM) billing should be concerning for physician practices billing these codes.
James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CDIP, CCDS , reviews updated policies in the 2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule that will affect ICD-10-CM risk-adjustment reporting and documentation for facilities.
JustCoding’s sister publication, HIM Briefings, conducted a benchmarking survey to shed light on edit and denial management processes across the industry. Review findings from the survey to see how your organization compares to those across the industry.
Review finalized changes to relative value units for office visits, new HCPCS codes for chronic care management and opioid treatment services, and future updates to the E/M reporting guidelines.
Perhaps the most momentous Quality Payment Program (QPP) news in the 2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule is the Pathways version of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)—but that’s not happening until 2021.
Internal audits can reveal inconsistencies in provider documentation and coding, reporting errors, and fraudulent billing practices. Review internal auditing basics and advice from regulatory experts on how to effectively educate providers on audit findings. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
CMS proposed a new framework for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) intended to make the transition to value-based care easier for physicians. Read up on the proposed framework, MIPS Value Pathways (MVP), and its potential impact on patients and providers beginning in 2021.
The 2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule includes significant documentation and payment changes for outpatient office visits reporting using E/M codes 99202-99215. Beginning in 2021, these proposed updates could add billions of dollars to the national E/M revenue stream.
Before starting an ambulatory or outpatient clinical documentation improvement (CDI) program, those tasked with the project must first create some universal definitions, so everyone is on the same page and speaking the same language.
Medicare appropriate use criteria (AUC) requirements, currently in a voluntary testing period, will become mandatory starting January 1, 2020. Denise Williams, COC, CHRI , shares insight and analysis on AUC reporting requirements to help facilities prepare for what’s to come.
CMS recently released quarterly updates to the OPPS and Integrated Outpatient Code Editor (I/OCE), effective July 1. Judith Kares, JD , summarizes key coding and billing policy updates, including changes to APCs, status indicators, revenue code changes, and more.
A May report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that some physician practices were at the root of basic coding errors that caused federal overpayments. Although the Essence audit was small, the findings have significant implications for physician coders.
Learn how ICD-10-CM coding accuracy, specificity, and compliance impacts provider performance in each of the four performance categories under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
