Tips to get ahead of Medicare’s Value Based Modifier (VBM)
Take the first step and report PQRS quality measures This one s obvious. You can t avoid penalties or gain incentives for the VBM program without reporting PQRS. This year... Read More >
Grade your payers on the hassle factor
In general business, there s an old saw known as the rule i.e., of your business comes from the top of your clients. For a medical practice, the revenue story... Read More >
State by State patient record retention from HealthIT.gov
Here is a website that has state by state patient record retention from HealthIT.gov http www.healthit.gov sites default files appa - .pdf, from Privacy and Security Solutions for Interoperable Health... Read More >
New cycle of provider revalidations and revalidation tools released by CMS
On March , , the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services CMS rolled out a new cycle of provider revalidations, including new tools for monitoring a specific provider s revalidation... Read More >
OIG Fall 2015 Semiannual Report to Congress
The HHS Office of Inspector General OIG has issued its Semiannual Report to Congress covering April September , . The report summarizes significant OIG audits, investigations, and enforcement activities during... Read More >
Get to know the payers with whom you have a contract
Your organization has signed a contract with a payer and you have agreed to accept a discounted fee called an allowable, and to abide by their rules. What is the... Read More >
Medicare physician fee schedule question and answer
Question What s the best way to get Medicare and commercial reimbursement amounts by CPT code for a particular locale, say by zip code? Answer Go to https www.cms.gov apps... Read More >
Returning Medicare Overpayments Under the 60-Day Rule
On February , , the Centers for Medicare amp Medicaid Services for HHS CMS issued a final rule that clarified the obligations of Medicare providers and suppliers to report and... Read More >
Physician practice collections moves from “back end” to “front end”
Collections, once considered the ultimate back-end process in a business office, is now firmly entrenched as a best practice at the front end of a high-functioning revenue cycle. Before the... Read More >
Fort Myers urologist agrees to pay more than $1 million
On January , , U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida A. Lee Bentley, III announced, David Spellberg, M.D., has agreed to pay , , to the government to... Read More >
Is it right time to upgrade your medical practice collections efforts?
When patients don t respond to your mailed statements, up the ante by calling them. If, as so often happens, you get their voice mail, leave a message requesting a... Read More >
Once the insurance contract is finalized, do you ever look at it again?
Too often medical groups spend months negotiating a contract with an insurance company only to file it away when it is finished. Instead the contract s terms need to be... Read More >
Upcoming webinar – Modified Stage 2 Meaningful Use Attestation (and filing hardship exception applications)
Among other things, the HITECH Act provided incentives for Medicare Medicaid eligible professionals to participate in EHR incentive program. In addition to providing incentives, this program allowed penalties for reimbursement... Read More >
CMS Announces Proposed Improvements to Medicare Shared Savings Program
On January , CMS released a proposed rule to update the methodology used to measure the performance of Accountable Care Organizations ACOs in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Key proposals... Read More >
OSHA Update: Employers must post injury & illness summaries
OSHA reminds employers of their obligation to post a copy of OSHA s Form A, which summarizes job-related injuries and illnesses logged during . The summary must be displayed in... Read More >
โIgnore the claim denials โ we are too busy, just write them off.โ
If you have ever said this or heard someone else in your physician medical practice say this, then you have a huge opportunity for increased cash at the bottom line.... Read More >
Do you give free credit to your patients?
You might ask, what does this mean? We don t give our patients free credit or a loan. It is true that physician practices are not consciously loaning money to... Read More >
Don’t measure staff performance against a single financial indicator
Setting performance expectations for staff and measuring their performance over time is an important element of managing your team. As a leader, you must remember that you get what you... Read More >
PECOS FAQs Fact Sheet Has Been Revised
A revised Medicare Provider PECOS FAQs Fact Sheet is now available. Learn about Information you need before beginning enrollment using the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System PECOS Enrollment application... Read More >
Have you looked at your QRUR?
On September , , CMS made available the Annual Quality and Resource Use Reports QRURs to every group practice and solo practitioner nationwide. Groups and solo practitioners are identified in... Read More >
Preparing a Budget for the New Year
Plan where your money and your practice are going Budgeting is your financial map. A good budget encompasses all the financial details of running your practice. Good budgeting goes fur... Read More >
Hospital-Physician Consolidation Requires Medicare Payment Reform Says the Government
In mid-December of last year the Government Accountability Office GAO requested that Congress order Health amp Human Services to equalize Medicare payments for the same services, whether provided in a... Read More >
IRS Publishes Guidance for Household Employers on Taxes
If you are a physician with an household employee help, the IRS has released Publication rev. , Household Employer s Tax Guide, for use in , discussing how to determine... Read More >
2016 Standard IRS Mileage Rates
Beginning on , the standard mileage rates for cars, vans, pickups, and panel trucks will be cents per mile for business miles, cents per mile for medical or moving purposes,... Read More >
Physician Deductions for Motor Home Used as Mobile Office
The taxpayer, an on-call physician, worked -hour shifts three days a month from Friday Sunday at a hospital miles from his home. He drove to the hospital in a motor... Read More >
CMS finalizes new exceptions and clarifications to Stark Law
On October , , the Centers for Medicare amp Medicaid Services CMS issued the final CY Physician Fee Schedule rule the Final Rule , which includes new exceptions and several... Read More >
New MLN Provider Compliance Fast Fact
A new fast fact is available on the Medicare Learning Network Provider Compliance webpage. Bookmark this webpage for the latest Medicare Learning Network Educational Products and MLN Matters Articles to... Read More >
Medicare Billing: What is the appropriate date of service to use when a test has been interpreted?
The interpretation must be billed with the date the physician actually provided the interpretation. The date of the professional component billed to Medicare Part B, and the date in both... Read More >
2015, 2016 and retirement plan opportunities
Here are quick administrative tips to consider for you and your physician medical practice to help reach your retirement goals this year and beyond. Establish a Retirement plan this year... Read More >
Having a problem with late or absent employees in your medical practice?
Handling Chronic Lateness and Absenteeism in a Medical Office One vexing problem many practice administrators office managers often have to contend with is an employee who is chronically late or... Read More >
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As a top advisor to physicians, I help increase practice profits by delivering hands-on, expert medical accounting/tax support, practice counsel, and revenue-building strategies. Read More >
