Given enough time, conflict will arise between people who work together. When it happens, how you communicate with your staffers can determine how well you manage and resolve it. Behaviorists... Read More >
An IRS private letter ruling concludes that restitution payments made by a physician to insurance companies to settle claims for insurance fraud are not deductible as trade or business losses... Read More >
Medicare is statutorily required to adjust payments for physician fee schedule services to account for differences in costs due to geographic location. There are different localities that have not been... Read More >
The OIG released another advisory opiniopn finding that a proposed block leasing arrangement between two physician group practices one a practice providing cancer treatment services, including IMRT, the other a... Read More >
Up front you say? Isn t that standard operating procedure in all physician offices? Yes it s standard operating procedure but what about collecting the patient copayment BEFORE they are... Read More >
Before starting a negotiation with a managed care payer, you must first define exactly what issues are most important to you and your physician practice. Starting a negotiation without doing... Read More >
When reviewing your managed care contracts, pay attention to these clauses Gag clauses Prohibits you from discussing patient treatament options that the insurer does not offer. You can lose money... Read More >
Many physicians have sideline business activities but are these activities true active trade or businesses? The IRS has posted a factsheet to its website at http www.irs.gov irs article ,,id... Read More >
nbsp CMS announced that all physician groups participating in the Physician Group Practice PGP Demonstration improved the quality of care delivered to patients with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease... Read More >
The IRS released revised instructions for filling out the redesigned Form Return of Organizations Exempt from Income Tax , which must be filed starting with tax year filed in ,... Read More >
Only the physician or an appropriately trained and qualified clinical support person, following written advice protocols that the physician approves, will give advice over the telephone. If possible, the physician... Read More >
In contract negotiations, payer report cards should be used as discussion points. The contents of the payer report card can be useful for contract language revisions and potential reimbursement considerations... Read More >
The OIG reiterated its position regarding gainsharing, but this time in the context of two new medical specialties orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery. After reviewing the arrangement established by the requestors,... Read More >
With all of the changes in health insurance products today, eligibility and benefit determination are more important than ever. Your staff s ability to make accurate assessments regarding eligibility and... Read More >
The CD-ROM version of the revised Medicare Guide to Rural Health Services Information for Providers, Suppliers and Physicians April is now available from the CMS Medicare Learning Network. This guide... Read More >
If you re going to participate in a high-deductible plan, set aside time when your front office, billing, and collections staff can meet, and ask to have a plan representative... Read More >
Even with all the available data you might have at your fingertips, you may occasionally find yourself feeling uneasy about your practice s overall health. Diligence and early diagnosis make... Read More >
Why are physician practices continuing to feel the pinch and pain associated with the business side of medicine without doing something about it? There is a lot of complaining out... Read More >
nbsp Many physician practices pay for part time labor, especially family members. Here are a few tips on paying part time employees nbsp . Withhold FICA on part-timers and retirees... Read More >
nbsp Many conflicts among partners and staffers really result from poor communication. To keep squabbles at a minimum, make certain each doctor and staffer understands your practice s overall goals... Read More >
nbsp Case mix index This metric takes into account how sick patients are when they come in to your physician office and it can have a dramatic effect on your... Read More >
The recent Medicare payment scare that put fear in to the souls of physician practices, along with continued variations in the timing of payer reimbursement, reminds me to remind you... Read More >
Court Orders . M FICA Refund for Medical Facility s Student Exemption A U.S. district court has ordered the government to refund . million in FICA taxes paid by a... Read More >
nbsp The Department of Health and Human Services HHS and Providence Health amp Services have entered into a Resolution Agreement that includes a payment to HHS and corrective action plan... Read More >
We all know how expensive it is to replace good employees, which is why employee retention should be a top priority for all physician medical practices. The costs to replace... Read More >
How can you manage your malpractice risk more effectively? The role of risk management is not to eliminate all risk but to anticipate and manage risk. Introduction. Mistakes happen. What... Read More >
Most physician practices using ADP or Paychex for outsourced payroll processing. If you are looking for another good alternative, which also offers a time clock service, check out Your HR... Read More >
Patience during the training period is essential. Processes might slow slightly while employees become comfortable with their new roles. But remember, any delays are only temporary Cross-training represents an investment... Read More >
If you are looking to change your physician compensation formulary, try to take an objective approach to analyzing and possibly renovating your formula. Remember that compensation plans that work should... Read More >
CMS will begin providing financial bonuses to physicians who e-prescribe and reduce payments to physicians who fail to e-prescribe in January, . Click here to read the full article on... Read More >
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