By Ranadene (Randi) K. Tapio, MBA, CMRS, CMC, Guest Contributor bio First and foremost, a good intake system and/or form is a must! If set up properly, your intake system and/or form will collect all the necessary information you need to bill a patients insurance carrier(s). Offices should collect, at minimum, the following information: Demographics Patient's full … [Read more...] about Want to improve collections? Start by looking at your Patient Registration System
Billing & collections
CMS to host live Question & Answer Session on Open Payments Program Year 2017
Join the CMS Open Payments team on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 for a live Question and Answer (Q&A) session from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (ET). The Q&A session will open with a brief presentation on the review, dispute and correction periods. The Open Payments team will then be available to respond to your questions. When: Wednesday March 28, 2018 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 … [Read more...] about CMS to host live Question & Answer Session on Open Payments Program Year 2017
Overlooked opportunities within the revenue cycle: The three Ps
By Trent Iden bio If your organization is like most across the healthcare system, stagnant or reduced reimbursement is mangling your margins. When revenue is restricted, it becomes ever more important for physician practices to keep their revenue cycle spinning by collecting the fees due to the organization, and in a cost-effective way. Revenue cycle performance is a … [Read more...] about Overlooked opportunities within the revenue cycle: The three Ps
2018 Medicare Reimbursement: Final Rule
By Elizabeth Woodcock, Guest Contributor bio Just hours within the release of the Final Rule concerning the 2018 revisions to the Quality Payment Program (QPP) on November 2, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the ruling that governs the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) for the coming year. Although overshadowed by the QPP … [Read more...] about 2018 Medicare Reimbursement: Final Rule
Quality Payment Program (QPP) Final Rule Released November 2
By Elizabeth Woodcock, Guest Contributor bio According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), flexibility is the purported theme of the QPP Final Rule, which was issued under its official title, the Medicare Program; CY 2018 Updates to the Quality Payment Program; and Quality Payment Program: Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstance Policy for … [Read more...] about Quality Payment Program (QPP) Final Rule Released November 2
How to write a strong collection letter
Increasing patient payments improves the practice's bottom line. But how exactly do you motivate patients to pay? To write an effective collection letter, follow these guidelines. • Make it short. Limit the letter to one page. Limit the paragraphs to two sentences. Limit the sentences to 22 words. And limit the words to three syllables. Do this and the message will be … [Read more...] about How to write a strong collection letter
CMS grants exceptions for providers affected by Hurricane Maria
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is granting exceptions under certain Medicare quality reporting and value-based purchasing programs to the following providers located in areas affected by Hurricane Maria, due to the devastating impact of the storm: inpatient psychiatric facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospices, inpatient … [Read more...] about CMS grants exceptions for providers affected by Hurricane Maria
New Quality Payment Program resources are now available
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently posted the following new and updated resources on the Quality Payment Program website: 2018 Self-Nomination Toolkit for QCDRs & Registries:Offers step-by-step instructions for potential Qualified Registry and Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) vendors to self-nominate to qualify for the 2018 … [Read more...] about New Quality Payment Program resources are now available
CMS reveals new Medicare Card design
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently gave the public its first look at the newly designed Medicare card. The new Medicare card contains a unique, randomly assigned number that replaces the current Social Security-based number. CMS will begin mailing the new cards to people with Medicare benefits in April 2018 to meet the statutory deadline for … [Read more...] about CMS reveals new Medicare Card design
The countdown for MACRA data collection is ON
By Tina Colangelo bio The last day to start collecting data is October 2, 2017. That is less than a month away. It is crucial to take action now and schedule a MACRA practice assessment. At the very least, these four questions need to be answered: Which payment track will I participate in in 2017, the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or an Advanced … [Read more...] about The countdown for MACRA data collection is ON