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Home » topics » Coding
RETAINING STAFF

Be smart about scheduling to retain hourly employees

May 30, 2023 by

Staff scheduling can significantly impact the success of your practice. While scheduling may seem like a routine administrative task, its importance in retaining your valuable hourly employees cannot be overstated. A well-designed and thoughtful scheduling system can lead to increased job satisfaction, higher productivity, and improved staff retention rates. . Depending on the size and structure of your practice, you might have some of these staff members on hourly wages instead of monthly salary—receptionist, medical assistant, billing and coding specialist, medical transcriptionist, records technician, medical equipment tech, office cleaner and office assistant. Good scheduling practices could give them: Consistency and predictability By providing consistent and predictable work schedules, you demonstrate your commitment to fairness and respect for your employees’ time. Hourly employees often face challenges in balancing their work and… . . . read more.

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PURCHASING

9 things to know about billing software

March 21, 2023 by

The large majority of medical offices use billing software. If you haven’t made the leap to billing software yet, or if you are shopping for a new software vendor, here are things to know. With billing software, you can automate the entire billing process, from sending out invoices to processing payments. This can save you a lot of time and reduce the risk of errors. This starts with shopping for medical billing software. s a medical office manager, there are important factors to consider before purchasing medical billing software. To choose the best software for your small practice, consider the following factors: Budget: Determine your monthly and annual budget for the software and whether you prefer a monthly or annual payment structure. Practice Management Software: Decide if a comprehensive practice… . . . read more.

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CODING & BILLING

CPT update for COVID-19 boosters adapted to omicron

September 6, 2022 by

The American Medical Association has announced an update to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT)®, that includes eight new codes for the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster doses from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. The updated boosters are adapted for the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants and the original coronavirus strain in a single dose. Four of the eight CPT codes (91312, 91313, 0124A and 0134A) are effective for use immediately as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized Moderna’s new COVID-19 booster in individuals 18 years of age and older and Pfizer-BioNTech’s new COVID-19 booster in individuals 12 years of age and older. Four CPT codes (91314, 91315, 0144A and 0154A) will be effective for use on the condition that the FDA authorizes Moderna’s new COVID-19 booster in individuals 6 years through… . . . read more.

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BILLING & CODING

Telehealth policy to change after the COVID-19 public health emergency

September 1, 2022 by

The COVID-19 public health emergency has been extended to Oct. 13. Of particular interest to medical practices is the continuation of telehealth flexibilities, which will expire at the end of the public health emergency. US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra officially renewed the declaration in mid-August. The emergency declaration has been in place since January 2020, and the latest renewal came as the Omicron offshoot BA.5, the most contagious variant yet, continues to stake its claim in the US. Daily case rates, though vastly undercounted, are the highest they’ve been in months, as are COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. Data published in August by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than half of the country’s population lives in a county with a… . . . read more.

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BILLING & COLLECTIONS

Medicare covering OTC COVID-19 tests

April 4, 2022 by

Starting this week and through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), Medicare covers and pays for over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests at no cost to people with Medicare Part B, including those with Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. In addition to helping prevent the spread of COVID-19, the goal is to find out if Medicare payment for OTC COVID-19 tests will improve access to testing and result in Medicare savings or other program improvements. What’s covered Eligible providers or suppliers can distribute U.S. FDA-approved, authorized, or cleared OTC COVID-19 tests to patients enrolled in Part B, including those enrolled in MA plans. Patients who only have Medicare Part A can get free OTC COVID-19 tests through other government-led programs, like covidtests.gov, which operates through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Or,… . . . read more.

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MOM WEBINAR

Learn about changes and updates to telehealth

March 25, 2022 by

There’s a lot you need to know about telehealth. That’s why Medical Office Manager is offering a webinar, Telehealth—What Managers Need to Know, on April 6. It’s free to Medical Office Manager members. Presenter Jen Bell of Karen Zupko and Associates will give you the tools and knowledge you need to comply with new telehealth regulations. Meanwhile here is Jen’s update on telehealth changes to early 2022. POS 10 Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home Patient is located in their home (which is a location other than a hospital or other facility where the patient receives care in a private residence) when receiving health services or health related services through telecommunication technology. Home may be defined to include temporary lodging (hotels, homeless shelters) and patient travels of short distance from the exact… . . . read more.

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CMS

Medicare payment upped for COVID-19 vaccine

April 3, 2021 by

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has increased the Medicare payment amount for administering the COVID-19 vaccine. This new and higher payment rate will support important actions taken by providers that are designed to increase the number of vaccines they can furnish each day, including establishing new or growing existing vaccination sites, conducting patient outreach and education, and hiring additional staff. For COVID-19 vaccines administered on or after March 15, the national average payment rate for physicians, hospitals, pharmacies and many other immunizers will be $40 to administer each dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This represents an increase from approximately $28 to $40 for the administration of single-dose vaccines, and an increase from approximately $45 to $80 for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines requiring two doses. The exact payment… . . . read more.

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CODING

New devices, technology dominate 2021 CPT code changes

March 28, 2021 by

By Lisa Eramo bio There is a whole slew of new and revised CPT codes—329 changes to be exact—effective since Jan. 1. This includes 206 new codes, 54 deletions, and 69 revisions. Interestingly, the majority of changes pertaining to new technology and devices, giving medical practices the opportunity to provide high-quality patient care while also receiving reimbursement. This article summarizes three notable changes. Retinal imaging using augmented intelligence The American Medical Association (AMA) added CPT code 92229 for retinal imaging with automated point-of-care analysis and report (unilateral or bilateral). Per the AMA, this technology better supports patient screening for diabetic retinopathy, and it increases the early detection and incorporation of findings into diabetes care. What’s interesting about this procedure is that it relies on augmented intelligence (AI) technology, says Kimberly Huey,… . . . read more.

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CODING

Impact of reimbursement and compliance to WRVU-based compensation

December 10, 2020 by

By John McDaniel bio All physician contracts including any form of WRVU based compensation may need to be reviewed and probably amended because of the increase in WRVUʹs (work relative value units) associated with E&M CPT codes effective Jan. 1, 2021. This has been necessitated by CMS whereby the final decision involved eliminating CPT Code 99201 and leaving CPT Code 99211 unchanged. The changes for CPT Codes 99202‐99205 and 99212‐99215 have resulted in increased physician/provider reimbursement since the WRVUs for these codes have been significantly changed. Indeed, this increase in the WRVU component will certainly affect physician compensation. While the major commercial payers have not yet announced their intention to utilize the 2021 E&M codes, those decisions will greatly impact both provider reimbursement and WRVU utilization. It should be noted… . . . read more.

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CODING

Impact of 2021 evaluation and management coding changes to WRVU based physician compensation

October 13, 2020 by

By John McDaniel bio As you may know, all physician contracts which include any form of WRVU based compensation will need to be reviewed and probably amended due to the increase in WRVUs (work relative value units) associated with E&M CPT codes effective Jan. 1, 2021. We recently conducted an assessment for one of our hospital clients which showed the ʺunintended consequencesʺ of increased compensation to the physicians/providers and the resultant impact to fair market value standards. This has been necessitated by CMS whereby the final decision involved eliminating CPT Code 99201 and leaving CPT Code 99211 unchanged. The changes for CPT Codes 99202‐99205 and 99212‐99215 have resulted in increased reimbursement since the WRVUʹs for these codes have increased. Indeed, the increase in the WRVU component will certainly affect physician compensation… . . . read more.

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