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ENFORCEMENT

Physician and medical office to pay over $2.6M for false claims and kickback allegations

Allegations of improper billing and kickbacks have led to a penalty of more than $2.6 million for a Connecticut medical practice and physician. United States Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced that Feel Well Health Center of Southington, PC,  (formerly doing business as “Feel Well Health Center”) and Kevin P. Greene, M.D. (“Greene”) have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and agreed to pay more than $2.6 million to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts by improperly billing federal and state healthcare programs, and that they received illegal kickbacks. Greene is a physician and the principal member and owner of Feel Well Health Center (now doing business as “Confidia Health Institute”), a primary… . . . read more.

PATIENT ACCESS

Medical association happy with telehealth extensions

The American Medical Association (AMA) salutes Congress for passing telehealth provisions in the omnibus spending bill that promise a new era of access for patients across the country. “Congress has taken a crucial step in starting a revolution in patient access. The AMA aims to continue being a partner in moving it forward,” said AMA President Gerald E. Harmon, M.D. “The dramatic increase in adoption of telehealth that occurred in 2020 has allowed medical care that combines in-person and virtual services to become the new standard of care. This new legislation guarantees that patients with Medicare will continue to benefit from this important innovation in health care delivery.” (Medical Office Manager is offering a webinar on telehealth April 6.  Speaker Jen Bell of Karen Zupko & Associates will present Telehealth:… . . . read more.

COMPLIANCE

Feds crack down on telemedicine and COVID-19 fraud

Telemedicine was a minor but growing blip on the enforcement radar before the public health emergency. But with the dramatic step up in utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was all but inevitable that schemes involving telemedicine fraud would command more of the Department of Justice’s attention. So, the agency’s September announcement of its latest nationwide telemedicine crackdown should come as no surprise. DOJ telemedicine enforcement actions by the numbers Here are some of the key numbers documenting the initiative, which doesn’t yet have a nickname a la last October’s “Operation Rubber Stamp,” the third telemedicine takedown undertaken by the DOJ since 2019: 31: The number of federal districts involved in the most recent initiative; 138: The number of defendants who’ve been criminally charged, including 42 doctors, nurses and other… . . . read more.

CORONAVIRUS

AMA puts out telemedicine guide

The American Medical Association (AMA) has compiled a guide to help physicians get telemedicine up and running so they can safely care for patients. The telemedicine quick guide outlines the first steps to get started and lays out key considerations to implementing telemedicine and explains policy, coding and payment. Even if your practice didn’t use telemedicine before, it may be an option now. Federal government agencies temporarily relaxed certain federal privacy regulations during the COVID-19 crisis and expanded payment policies. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is letting physicians provide beneficiaries a wider range of health care services without having to visit a health care facility. This CMS fact sheet explains more. Also, the Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General is waiving Medicare’s cost-sharing requirements for COVID-19 treatment delivered via telehealth from a doctor’s office or hospital emergency department. Learn more with… . . . read more.

PANDEMIC

Protecting your medical practice during uncertain times

By John W. McDaniel bio Given the recent disruption and decreased demand for physician office services, coupled with the foreboding predictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, both hospital- affiliated and private medical practices are having to adjust their operations in order to provide billable patient care services while salvaging the cash flow/liquidity of the practice. Indeed, physicians have been slow to adopt telemedicine as an essential adjunct service; yet, the current external environment beyond our control has caused physicians to respond and explore ways to optimize operational changes in terms of modifying the traditional business model of physician practices in order to be financially viable now and in the future. The greatest change has resulted in realizing the benefits of telemedicine as physicians are discovering the benefits of performing patient assessments… . . . read more.

BLOG

What you need to consider before getting started in telemedicine

By Nick Hernandez  bio
Many practices are hearing about telemedicine and becoming increasingly interested in how such a program could…


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TELEHEALTH

How telehealth can transform your medical practice

Telehealth— the practice of providing a range of healthcare services remotely, as opposed to face-to-face— is revolutionizing the practice of…


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HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY

2018 MGMA conference inspires practice leaders to transform the healthcare industry

By Lisa A. Eramo, MA
Leadership, operational best practices, healthcare consumerism, population health management, and value-based care were among the many topics discussed at the…


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TECHNOLOGY

When a smartphone camera can replace a visit to the doctor

Using smartphone cameras, parents can reliably take high-quality photographs of their child’s skin condition to send to a dermatologist for…


. . . read more


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