Month: May 2022

Healthcare Finance Leaders Facing Revenue Cycle Workforce Shortages

Healthcare Finance Leaders Facing Revenue Cycle Workforce Shortages

More than 400 healthcare finance leaders reported having revenue cycle workforce shortages, with almost 20 percent seeing 30 or more vacancies. Healthcare finance leaders are experiencing revenue cycle workforce shortages, with one in four reporting that they need to hire more than 20 employees to fully staff their department, according to a survey commissioned by […]
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5 Benefits of Addressing Payment Integrity Before Payments Are Ever Made

5 Benefits of Addressing Payment Integrity Before Payments Are Ever Made

Payment integrity in Medicaid—the concerted effort to keep tight control over fraud, waste and abuse—can be addressed at any stage in the claim cycle. Of course, the earlier it is addressed, the easier it is for health plans to avoid improper payments and the administrative burden of recovering them. And while pre-payment integrity programs maximize […]
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CMS Issues Contract Year 2023 Final Rule for Medicare Advantage Organizations and Prescription Drug Sponsors

CMS Issues Contract Year 2023 Final Rule for Medicare Advantage Organizations and Prescription Drug Sponsors

  On April 29, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”), issued the final rule on Contract Year 2023 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs (the “Final Rule”).  CMS promotes the Final Rule as advancing “CMS’ strategic vision of expanding access to affordable health care […]
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What is the HIPAA Security Rule?

What is the HIPAA Security Rule?

The HIPAA Security Rule requires covered entities and business associates to implement technical, physical, and administrative safeguards. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) required the HHS secretary to develop rules for safeguarding electronic protected health information (ePHI). Out of these requirements, HHS created the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the HIPAA Security […]
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Preventive Medicine Versus E&M Codes

Preventive Medicine Versus E&M Codes

Choosing a proper office visit code can become confusing unless one understands the rules separating preventive medicine and evaluation and management (E&M) coding. Problem-oriented E&M services, office, and other outpatient visit codes 99202-99215 (along with hospital, observation, and consultative encounters) are for patients who present with signs, symptoms, conditions, diagnoses and/or problems that need to […]
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Don’t Overlook These New PLA Codes

Don’t Overlook These New PLA Codes

A quarterly update for the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS), issued May 4, includes nine new CPT® codes for proprietary laboratory analyses (PLAs). Medical coding and billing staff that process claims for lab testing should be aware of these codes and pricing. 9 New PLA Codes The following PLA (type of service 5) codes are […]
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How to Build ICD-10-PCS Codes From Op Reports

How to Build ICD-10-PCS Codes From Op Reports

Arrive at the correct procedure code by breaking down the operative report. Even seasoned coding professionals occasionally find it challenging to assign the appropriate ICD-10-PCS codes from the operative report. Mastering the procedural coding system used in the inpatient hospital setting takes practice. Medical coders reporting inpatient services should start by reading the operative report, […]
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