Limit this code to administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. On May 17, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to authorize the use of a booster dose for patients 5 through 11 years of age. The CPT® code to report administration of this […]
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 […]
A focus on front-end revenue cycle efficiency can help to avoid costly medical necessity denials. KEY TAKEAWAYS Four words often describe the efforts to prevent denials related to medical necessity: too little, too late. Mistakes are made early in the patient’s hospital stay, and these mistakes lead to problems down the road. What remains constant […]
Recognition of the impact that social determinants of health (SDOH) have on patients’ outcomes is growing, as is the desire to incorporate SDOH factors into patient-care plans. But awareness of an existing data infrastructure that could help physician practices do so is limited. “The clinical care we provide only accounts for about 50% of […]
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 […]
the payer giant is accused of forcing physician groups out of network to lure them to its subsidiary, Optum. UnitedHealth is the target of a lawsuit by Envision Healthcare and several other physician practices, who claim the country’s largest health insurer engages in a nationwide practice of low reimbursement rates for providers to force […]
The Great Resignation forced employers to focus on how they can improve healthcare benefits to retain talent, but employers and employees have differing opinions on healthcare coverage. As the Great Resignation sweeps across the US, employers and their human resource teams are often misaligned with employees regarding health insurance coverage and the role healthcare benefits […]
After appealing the courts’ ruling on vacating a piece of arbitration within the No Surprises Act, HHS asks the court for a hold on its plea. HHS recently requested for a hold on its appeal of a Texas federal court ruling vacating parts of the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process in the surprise billing interim […]
A report by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) raises concerns about organizations prioritizing profits over patient access to care. Medicare Advantage organizations (MAOs) often delay or deny services for medically necessary care, even when prior authorization requests meet coverage rules, according to a report by the OIG. A concern with the Medicare Advantage […]
CMS recently released new data on hospital changes of ownership, a health equity plan and said it would end a legal battle with Texas over Medicaid. Becker’s has reported on the following 13 CMS moves since April 8. Finance No hospitals received price transparency notices in April, CMS says CMS issued no additional warning […]