COVID-19 is changing the way we practice medicine. Social distancing measures have led to a surge in demand for telemedicine, while practices around the country are seeing a reduced number of in-office patient visits. While the regulatory environment has not always been favorable towards telehealth, federal and state legislations have recently loosened in an effort […]
Betsy Nicoletti, MS, a nationally recognized coding expert, will take your coding questions via email and provide guidance on how to code properly to maximize reimbursement. Have a question about coding? Send it here. In this column, Nicoletti outlines some key guidance for using telemedicine. These rules would apply during the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid […]
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to send more Utah residents to hospitals. Given the rise in hospital visits, addressing the need for cost transparency and clarity for patients has become more urgent than ever. Surprise Medical bills, a familiar issue, is receiving even more attention and press coverage during this unprecedented time. In a 2019 […]
In unprecedented crisis of COVID-19, the first instinct is to triage our activities, often weeding out the ones that seem to be the least important. Some of those will never surface again and just become part of the detritus left behind. Tucked into the recent CARES Act, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations […]
The healthcare system is facing an unprecedented crisis, but accurate COVID-19 coding and billing can help providers weather the storm and prepare for future outbreaks. The COVID-19 pandemic is putting strain on the healthcare system, but accurately capturing data and documenting cases of the novel coronavirus can help ease the burden on providers. COVID-19 […]
As CMS continues to update their policies on telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Public Health Emergency, ICD10monitor is here to continue to keep you informed on these changes. In the meantime, let us answer some burning questions to get you through the telehealth confusion, until you can join our webcast. QUESTION: What are requirements […]
As with last week, RACmonitor asked Dr. Ronald Hirsch, vice president of R1 RCM, to summarize the most pertinent regulatory changes recently arising. The following is a transcript of his reporting today on Monitor Mondays. “First, thank you, everyone, for continuing to care for patients and continuing to take this pandemic seriously,” Dr. Ronald Hirsch […]
A healthcare lawyer advises providers to thoroughly document care delivery to prevent medical billing and payment issues likely to arise from the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical documentation is critical to serving patients with COVID-19, but also avoiding medical billing and payment issues in the months and years following the pandemic, according to healthcare lawyer Delphine O’Rourke. “There’s […]
Certain HIPAA sanctions and penalties are being waived for hospitals during the nationwide emergency concerning COVID-19. Which Privacy Rule Provisions Are Waived? Effective March 15, 2020, covered hospitals will not be held to comply with the following provisions of the HIPAA Privacy Rule: The requirements to obtain a patient’s agreement to speak with family members […]
CMS has released several fact sheets in recent weeks on billing and coding to provide guidance to healthcare organizations testing and treating patients for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Seven things to know: CMS developed Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System code U0001 to allow laboratories and healthcare providers to bill for using the CDC’s […]