Tag: CMS

Medicare Advantage Plans and the Two-Midnight Rule

Controversy continues to swirl around this subject. A recent article of mine focused on the argument that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have to follow the two-midnight rule. It certainly generated buzz; I received a number of emails with comments and questions. First, I want to note that I love getting comments and questions. I can’t […]
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MACRA Readiness for Healthcare Organizations

Without even putting too much effort into listening to or reading the news, you understand that healthcare costs have steadily risen over the last couple decades, and yet we don’t really have any significant and correlating rise in outcomes to show for it.  CMS or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has also noticed […]
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Why Hospitals Without Robust Revenue Cycle Support are Losing Millions?

A frequent knock on electronic health records (EHRs) has been that they’re just glorified billing systems that fail to provide enough clinical functionality to make a significant difference in the quality of care. So it’s somewhat incongruous that a recent Black Book report on revenue cycle management (RCM) system adoption would say that 26 percent of hospitals don’t have an effective […]
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Are Chargemasters Making Medical Billing More Transparent?

When it comes to a trip to the hospital we all know costs can add up quickly, but do you really know exactly what you’re paying for? Well, since January 1, a federal regulation has required hospitals to post machine-readable documents detailing everything they charge for called chargemasters. Though a debate has been raised into […]
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Full MACRA Implementation Needed to Advance Value-Based Care

Failing to execute full MACRA implementation by excluding over half of providers is impeding the transition to value-based care, the industry group told Congress. AMGA is urging Congress to enforce MACRA implementation as policymakers intended by no longer excluding providers from the Merit-Based Payment Incentive Program (MIPS). “MIPS was designed as a viable transition tool […]
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CMS Eliminates Reporting of Functional Limitation Codes

  CMS also has updated its therapy manuals, making elimination of FLR official. Many therapy providers, at hospital outpatient departments and private-practice clinics alike, were reluctant to stop submitting functional limitation reporting codes and impairment modifiers until they could see the guidance clearly written in black and white in the associated therapy policy manuals. While […]
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Ensure Proper MIPS Payment Adjustments with a Targeted Review

Right out of the gate, Medicare Incentive-based Payment System (MIPS) adjustments were incorrectly applied to non physician services and supplies. This error is being corrected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), but what if no one caught it? MIPS eligible clinicians and clinician groups could have improperly lost or gained considerable revenue. […]
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New Medicare Enrollment Application

There is a new version of the CMS-855I Medicare Enrollment Application, which physicians and non-physician practitioners may begin using immediately. Medicare Administrative Contractors will accept the previous version of the application (7/2011) through April 30, and then require you to use the new version (12/18). What’s Changed? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made the […]
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