In a new survey by Medscape, physicians identified denial of claims as the worst experience they have with insurance companies. According to the survey’s results, published in the “Insurer Ratings Report 2014,” claims denials were the most frequently as well as the most intensively described negative experience. Medscape also asked physicians to rate payers on […]
Free Orthopedic ICD-10 Resources
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as part of its “Road to 10: The Small Physician Practice’s Route to ICD-10,” offers a series of valuable, free ICD-10 resources for orthopedic surgeons. These resources include the following: 1. Common orthopedics codes. An illustrative sample of high-impact diagnosis codes related to common conditions that you may […]
Medicare’s Final 2015 ASC Payment Rule Adds 11 Spine Procedures to Payable List
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its final 2015 ambulatory surgery center (ASC) payment rule (pdf), according to an ASC Association report. In the final rule, CMS finalized the addition of the following 11 spine codes to the ASC-payable list: 22551 — Neck spine fuse&remov bel c2 22554 — Neck spine […]
Free Mental Health Resource: Tips and Strategies for Billing From SPRC
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) provides numerous valuable and free primary care resources on its website. Included in these resources is a five-page guide on “Tips and Strategies for Billing for Mental Health Services in a Primary Care Setting.” Topics covered in this guide include: How to bill for diagnostic and treatment services Tips […]
CMS Establishes New Physician Specialty Code for Interventional Cardiology
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced (pdf) the establishment of a new physician specialty code for interventional cardiology: C3. According to an American College of Cardiology report, C3 “allows CMS to distinguish an interventional cardiologist from a clinical cardiologist when billing for Medicare services.” Previously, no such mechanism existed. As a result, […]
Proper Modifier -59 Use for Postoperative Pain Management by Anesthesiologists
In a June blog post, we noted that CMS had updated an MLN Matters article to clarify the proper use of modifier -59. When this MLN Matters article (SE1418) was released, the American Society of Anesthesiologists issued a Physician and Practice Management Memo to bring attention to the publication. In this memo, ASA also provides […]
Same-Day Billing Guidelines for Mental Health Services
Last September, CMS published a Medicare Learning Network brochure on mental health services. Included in this brochure is an informative section discussing same-day billing guidelines. Note: The information in this section, and publication, applies only to the Medicare Fee-For-Service Program, also known as Original Medicare. According to CMS, integration of the following services is an […]
What Does a Medical Laboratory Technician Do?
With the improvement in the medical health care facilities, there has been a phenomenal increase in the average life span of a person. There has been a steep increase in the diagnostic facilities and this has also spawned an increase in the need of Medical Lab Technician. The scope for a Medical Lab Technician is […]
Top Billed Chiropractic Codes: ICD-9 to ICD-10 Conversion
Priority Health, a Michigan-based health plan, provides a valuable, free resource for chiropractors. The one-page resource identifies top billed chiropractic ICD-9 codes, along with their general description, and then provides the corresponding ICD-10 diagnosis code(s). Oct. 1, 2015 was recently confirmed as the new ICD-10 transition compliance date for healthcare providers. The Priority Health resource […]
CMS Assigns Physician Specialty Designation for Interventional Cardiology
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has granted a new specialty designation for interventional cardiology, according to numerous reports, including a Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions press release. The new specialty code will allow CMS to distinguish an interventional cardiologist from a clinical cardiologist when billing Medicare for services. The designation is expected […]