COVID-19 Relief Bill Adds Surprises to 2021 Final Rule, MPFS

Published: Wed, 01/13/21

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in a rare move, recently raised the conversion factor (CF) twice in one week, resulting in an adjustment of approximately $34.89 for 2021. The action by CMS marked a last

Rationing Patient Care in a Pandemic

During the early part of this month, the U.S. has been averaging nearly 200,000 new cases each day, a 15-percent increase from the average two weeks prior. Whether this has been caused by...

It’s going to be a Cold, Hard COVID-19 Winter, but Help is on the Way

As I and many experts predicted, the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States has ramped up, and the winter is going to be bleak. On Dec. 10 (the day prior to when I wrote this article), 2,923 new coronavirus deaths and 223,570 new cases were reported nationwide.

Key Considerations for COVID-19 Vaccine Billing and Coding

For many providers, the end of the pandemic is in sight with the recent emergency use authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine. And while this may be true, it is just the start of a COVID-19 vaccine billing and coding strategy for healthcare organizations.

6 Aspects to Understanding ZPIC Audits

Zone Program Integrity Contractors (“ZPICs”) are charged with the responsibility of investigating alleged instances of fraud, waste, or abuse by health care providers. They are authorized to conduct massive and...

Rewriting the Physician Office Visit Note: Ensuring Compliance in Medical Documentation in 2021

Are you prepared for the sweeping changes made to the “traditional” 1995 and 1997 evaluation and management (E/M) guidelines for office and outpatient visit codes you have been accustomed to for two decades?