CMS Clarifies Patient Financial Responsibility for COVID-19 Testing

Published: Tue, 04/14/20

When the first guidance on COVID-19 testing was released on March 13, CMS made it clear that there would be no beneficiary cost obligations for the COVID-19 test. This, though, was simply a basic tenet of the Medicare payment system; there is never beneficiary coinsurance or deductibles on approved lab tests.

ACP survey shows increase in telehealth usage by physicians

Telehealth usage was on the rise even before the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey from the American College of Physicians (ACP).

COVID-19 Therapies As A Test Case For Coverage, Coding, And Payment Reforms

Biomedical innovators have mobilized across the world to address COVID-19, from the initiation of clinical trials for potential vaccines to ongoing studies of repurposed medications for potential therapeutic and prophylactic benefit. Most policy commentary for therapeutic development has focused on issues such the availability of master...

B97.29 What in the World? A COVID-19 Coding Guide for Surgeons

We are living through an unprecedented time in society today. It has been discussed for years with many predicting cataclysmic results. SARS-CoV-2 has seemingly stopped the world from spinning. There are many resources available describing individual responses to the crisis; however, I will discuss this from a general surgery perspective.

Creating a Contingency Plan in the COVID-19 Era

In any crisis, emergency, or pandemic, which do happen from time to time, like the one the world is experiencing right now with COVID-19, it is vital that you have a preparedness plan (or what is better referred to as a contingency plan) in place.

National Uniform Billing Committee Releases New Condition Code for COVID-19 Claims

We are in a state of flux with information, details, instructions, and changes impacting the revenue cycle in healthcare, due to the 2019 novel coronavirus (or COVID-19) pandemic and crisis. One such change is the release by the National Uniform Billing Committee (NUBC) of a new condition code for COVID-19 healthcare claims.

President Trump Expands Telehealth Benefits for Medicare Beneficiaries During COVID-19 Outbreak

The Trump Administration today announced expanded Medicare telehealth coverage that will enable beneficiaries to receive a wider range of healthcare services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility. Beginning on March...

13 reasons your practice should have a medical record audit

As unpleasant as the task may seem, a medical record audit of your physician practice is akin to the best kind of medicine.

7 Top Tips for Mastering ICD-10-CM 7th Characters

Diagnosis coding brings the unique challenge of knowing when to use a 7^th character on your ICD-10-CM code and then determining which character applies. These tips will help you refine your diagnosis coding skills.