In February, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began rolling out its national Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program, aimed at ferreting out improper payments and preventing fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare system. If you bill for Medicare fee-for-service, you are fair game for a RAC audit. A three-year demonstration of the RAC program, which ended in March 2008, heavily targeted bronchoscopy, injectable drugs and IV hydration therapy. But auditors are rapidly expanding the list, and the permanent program will include adenoidectomies, tonsillectomies, thyroidectomies and other otolaryngology-related procedures.
Health Care as a Commodity: Competition should be focus of health reform, lecturer says
Donald Palmisano, Esq., MD, believes the key to curing the health care crisis in the U.S. involves respecting the sacredness of the doctor-patient relationship and capping the size of malpractice awards.
Quality Over Quantity: Accountable care organizations link physician payments to hospital outcomes
Beyond the handful of long-established and well-integrated sites being labeled as de facto accountable care organizations (ACOs), advocates are seizing the moment and pushing for a bold vision of what role ACOs will play in the movement to reform the health care payment system across the country.
Medicare Meltdown: Congress Seeks Payment Formula Fix
Presdient Obama signed legislationlast month to temporarily prevent a 12.2 percent Medicare payment cut scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. The freeze lasts until Feb. 28, during which Congress is expected to come up with a permanent solution to what some consider a flawed payment system.
Otolaryngologists-Head and Neck Surgeons Urged: Be Part of the Solution in Health Care Reform
With the crisis in the financial markets reaching what many call historic proportions, another crisis long brewing is threatening to surface that, if some experts are correct, could have even greater consequences than the financial crisis for the US health care system.
New Medicare Audiology Billing Takes Effect
As of October 1, all audiologists who provide services to Medicare patients must use their own National Provider Identifier (NPI) on claims submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The Otolaryngologist and the Imminent Crisis in Geriatric Medicine
Where Do the Presidential Candidates Stand on Health Care?
CMS Reimburses Sleep Apnea CPAP Treatment When Diagnosed with Home Testing
Coding: It’s All in the Details
Getting reimbursed properly for performing procedures is all in the details, especially in areas that can be confusing to code.