This week's note from the instructor reviews the impact recent updates to the National Correct Coding Initative (NCCI) edits and Integrated Outpatient Code Editor (IOCE) will have on billing processes.
If provisions of the 2019 IPPS proposed rule related to admission orders become a reality in October, case managers could be relieved of a big headache. If this portion of this rule is finalized, CMS would reverse the requirement that a physician’s order must be in the medical record for the hospital to bill for inpatient services under Medicare Part A.
Around a dozen employees of the Washington Health System (WHS) in Washington County, Pennsylvania, have reportedly been suspended for HIPAA violations involving alleged inappropriate access to patient records, according to the Washington County Observer-Reporter.
This week's note from the instructor reviews the impact recent updates to the National Correct Coding Initative (NCCI) edits and Integrated Outpatient Code Editor (IOCE) will have on billing processes.
This week’s Medicare updates include the release of the 2019 ICD-10-CM code set, numerous updates to the OIG Work Plan, a fact sheet detailing how CMS determines qualifying APM status in the Quality Payment Program, and more!
When evaluating a code edit, it’s necessary to understand exactly when or where in the claim or billing process the edit arose. Look to coding guidance to help edit resolution efforts.
CMS plans to rebrand the Meaningful Use program as “Promoting Interoperability.” In a fact sheet, the agency said that the proposed changes outlined in the IPPS rule are meant to improve the use of EHRs and make it easier for providers to spend time with their patients.
In a continued effort to combat the opioid epidemic, CMS released a roadmap detailing its progress toward addressing the crisis as well as its plans for slowing opioid dependence. CMS noted that while the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics indicate the opioid epidemic is not slowing down, efforts aimed at combatting the epidemic must continue.
CMS issued change request (CR) 10778 on June 15, with an effective date of July 17, to update Chapter 12 of the Medicare Program Integrity Manual. The proposed update includes details for handling non-responders and insufficient responses to additional documentation requests (ADR) under the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) program.
