This week’s Medicare updates include the July updates for the OPPS and ambulatory surgical center payment system, a new national coverage analysis for vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for treatment-resistant depression, an advisory opinion related to telemedicine, and more!
Although compliant querying is clearly spelled out in inpatient CDI, where patient encounters can last three to five days, it’s more complex in the fast-paced ambulatory world where single patient encounters are shorter and may be spread over a year’s time. Experts weigh in on the best approach to effective, compliant outpatient queries.
CMS announced revised pricing for covered drugs and biologicals in the July 2018 update to the OPPS. Hospitals should thoroughly review all of the updates to ensure any required changes are in place by the stated effective dates.
Case managers must be positioned (through the organizational structure) and must position themselves (through skills and knowledge) to be an instrumental and influential member of the team to support and monitor the development of a comprehensive and sustainable plan for the patient.
If your healthcare organization thinks distributing a Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) form, ensuring patients acknowledge receiving it, and maintaining those acknowledgments is a burden, the government may agree with you.
