This week’s Medicare updates include the release of the 2019 Inpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rule, the publication of the feedback CMS received following a request for information on initiatives to improve the quality of healthcare while reducing cost, the announcement of the new Data-Driven Patient Care Strategy, and more!
The OIG will be scrutinizing how CMS collects overpayments, according to a recent update to its Work Plan. The agency will be looking at whether CMS followed recommendations to improve and increase collections.
CMS recently released MLN Matters SE18001 to provide healthcare practitioners with instructions and coding guidance for specimen validity when performed and billed in combination with drug testing. The article was issued to remind laboratories and other providers performing urine drug testing that specimen validity testing (SVT) is not separately billable.
A coding audit may be conducted by internal staff or external entities, typically representing the insurers paying for the care. When planning to implement a coding auditing program, the type of reviews, focus areas, and review frequency must all be taken into consideration.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), it is estimated that more than half a million people in the U.S. have Crohn’s disease. For unknown reasons, the disease has become more widespread in both the U.S. and other parts of the world.
