November 17, 2023 | By Amanda Waesch This past September 2023, the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) issued Advisory Opinion 23-06 (AO).1 The Opinion involved a proposed arrangement between an independent pathology laboratory and third-party physician laboratories for the purchase of the technical component of…
November 10, 2023 | By Toni Elhoms, CCS, CPC, CPMA, CRC On countless occasions, I have heard physicians and healthcare providers balk at the notion of learning how to level their E/M services based on medical-decision-making (MDM), and some will even go as far as to say things like “I don’t have time…
November 3, 2023 | By Sonal Patel, BA, CPMA, CPC, CMC, ICDCM Fresh insights from the American Medical Association (AMA) are always welcome when it comes to medical coding policy. Although they have provided previous guidance on the appropriate use of modifier -25, the AMA’s Smart Brief on August 17, 2023, also provides…
June 3, 2022 | By Pam Brooks, MHA, COC, PCS, CPC, Fellow Federal oversight makes healthcare one of the most highly regulated industries in the United States. From a compliance perspective, that oversight poses significant risk for organizations who are unaware of the federal requirements, as well as providing opportunities for compliance professionals to…
June 17, 2022 | By Sean Weiss, CHC, CEMA, CMCO, CPMA, CPC-P, CMPE, CPC I am constantly being asked what can be done when government and commercial payors are slow-walking claims for payment. The simple answer is to know your state and federal law. First, let’s tackle the federal law which is 42 CFR…