So many of us are now faced with not only the challenges associated with working from home but having the whole family home as well. There are daily news stories about how to cope with kids who want to go see their friends, work-out routines without gym equipment, and virtual dance parties streamed live via…
CMS has released a second emergency code for the testing of CORVID-19. To find out more about this update, read the article below and click on the links to see how you are covered. As of Friday, March 6th, CMS released a second emergency code for CORVID-19 testing. Unlike HCPCS code U0001, which was released…
February is Heart Health Awareness Month, so we all wear red and talk about our hearts, but what are we doing every day to make sure we are keeping it healthy? How many hours each day, week, month do we each spend at our desks without so much as a break to get water? If…
In a recent release of 2018 benchmarks regarding modifiers 76, 77 and 79, the data of payment vs denials is staggering. For instance, a total of 159 codes reported with 91 and 249 codes that were reported using modifier 77 all had a 100% denial rate. Compared to the 952 codes that were denied when…
As Risk Adjustment (RA) and Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) coding continue to grow and become common practice it is important for not just coders, but also our clinicians to recognize its importance and the effect it has on reimbursement. Below is an example of a procedure and notes regarding coding and why our clinician must…
In the January 23rd edition of the MLN Connects, CMS announced the release of a Comparative Billing Report (CBR) on Shoulder Arthroscopies for Medicare part B claims. This information can be vital for Orthopedic practices during the audit process. Data will be compared based on other providers in your state as well as nationwide. However,…
The New Year always brings opportunities to grow and learn. While many find it difficult to be healthy in the workplace there are simple steps to take to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Below are six great tips on building healthy habits at work. Read the article below to find out 6 ways you can build…
Vaping and E-cigarette use by young adults has grown over the past few years. While many are ignoring the effects of using these products, the CDC and CMS have released addendums regarding these products after the World Health Organization confirmed the side effects of vapes and e-cigarettes. Read below for more on these important updates…
Last week, we briefly described the X modifier series and when to substitute these new modifiers. Below are a few scenarios from the NCCI policy manual you can refer to when using these modifiers.* The CCI bundle involving column 1 code 45385 (Flexible colonoscopy with removal of tumor[s], polyp[s], or lesion[s] by snare technique) and…
It has been several years since CMS released the X modifier series, are you using these correctly or not at all? In an end of year survey, published in Part B News, 78% of respondents said they had reported an X modifier in 2019. The creation of the X modifier series is to report with…