The Office of the Inspector General’s work plan for 2016 has been released, and after reviewing the plan for next year, we are happy to report that there is not much of concern to the phlebology practice.
Of note is a new work order regarding referring and ordering Medicare services and supplies. The order states “…will review select Medicare services, supplies, and DME referred/ ordered by physicians and non-physician practitioners to determine if payments were made in accordance with Medicare requirements.” It goes on to explain that physicians and non-physician practitioners who order certain services/supplies and DME must be enrolled in Medicare. If these services were ordered by a non-par provider, then Medicare claims should not be covered.
Not in the work order but on the same topic, Medicare has also sent out a notice that mid-level prescribers must also be enrolled in Medicare.
For those practices that see Medicare patients and that employ a mid-level provider, it would be a good idea to review what services they provide, and if they are ordering services such as imaging, items like compression stockings, or writing prescriptions to ensure that they are in fact enrolled with Medicare as a provider.
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