CIGNA SELF-FUNDED VENOUS EXCLUSIONS
by AJ Riviezzo Cigna is frequently the insurer used to administer self-funded plans. These are plans where all claim payments are made by the employee’s company. Cigna prices their services for these plans and give the employer an idea of costs associated… Read More
United Healthcare Advantage HMO
by AJ Riviezzo An Advantage plan is a plan in which the patient has ‘sold’ or turned over their normal red, white and blue Medicare card/plan to a commercial payer. In this case, United Healthcare (UHC). UHC has a number of different… Read More
2026 MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT RATES
by AJ Riviezzo The proposed increase in reimbursements for physicians and, in particular, for venous disease is creating no end of confusion. It was almost simpler when it was a reduction as no one wanted to know the particulars. Cheryl… Read More
MEDICARE AUDIT CONSIDERATIONS
by AJ Riviezzo After a bit of peace and quiet from Medicare audits, the processes seem to be ramping up again. This is particularly true for anyone in the WPS and NGS Medicare Administrative Center regions. Of note in this most recent… Read More
VARITHENA CREATIVITY
by AJ Riviezzo For whatever reason, the Varithena codes and use of same seem to have a never-ending bit of creativity. The latest interesting twist is a practice using Physician Compounded Foam (PCF) and billing the Varithena codes. The reason they are… Read More
TIME BASED VS MDM CHARTING
by Cheryl Nash In 2021 we wrote an article detailing the changes to the Evaluation and Management (E&M) coding system set by the AMA to go into effect Jan. 1 of that year. (link to blog?) The changes were exciting… Read More
CMS PROPOSED INCREASE
by Cheryl Nash Perhaps you have heard of the big news coming from Medicare this past few weeks; July is the month that CMS releases their Proposed Rule for the following year. This rule includes the highly anticipated, and sometimes… Read More
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT TRAINING
by AJ Riviezzo For years I have been advocating (badgering perhaps) the American Vein and Lymphatic Society (AVLS) to increase the format and time window of classes specifically for physicians and practice managers regarding how to manage, market, hire, fire… Read More
VARITHENA BILLING CONCERN
by AJ Riviezzo We are hearing that some physicians are being told by some other physicians a new, and potentially fraudulent, process when it comes to using Varithena. They are being told they can use 1 ml of Varithena to initiate… Read More
AMERICAN VEIN AND LYMPHATIC SOCIETY
by AJ Riviezzo The American Vein and Lymphatic Society (AVLS) has had some rather turbulent times over the past couple of years. I know personally that the AVLS Board and new management team is working diligently to correct the problems and… Read More