The Only Constant is Change by Cheryl Nash I am sure most everyone is still viewing ICD-10 as some vague requirement that will not happen until far in the future. Well, the future seems to be creeping in closer than we like to think. The current implementation date is October 1, 2014, a mere year […]
Adding Arterial Studies
Know When to Move Forward by AJ Riviezzo Many phlebology practices are adding arterial studies to their roster of services. For some patients it makes sense to ensure (or at least know) the patient’s arterial disease status prior to treating the venous system. One must, however, be careful to not be overly fond of scanning […]
5 Common Errors We See
A Few ‘Tricks’ of the Trade by Cheryl Nash Over the years we have looked at many different practices billing and there are some very common errors we see repeated across the nation. I have tried to detail them out for you below. 1. Modifier 25: This is probably the most common error […]
THANK YOU FOR THE REFERRAL
How to Thank Your Referring Physicians by AJ Riviezzo Along with deductibles and other fun compliance activities, the end of the year is a great time to thank physicians and practices for referring patients to you. Here are a few quick ideas you may wish to consider. A cookie basket or similar set of sweet […]
HIPAA ACTIVITIES
A Change in Compliance by AJ Riviezzo Up to this point, many of us have essentially ignored HIPAA save for the conversations with new employees about protecting Privileged Health Information (PHI). Most of this is due to non-enforcement of all of the other HIPAA requirements. Like everything else in healthcare, that time is now fading […]
Something Different
Quality of Life Concerns by AJ Riviezzo Most of our articles tend to be ‘warning’ articles. Do not bill this code with that code. Watch out for what Aetna or United is up to. Make sure your documentation meets the standards of an outside audit… not your own. This article is a warning article also […]
MEDICARE AFTERCARE PROGRAM
Some Caution is in Order by AJ Riviezzo Medicare is taking a very critical eye towards unnecessary care. In phlebology, one easy to identify element that can be considered unnecessary is the aftercare visits at the six month and twelve month post-ablation mark. Here’s our recommendation. Perform your usual one month and three month follow […]
TO TAKE OR NOT TO TAKE
The Case For Being In Network by AJ Riviezzo Overall I have seen a number of practices transition from a pure cash pay model to accepting insurance. Those that had good assistance in billing, coding, authorizations and documentation requirements were able to make the change in good order. They have seen an increase in patient […]
FORGIVING PATIENT BALANCES
How to Be Caring Yet Compliant by Cheryl Nash We are frequently asked when it is appropriate and legal to write off a patient’s balance. There are some contractual and legal elements to this question. While we are not giving legal advice, the information we do have may be helpful. When a provider becomes contracted […]
BILLING FOR PA’S/NP’S
The Quick Guide to Incident To Billing by Cheryl Nash Given the growing frequency of commercial and Medicare audits, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure your billing is accurate. Adding a mid-level practitioner can be a great benefit to a growing phlebology practice. By knowing the basic rules of the road you can be […]