Conservative Treatment Changes
Documenting Stockingsby Cheryl Nash and AJ RiviezzoIn the past the patient report regarding the wearing of compression stockings was sufficient. Unfortunately, a passing ‘nod’ is no longer sufficient by a growing list of payers. With the Phlebology requirements becoming more… Read More
Blues Audit to Recoup $72,000
A Cautionary Taleby AJ RiviezzoA provider was audited by the Blues in their home state. They reviewed twenty charts. Not very many overall. Based on these twenty charts the determined that the level of coding for new patient and current… Read More
CIGNA Changes
More Fun by a Payerby AJ RiviezzoOur friends at CIGNA are now placing a limitation of services on their policies (those that even have ablations allowed in the first place). They will only authorize two vein treatments per year. There… Read More
Insurance Plan Riders
Sneaky Exclusionsby AJ Riviezzo and Cheryl NashWe have seen a growing use of ‘riders’ for self funded plans. To help keep premium costs low, these self funded plans have carved a number of niches or riders out of the normal… Read More
AETNA Clinical Bulletin
Some Clarification by the Planby Cheryl NashThere has been an interesting new paragraph added to Aetna’s Clinical Policy Bulletin number 0050, treatment of varicose veins. The addition states that one treatment session of endovenous catheter ablation per leg is generally… Read More
Authorizations
Grab a Bunchby AJ RiviezzoWhen obtaining the authorization for the ablation, we also recommend obtaining the authorization for any additional services you routinely provide. Let us presuppose in your practice you average one phlebectomy for every two ablations and one… Read More
Coding Clarification
Stabs 1 – 9by Cheryl Nash and AJ RiviezzoIn the past, there have been some variances in the code used for noting less than ten stabs performed during a phlebectomy. The new guidelines have clearly defined using the 37799 code…. Read More
The History and Physical
Your Presentation of the Patient to the Payer by AJ Riviezzo, MBAWe have been noting, for several years now, the importance of documentation to ensure your practice can survive an audit. We now have a real life customer that has… Read More
Sclerotherapy Injections
One Lump or Two?by Cheryl Nash and AJ RiviezzoMany practices are in the habit of automatically using the CPT code 36471 – sclerotherapy injection. We would caution selecting the correct code based on the number of veins injected. Code 36471… Read More
January Marketing Tip
Medicare Appreciation Monthby Marcy Riviezzo and AJ RiviezzoUnless we have completely scarred you off from seeing Medicare patients, January is a good month for treating your Medicare patients. The reason for this is deductibles. Your commercial patients have typically just… Read More