CMS- Medicare has updated the Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN); the new version is required for dates of service after July 1, 2023. The ABN Is required to inform Medicare patients when manipulation is maintenance or non-covered and that they are responsible for care. There are versions available in Spanish, large Read more…
6 tips in successfully handling new-patient phone calls include… Is your office staff having difficulty mastering new-patient phone calls and scheduling new patients? 6 tips in successfully handling new-patient phone calls include: 1- The phone should be answered by the second ring. 2- Clearly states the correct name of the Read more…
Educating your patients is one of the best practice approaches to back pain care. Why are back pain suffers choosing surgery as a quick fix? Surgery does not always eliminate back pain and restore function. A healthy spine requires stable, balanced, and fit muscles. Educating your patients is one of Read more…
As has happened in years past the initial cuts to Medicare have been delayed. In a whirlwind of activity at the end of the year, both the House and Senate passed S.610, which addresses the looming Medicare payment cuts. This means that the cuts have now been delayed, but only Read more…
If you are providing Telemedicine services (live synchronous audio and video) with your patients there is an update for the place of service (POS) in 2022. There is now an additional POS to further delineate the patient’s location whether their home or other location. The POS Workgroup is revising the Read more…
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) has learned of an attempted scam aimed at licensees of DCA’s boards and bureaus. In the scheme, an individual falsely identifying themselves as an employee of the Acupuncture Board has contacted licensees and attempted to gather personal information. If you receive a call from Read more…
The Functional Reporting requirements for pain and functional scales (G8539, G8730 by example) to Medicare are no longer required. In fact use of the codes will result in the claim being denied effective for dates of service on and after January 1, 2019. Beginning in 2021 any use will cause Read more…
On December 27, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 modified the Calendar Year (CY) 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS): Provided a 3.75% increase in MPFS payments for CY 2021 Suspended the 2% payment adjustment (sequestration) through March 31, 2021 Reinstated the 1.0 floor on the work Geographic Practice Cost Index Read more…
Medicare rates were to have been reduced by about 10% for all services other than E&M codes. However, due to the recent senate and congressional voting funding additional monies to Medicare this cut was averted and will only be about 5-6% instead of 10%. Unfortunately, due to the late rulings Read more…
CMS (Medicare) has released the 2021 deductible. The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries is $203 in 2021, an increase of $5 from the annual deductible of $198 in 2020. Medicare fees will be published before the end of the year however, it is likely the initially published Read more…