April 6, 2020
By Chuck Buck and Mark Spivey
Avalanche of New Guidance from CMS No Match for COVID-19
Providers and federal officials alike continue to adjust to the new normal, and an uncertain future. EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Ronald Hirsch, vice president of R1 RCM, and healthcare attorney David Glaser, of Fredrikson and Bryon, reported these two stories during this week’s live edition of Monitor Mondays. What follows are…
March 19, 2020
By Dennis Jones
Coronavirus Hammer Falling Hard on NYC Metro
The nation’s largest city saw its cases soar past the 1,000 mark this week. I wish that I was writing under better circumstances, but these are difficult times in New York, and across the United States. As of Tuesday, New York State had more patients identified with COVID-19 than any…
February 13, 2020
By David M. Glaser, Esq.
The One Purpose Test for Healthcare
Law professor Dershowitz tests the “one purpose test.” During the recent impeachment trial of President Trump, Alan Dershowitz made a statement that was widely interpreted as saying that if a politician had multiple motives for a particular activity, but one of the motives was benefiting the public interest, any nefarious…
By Knicole C. Emanuel Esq.
ED physicians and healthcare providers are a distinct breed – whales in a sea of fish. After all, emergency room doctors have, for the most part, been overlooked by the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) auditors (or TPE, Targeted Probe-and-Educate; ZPICs, Zone Program Integrity Contractors; or Medicare Administrative Contractors, MACs). Maybe…
February 6, 2020
By Ellen Fink-Samnick MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CRP
Underutilization of ICD-10-CM Z Codes for Medicare Beneficiaries
CMS report is based on 2016-2017 data. It’s been two years since the American Hospital Association (AHA) shouted from the rooftops that documentation by any interprofessional team would be accepted as validation to use the ICD-10-CM Z codes, as opposed to only documentation by physicians. In the social determinants of…
February 6, 2020
By Edward Roche, PhD, JD
Artificial Intelligence in Medicare Audits: Part I
CMS launches healthcare outcomes challenge. Expect more artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare in 2020. We will see AI used primarily in diagnostics and auditing. In each of these areas, AI promises to impose drastic changes on society. As these changes reverberate through organizations, old work patterns will be disrupted. In…
January 23, 2020
By Sean Weiss, CHC, CEMA, CMCO, CPMA, CPC-P, CMPE, CPC and David Glaser, Esq.
To Sign or Not to Sign: A Provider’s Responsibility
The absence of a physician’s signature should not result in denial of a Medicare claim. As a regulatory and compliance officer, I often have the privilege of working with some of the best and most respected attorneys in the industry, and Monday, during Monitor Mondays, was no exception. Attorney David…
January 16, 2020
By Ellen Fink-Samnick MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CRP
New Study Raises Concerns over Ineffective Accounting for Social Risk Factors by Medicare Hospital Compare
Monitor Monday's listeners polled for proposed solutions. 2020 began as it ended, with the healthcare industry fixation on every nook and cranny of the social determinants of health (SDoH). Many experts are still reeling from allegations of inherent bias in algorithms used across the nation. And a new study involving…
January 9, 2020
By Chuck Buck
CMS Releases New MOON, Important Message from Medicare, and Detailed Notice of Discharge
Same old New MOON, but potential problems appear in two of the other three new forms. All federal forms require periodic review and reapproval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The approval is indicated on the form by a unique number and an expiration date. The Centers for…
December 20, 2019
By Timothy Powell, CPA CHCP
Special Bulletin: OIG Looks at Medicare Advantage Risk Score Audits
MAOs use chart reviews to increase risk-adjusted payments is seen as inappropriate by the OIG. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a study that should cause a chill to run down the spines of hospital and Medicare Advantage plan leaders alike.…
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Adam J. KleinAllen Jost, PhDAlvin Gore, MD, CHCQM and Cathi Charlberg, LVN, CHCQMAmanda Gilliland, RN, BSNAmber Soucy, MSN, RNAndrew B. Wachler, Esq.Andrew B. Wachler, Esq. and Emma E. TrivaxAndrew H. Hughes, MD and Charles Locke, MD, CHCQM-PHYADVAndrew Wachler, Esq. and Kaitlin Nucci, Esq.Andrew Wachler, Esq., and Sarah Hillegonds, Esq.Angela Phillips, PTAspen AlbrightBarbara Vandegrift, RN, BSN, MABecky Rodrian, CPC, CEMC, CBCS, MBSBenjamin Kartchner MD, CHCQM-PhyAdvBrian T. LandryChristina Panos, RHIA, CTRChristopher Halleman, DOChristopher J. Laney, Esq.Chuck BuckClark AnthonyColleen Morley, DNP, RN, CCM, CMAC, CMCN, ACM-RNDaniel Zirkman, MDDavid A. McKenzie, CAEDavid Jury MD, MSDavid M. Glaser, Esq.Delilah Davis, RN, BSN, CCADenise Coleman, LPNDenise Nash, MD, CCS, CIMDheeraj Mahajan, MD, FACPDuane Abbey, PhD, CFPEdward Hu, MD and Charles Locke, MDEdward Roche, PhD, JDElizabeth C. Dunbar, MD, MBA, FACEP, CHCQM-PHYADVEllen Fink-Samnick MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CRPEllen Parucka Walker LCSW ACSWErica E. Remer, MD, CCDSErin Diesel Roumayah, Esq.Frank D. Cohen, MPA, MBBGlenn Krauss, RHIA, BBA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, CCDS, C-CDI, PCS, FCS, C-CDAMGloryanne Bryant, RHIA, RHIT, CCS, CCDSGreg FordHolly Louie, RN, BSN, CHBMEJ. Paul Spencer, CPC, COCJanelle Ali-Dinar, PhDJeffrey D. Lehrman DPM, FASPS, MAPWCAJessica Forster, Esq.John Foggle, MDJohn K. Hall, MD, JD, MBA, FCLM, FRCPCJulia K. Brodt, PhDJuliet B. Ugarte Hopkins, MD, CHCQM-PHYADVKaitlin Nucci Esq.Kathleen K. Borchard, BSN, RN-ACMKathy Seward, MD, CHCQM-PHYADVKim T. Charland, BA, RHIT, CCSKnicole C. Emanuel Esq.Kristi Pollard, RHIT, CCS, CPC, CIRCC, AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainerLaurie M. Johnson, MS, RHIA, FAHIMA AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS TrainerLeslie Marsh, RN, BS, MSN, MBALori O’Hara, MA, CCC-SLPMadison AllenMaggie Elehwany, JDMark SpiveyMarvin D Mitchell, RN, BSN, MBAMary Beth Pace, RN, BSN, MBA, ACM, CMACMary Inman, Esq. and Anne Hayes Hartman, Esq.Mary Inman, Esq. and Max Voldman, Esq.Matt Lambert, MDMatthew AlbrightMaureen Testoni Esq,Max Voldman, Esq.Melinda Battaile, MD, FHM, MMCI, CHCQM-PHYADV, CCDSMichael A. Salvatore, MD, FACPMichael KennedyMichael Rosen, Esq.Nancy J. Beckley, MB, MBA, CHCNena Scott, MSEd, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CCDSPhillip Angello, MDRalph Wuebker, MD, MBARichard “Dick” Beckley, YNS, USN, 1966-1970Robin Sewell, CDIP, CCS, CPC, CICRonald Hirsch, MDSarah Hillegonds, Esq.Sean M. Weiss, CEMA, CMCO, CPMA, CPC-P, CMPE, CMPM, CPC-PSean Weiss, CHC, CEMA, CMCO, CPMA, CPC-P, CMPE, CPC and David Glaser, Esq.Shannon Deconda, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CMSCS, CPMA®Stanley Nachimson, MSStefani Daniels, MSN, RN, CMAC, ACM and Tiffany Ferguson, LMSW, ACMStefani Daniels, MSNA, ACM, CMAC
