Case is centered around Level 2 and Level 3 E&M encounters. This past week, I received a call from an older physician who has been in practice for 46 years; for privacy purposes, we will refer to him in this piece as Dr. Purple. Before I tell you his story,…

CMS pledging improved healthcare quality and expanded access for patients. The release of the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule for the 2020 fiscal year came with a bit of branding. “Rethinking Rural Health” and “Unleashing Innovations” were the two catchy slogans unveiled by the Centers for Medicare &…

Recent issues in Oklahoma, Nebraska portend a growing crisis. The news coming out of Oklahoma was grim: Pauls Valley Regional Medical Center couldn’t keep its doors open, despite a GoFundMe campaign, as well as a reported solicitation from country music star Toby Keith. And in September, Latimer County General Hospital,…

CMS unveils new rural healthcare strategy via telehealth. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wants to reduce hospital readmissions and unnecessary ER visits with its newly unveiled Rural Health Strategy. Currently, there are significant barriers to accessing telehealth. While physicians and providers have to answer to their respective…

 Rural healthcare models for assisting Alzheimer's Disease patients are profiled in this report on the impact of the disease on America’s rural health population. November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness and Caregivers Month, and given that Americans annually commit about 18.2 billion hours of unpaid assistance to dementia and Alzheimer’s…

CMS sets up virtual participation for rural healthcare providers in the government’s MIPS program. New announcements from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are important for providers to take note of moving forward. Of particular note are the following rules that CMS has withdrawn. These include the following:…

Although violence and abuse are disproportionately represented in rural America, resources are available to help providers help victims. Every day, mental, physical, and emotional bruises and scars are inflicted on victims throughout the United States. Violence in rural America happens all too frequently across the age and socioeconomic spectrums, without…

As the nation’s healthcare spotlight focuses on September as National Suicide Prevention Month, rural health providers and educators are taking stock of tools and practices that can help reduce the suicide rate – a rate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports as the 10th-leading cause of death…

According to former Surgeon General David Satcher, “you cannot be healthy without oral health.” “Oral health and general health should not be interpreted as separate entities,” Satcher said. “Oral health is a critical component of health and must be included in the provision of healthcare and the design of community…

A Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) expanded model has been proposed for the 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). This is a lifestyle change program designed to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes among certain Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Background Beginning in 2018, Medicare will provide coverage services…