Medical Billing Blog with Medical Billing & Coding Info & Articles
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Welcome to the medical billing blog containing news and articles relating to medical billing, medical coding, ICD, HIPAA and practice management functions.
2004-2024 Celebrating 20 Years of Healthcare RCM Articles
The Blog Currently Contains 1,265+ Healthcare Articles
Tips for Succeeding at MIPS
With the CMS’ Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and value-based care model in full effect, it’s important for physicians to understand what MIPS means for their practices, particularly when it comes to understanding what types of technologies are available to help them avoid a negative adjustment to their Medicare reimbursement. As a practicing dermatologist, I’ve faced the ongoing challenges that evolving government mandates present and their subsequent reporting requirements. That said, these mandates, particularly MIPS, present an opportunity to refine and streamline existing regulations, while also taking a concerted step toward an effective quality care model and reimbursing physicians for value over volume. While another health IT mandate may seem …
Proposed QPP rule extends reprieve to small practices
The recently issued 2018 proposed rule for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act’s Quality Payment Program includes a threshold increase that would lessen Merit-based Incentive Payment reporting requirements for small and rural practices, according to Justin Barnes, board advisor at iHealth Innovations. Mr. Barnes shared the following tip with Becker’s Hospital Review. “The proposal extends transition year flexibilities into the 2018 reporting period and introduces bonus points for small practices, 2015 Certified Electronic Health Record Technology use and the care of complex patients. The rule also proposes postponing introduction of the MIPS Cost performance category… Continue reading this article
What it Takes for a Successful EHR Implementation
In a recent article in Harvard Business Review, the former CEO of the Permanente Medical Group Robert M. Pearl, MD relayed his experiences installing an Epic EHR system ten years ago and the factors responsible for a successful EHR implementation. Despite the hefty cost of implementation — in the area of $4 billion — the EHR system quickly proved beneficial in delivering more efficient, accurate patient care because of the right approach, according to the now Chairman of the Council of Accountable Physician Practices. However, not all physicians have such a positive experience. Many remain skeptical the advantages of EHR implementation outweigh the costs and administrative strain. Several Boston physicians …
RCM tip of the day: Start by starting
When seeking to improve revenue cycle management, healthcare organizations should develop a specific plan for each initiative, according to Jim Denny, president and CEO of Navicure. Mr. Denny shared the following tip with Becker’s Hospital Review. “Despite new and ongoing revenue cycle burdens, the real key to making improvements is to start by starting. I always remind our clients to develop a list of needed initiatives for the current year, as well as upcoming years, and approach one or only a few top priority initiatives at a time. For example, if your organization’s days in accounts receivable are through the roof, start by leveraging a data analytics tool to understand …
How to Collaborate for EHR Usability
The number of health IT developers and products has increased significantly as a result of federal incentives for EHR adoption but correlates with the rise of provider dissatisfaction with the usability of these systems. What providers expect from their EHR systems and what health IT developers deliver have proved not to be one in the same. This disconnect points to the need for the latter to focus on the needs of the former and deliver EHR technology that is user-centered. Therefore, collaboration between health IT developers and clinical end-users is key to ensuring EHR systems are user-friendly in an industry rapidly adopting new technologies year after year to tackle new …
