As if the issue of slashing Medicare reimbursement by 21% is not bad enough, the government is trying to get the money that you have already received for services rendered. On March 10th, President Obama issued a directive expanding the use of “payment recapture audits” to identify and recover overpayments. Companies are being hired as [...]
This past weekend I had a great opportunity to attend a conference in Jacksonville, Florida hosted by Health 2.0. If you are interested in this, Health 2.0 is taking the “show” on the road and will be in many geographical areas in the country over the next 4 months. Vendors for emr systems exhibited and [...]
Most healthcare professionals are concerned about security issues when dealing with conversion to electronic medical records…and rightfully so! Security problems are not to be taken lightly. The penalty for data breach has risen from $25,000 to 1.5 million as of Feb.18, 2009. The AMA has issued a web tip sheet addressing the most common questions [...]
As of March 1 of this year, Medicare payments to physicians are being slashed 21%. How physicians can survive on these cuts to their reimbursement and still see Medicare patients (and meet their expenses) has not been addressed. Instead, Congress proposes forming a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMI) to transition delivery-system changes. The [...]
Medicare physicians can breathe a sigh of relief once again as the Senate voted 289 to 112 delaying the Medicare cut once again until June 1. The measure now awaits President Obama’s signature. CMS (centers for Medicare and Medicaid) will now begin processing the claims that were sent in for medical services rendered but held [...]
Medicare reductions are technically in effect now since April 1 when it was scheduled to be slashed by 21%. Fortunately, physicians are currently being protected from the onslaught by the CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) who are delaying claims submitted for this month in the hopes that the decrease in the fee schedule [...]
Whew, we dodged the bullet for a little while at least! The Senate agreed to vote on a bill delaying 21.2% Medicare slashing for doctors from April 1 to May 1. The bill would also extend unemployment compensation benefits and COBRA as well as some tax breaks. Though Democrats in Congress have set the clock [...]
Today, I received an email which is being passed around. I am thrilled to be able to forward it as it spreads the thought that I have been espousing for a long time. Thank goodness we have some legislators that recognize the fact that they should not be above the laws that they pass for [...]
To get some sense of what the community of American physicians and healthcare providers think of healthcare in the future with the new legislation, Athena Health took a survey of 1,000 physicians. These doctors represented the full gamut of practice sizes, geographical areas and specialties. When asked ”if more government involvement in healthcare will help”, [...]
The Obama administration has made clear their desire to increase family practice physicians over those who specialize. Pulling the salary or reimbursement card is the way that they will coerce young graduates. While Medicare is carving away 30% payment for services rendered by cardiologists, primary care was raised 4%. Starting January 1, Medicare slashed reimbursement [...]
