Some changes are coming to Medicare numbers and cards soon. Starting in April 2018 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will start distributing these new cards to their members with complete transition aimed for April 2019. Current and future members, will all receive a version of these updated cards. There will be a transition period that lasts until the end of 2019. Although, your business processes and systems for Medicare billing, claims status, eligibility must be ready by April 2018 for transactions. So, what’s going to be different? Social Security Numbers (SSN)…

You most likely opened your medical practice to help people, but you may not have fully grasped the business aspect of it all. Just like the retail store down the street, you should market to your audience. You may not be selling a product to clients, but you are selling a service—your healthcare. You need to encourage people to visit your clinic or office instead of your competitors. But how do you draw in more patients? You have to start marketing. Odds are, you’re not sure where to start. Luckily, Medical Practice Success is here to help with a few helpful tips to get your practice more…

It’s always hard to get money from patients when they visit your healthcare establishment, especially when they are suddenly shocked by a high deductible price. Often, the patients will get upset with you, even though the price of their deductible isn’t your fault. You don’t want to be the bad guy and make them pay that much, but you are a business, after all, and you need revenue to keep your business going. They may want to pay later, but that may result in you not getting paid. So, what’s the best way to handle this situation? Patients aren’t often prepared to…

Let’s talk about global periods. Every surgical Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code includes a surgical package, aka global period. This includes anything from a laceration repair to earwax removal, from fracture care to a transplant surgery. This surgical package per the CPT guidelines includes the following: • An Evaluation and Management (E/M) service (either the day of the procedure or the day before the procedure) which includes taking a history and performing an exam … • Local anesthesia … • Immediate postoperative care … • Writing any orders for the patient … • Evaluating…

Anthem, America’s second largest health insurance provider, has changed its emergency room policy. And while those words often aren’t so good to hear, you may be surprised by the effect they will have on your urgent care business. Those with an Anthem plan won’t have their visits to the ER covered, now, if they visit for a non-emergency reason. This is to keep from congesting the ER waiting room, and to keep the company from having to cover the expenses of such an expensive visit. This means more business for your urgent care clinic! Be anticipating this change as it is…

What's the difference between simple, intermediate, and complex repairs? What do you really need to document? Are you missing out on reimbursement? These procedures can sometimes be confusing. A complicated laceration does not necessarily mean that the repair is intermediate or complex. There are a few questions to ask to determine what type of repair needs to be done. How deep is the laceration? Is it contaminated with foreign material? Is debridement necessary? See the following descriptions of the different coding options: Simple Repair - One layer skin closure, or electrocautizeration…

The importance of a healthy bottom line is fundamental to the survival of any health care provider, whether it is a 300-bed hospital, a specialized surgical center, or an emergency department of a community based urgent care center. The continuing existence of any health care provider is becoming more and more dependent on the success (or lack of success) of the relationships these entities have with a Managed Care Organizations (MCO), and the managed care agreements that connect a health care provider and the MCO. These relationships will often start off with enthusiasm and a drive for a…

Creating new revenue sources to attract new patients and to better serve existing patients is critical for the growth of any company. As the saying goes: If you are not growing, you are dying. So grow, baby, grow! Dr. Reynolds points out in his post “3 Keys to Revenue Success,” that there are only three ways to increase revenue: • Increase the number of customers, • Increase the price per customer, and … • Increase the number of times a customer returns. There is another way to achieve increased revenue, though: contracting with a vendor to provide services. For example, you could…

Whether you are an experienced or a new health care provider, it is likely that you have questioned the what, when, why and how of the credentialing process. The truth of the matter is….it ain’t easy… … Receiving and completing credentialing documents can be overwhelming, to say the least. The basic required credentialing documents may include, but are not limited to: Payor applications … State standardized credentialing applications … State licensing applications … CAQH enrollment forms … Malpractice Coverage … Medicare applications … Medicaid applications … Payor…

As a health care provider, it is likely that you have had to respond to questions in credentialing applications, a license renewal or a certification regarding your background, history or to information that doesn’t really seem applicable to your ability to provide services to your patients…quess what….it is applicable!! Most, if not all, applications related to the provision of health care services, typically include a series of questions that require a response for the application to be processed. These questions are often referred to as “Attestation&rdquo…