The Department of Health & Human Services has released a final rule that would penalize healthcare providers who interfere with a patient’s access to, exchange or use of their electronic health information.
Providers Who Received Period 1 Relief Funds May Request to Submit Late Reports
Practices that received Provider Relief Funds between April 10–June 30, 2020, and did not file a report may request to submit a late report and avoid having funds recouped.
Get Expert Advice on Compliance Safeguards Post-Pandemic
Payer audits and coding scrutiny are in full swing after an influx of fraudulent claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. Make sure your coding practices are in compliance to protect your revenue.
Experts Offer Management Tips, from Contracts to Credentials to Audits
CHICAGO—Medical practice consultant Owen Dahl, MBA, LFACHE, CHBC, looked out at the rheumatology practice managers and physicians, sitting around tables with white tablecloths, and asked what seemed like a simple question: “How many of you have a strategic plan?” he asked. A single hand was raised. “One? How do you know where to go tomorrow…
Compliance Means More than Just Paperwork
Effective management of healthcare compliance requires an office compliance plan that stays current with changing government regulations, payer requirements, office operations and technology. Many still wonder, why is a compliance program needed—if something isn’t broken, don’t fix it, right? This is not always the case; compliance is an essential part of practice operations, but providing…
Prepare Now to Sell Your Medical Practice
Selling a medical practice can be a lucrative endeavor. One of the most important phases of any sale transaction is the due diligence process. During this phase, a potential buyer and their advisors have the opportunity to examine the seller’s books, records and files in great detail to ensure that the buyer is comfortable purchasing…
Rheumatologists Concerned High Healthcare Costs May Encourage Patients to Forgo, Delay Treatment
While members of Congress debate healthcare legislation, rheumatologists say many of their patients struggle to afford everything from generic drugs to insurance copayments for physical therapy. “It’s a mess. The cost of prescriptions and the rationale for those rising costs in the U.S. right now—it’s just a mess,” says James R. O’Dell, MD, Stokes-Shackleford Professor of…
How MACRA Has Affected Physician Compliance
In recent years, providers and practice groups have been worrying about Meaningful Use (MU) and gaining knowledge on using certified electronic health record (EHR) technology to avoid payment penalties, earn incentives and increase practice efficiency. Now, with the release of the final rule for MACRA payment reform, physicians will have two options for payment paths:…
3 Ways the ACR Helps Practices Thrive
The ACR can be the first line of defense for rheumatologists when it comes to compliance efforts, quality control and oversight of physician billing and coding practices, says ACR Director of Practice Management Antanya Chung, CPC, CPC-I, CRHC, CCP. The ACR is focused on providing the support its members want and need. “We want to…
Phase 2 of HIPAA Audit Program Launches
With many competing priorities facing physician practices, HIPAA compliance and security is not a topic that usually makes it to the top of the list. But this is not the case with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR), because it has initiated a new phase of audits of physician…