The good news. HR 3962 delays the 21% cut in the physician compensation based on the Medicare Physician Fee schedule until November 30, 2010, replacing it with a 2.2% increase to…
Action on the HITECH Act – even EHR Consultants are weary of waiting!
I’m excited to say that we’ve just been selected as one of the first six Service Providers with a Regional Extension Center (REC), CalHIPSO, identifying our firm as expert EHR consultants,…
Can a REC help you find the best overall EHR? (Part 1)
So you may be thinking about starting your EHR due diligence process, and you have heard about an organization called a “REC”, or Regional Extension Center. What is a REC, and how…
EHR Due Diligence – Include a Site Visit to Existing Users
An On-Site Visit to an existing user is a critical element in the selection of an EHR system As part of the due diligence process you go through, you should,…
Are your Compliance Policies and Procedures ready for Red Flags Rule?
The FTC has extended the effective date of the FTC’s Red Flag Rules several times in the past several months, but it looks like they will not be extended again. The…
Is your Medical Billing Consultant Recommending Useful Reports?
Many physicians are thirsty for meaningful reports on the status of medical billing and accounts receivable, but their staff or even their medical billing consultant does not know what types…
Does your Medical Group Billing Consultant Recommend Outsourcing?
Many times we hear physicians asking if they should outsource their medical billing. They hear someone in the doctor’s lounge talk about the 4% of collections an outside billing company…
Does your Healthcare Billing Consultant Implement, or Just Talk?
As you think about your medical billing department, keep in mind a few core principles to manage and organize for the outcome to be “best practices“. Better management of your medical…
Does Your Healthcare Billing Consultant Recommend these Best Practices?
Here are ten simple things to check on that will help you compare your physician billing procedures to “benchmarks: Does your staff track your charge tickets to make sure they…
The CMS IPPS Dashboard – Will a tool for EHR Meaningful Use be next?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has just released a beta version of a dashboard that contains statistical views of data in the IPPS, the Inpatient Prospective Payment…
How do Medical Group Practices Prepare for Health Insurance Reform?
Strategies that medical practices should consider! Now that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has become a reality, let’s NOT talk about it! Let’s NOT give you another outline…
Last time Medicare was billed was prior to the new EHR!
They told me, more than that, they showed me, because it was hard to believe. The last time this physician office was able to bill Medicare was six weeks ago….
Not All Healthcare Billing Consultants are Created Equal!
As you consider your billing department, do you think it’s operating at peak efficiency? Is it bringing in as much cash as you think it should? There are several signs…
Compliance Policies and Procedures – Are yours really in effect, or is it just on paper?
Many healthcare organizations have created Compliance Plans or Programs, but putting the initial documentation of your plan in place is the easy part. The hard part is implementing your compliance policies…
What Questions Should I Ask an EHR Vendor?
So you’ve managed to identify several EHR vendors who meet your initial criteria for the right type of company and system capabilities, but that still leaves you with five, ten, or…
EHR Software – Ready, Fire, Aim or Due Diligence?
So you have heard about EHRs and the incentives in the HITECH Act. Maybe you are being bombarded with unsolicited calls or emails offering an EHR system for your practice…
Medicare Administrative Contractors – They do audits, too!
We hear a great deal about RAC audits, Medicaid Integrity Program audits, HEAT task force efforts, and other initiatives to reduce waste, fraud and abuse, but Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) do audits, too….
EHR Meaningful Use – the interim final rules are out!
CMS, which is charged with issuing regulations to implement portions of the HITECH Act, issued an Interim Final Rule describing the criteria for “EHR meaningful use” of certified EMR/EHR technology. …
Red Flags Rule – Delayed Again! But is your practice ready?
The effective date of the FTC’s Red Flag Rules has been extended several times, and at the last moment, was extended again! The new effective date is June 1, 2010. Will…
Be Careful About EHR/PM Vendor Contracts & Terms
Caveat Emptor! These two words speak volumes for a Medical Practice or Group when considering purchasing a PM / EMR / EHR System. The buyer must be aware of the…