by admin
May 7, 2012 in Health Care News, Health Care Opinion, Healthcare, Healthcare Opinion, High Mark Medicare, Internal Medicine News
Sounds Great Huh? Well, just like everything else, there are caveats. I didn’t see anything in regards to what procedure code to use but I will be looking out for it. For more information, click on this link.
by admin
May 3, 2012 in Goverment Health Care Related News, Health Care News, Health Care Opinion, Healthcare, Healthcare Opinion, High Mark Medicare, Internal Medicine News
Just came across a situation where an insurance company bundled the patient’s services and directed the physician to the hospital administration for payment. Physicians better start inquiring within the hospital as to any such agreements, and find out how and what they are going to be paid for initial and subsequent visits, especially if you are out of network! Even if the Supreme Court decides to make the Healthcare Law unconstitutional, this practice by the hospital and insurance is going to get too deep to undo. Speak up or lose out! In fact, how are the physicians going to get paid?
by admin
April 15, 2012 in Health Care News, Health Care Opinion, Healthcare, High Mark Medicare, Internal Medicine News
In the event you haven’t heard, the ICD-10 implementation date has been suspended by HHS. I know this may be old news, but just in case you didn’t come across this information. Please read this article for more information. If you read the link below, there has been a proposed date of October 2014.
by admin
March 17, 2012 in Health Care News, Health Care Opinion, Healthcare
Technology can be a wonderful thing. However, when does technology become a harm to humans? It is great to invent something that would fine stream an important function or increase productivity. I believe that there should be a limit to inventions when it has to deal with human interaction and well being. I read an article in the wall Street Journal titled “The Robots Are Coming To Hospitals” and feel this would not be a good thing to do. The human person needs a human touch, especially when they are sick. When does it all stop? How far do we have to go? Shall we fire everyone in the world and just become zombies with no purpose? I believe we have become obsessed with money and power, and in result, we have lost the value of human life and worth. It is truly a sad time in history as far as I am concerned. We have become that which we use to criticize and look down upon. Our humanity have definitely left the building all in the name of money and power.
by admin
March 1, 2012 in Health Care News, Health Care Opinion, Healthcare, High Mark Medicare, Internal Medicine News
Obama signs the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 with some surprises. Mental Health practitioners be aware that your March 2012 claims payments may be held 10 days according to the new law, this would affect bone density claims as well. In fact CMS will be coming out with a new MPFS no later than March 15th, 2012. The good thing is that the looming pay cuts have been postponed until December 2012. This smell more like politics to me (election year).
Physical therapist.. CMS extends the exceptions process for outpatient therapy caps from March 1, 2012, until December 31, 2012. However, it is going to get a lot more demanding.
The cap limit on both physical therapy and speech combined is $1,880.00. There are more changes but there are too many to review here. Section 3005 also mandates that Medicare perform a manual medical review of therapy services done, beginning on October 1, 2012, for which an exception was requested and the beneficiary has reached a dollar aggregate threshold amount of $3,700 for therapy services, including OPD therapy services, for a year. This is very important to note since these amounts get added up very quickly.
Things are getting a lot more challenging, are you up to the task? There are sections so if you want to read more check out this CMS Bulletin.
by admin
February 23, 2012 in Health Care News, Health Care Opinion, Healthcare, High Mark Medicare, Internal Medicine News
It looks like the Obama Administration is looking to karate chop Healthcare spending, and the methods by which to do so are provider cuts (Medicare/Medicaid) and changes to drug reimbursements.
Apparently Obama’s budget proposal will cut healthcare by $360 billion, including $300 billion from Medicare – over the next 10 years. Check out this article . Providers are going to have to start tightening up and straightening out all their billing issues and bad billing practices, if any, or else it is going to look pretty grim for them. It is going to simply be too cost prohibitive to keep their medical billing department inside, in labor and software upgrades alone. They are going to have to start thinking long and hard about investing thousands on their billing systems, and like expenses.
Related articles
by admin
February 13, 2012 in Health Care News, Health Care Opinion, Healthcare
wikipedia
Yes, if you haven’t already heard by now, the Obama Administration will be implementing a policy that accommodates religious liberty while protecting the health of women. Well, there is no surprise here. Keeping his original position would have definitely cost him the White House. However, I am not sure if he already did the damage and in result, built a wall of mistrust within the religious community. It was just simply a bad call and it might cost him come election time.
by admin
January 30, 2012 in Health Care Opinion, Healthcare, Internal Medicine News
Image via Wikipedia
Physicians be aware that the healthcare law now prevents physicians and insurance carriers from collecting or making the patient responsible for preventive care visits or screenings. If your patient comes in for a scheduled preventive visit and happens to also be sick, it is wise to inform the patient that once you report the visit with a diagnosis that is not preventive care, it is no longer classified as a preventive care visit and thus, a copay is due (if applicable) and any co-insurance if it is required according to the plan. It is important to be clear with the patient so that they don’t get surprised in the end. Since the preventive care code requires that the patient not be ill at the time of visit; I would think it to be o.k. to reschedule the preventive care visit and attend to the patient’s symptoms for the day which is more important.
Just an FYI… folks
by admin
January 16, 2012 in Health Care News, Health Care Opinion, Healthcare, Healthcare Opinion, PostToTweet
Finally, the Insurance Companies are being called on their rate hikes. It is about time. Check out the following article.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/health/policy/white-house-calls-increases-in-health-insurance-rates-too-high.xml
by admin
January 8, 2012 in Goverment Health Care Related News, Health Care Opinion, Healthcare, High Mark Medicare, PostToTweet
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Patient Accountability and Affordable Care Act – Some State officials across the country do not agree with the Affordable Care Act and in one way it is understandable. However, on the other hand, what is the solution? The Supreme court is scheduled to hear this case in June of this year 2012 on the constitutionality of it. What about if they decide, it is constitutional? Unfortunately, I have lost faith in our Supreme Court Justices since their past decision to allow Big Companies to get involved in our elections. This I believe, was the beginning of the end for our hard fought freedom. Our Congress did nothing about it, since in one way or another, it would be benefiting them at election time. If you ask how much money it costs to run for an elective office, you would probably GAG at the answer. How do you think these Presidential Candidates can spend so much money? Through the peoples money alone? Think about it. Why do you think there is such a dead lock in Congress?
This whole thing has really become a huge mess that only is going to get worst. There is the requirement that all Citizens acquire health care coverage or get fined, and in contrast there is the looming and crazy horrible economy that has all Citizens choked, out of homes and filing bankruptcy, feeling helplessness and joblessness.
Obviously, for those who can prove they can’t afford it (which wouldn’t be hard at all), are going to have to be offered an alternative solution. Is the solution Medicare, Medicaid?
Keeping this post short, is this another case of BIG Corporate Muscle getting their way through our elected officials as in the case of insurance companies? In this country, we have replaced freedom and dignity with the old mighty dollar. The country goes to the highest bidder and does not remain with the people and for the people. Americans eventually will wake up, but will it be too late in order to preserve our wonderful democracy?
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