Adoption of EHRs helps physicians to get up to speed on incoming patients before handoffs from the emergency department.nnAs the number of hospitals with electronic health record systems grows, a new study finds that inpatient physicians who receive patients from the...
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FY 2013 IPPS Final Rule Released
nOn August 1, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") released the fiscal year (FY) 2013 Inpatient Prospective Payment System ("PPS") Final Rule. The Rule contains several updates to Affordable Care Act ("ACA") programs implemented in prior rule...
System of Nearly 140,000 Codes Has You Covered
Today, hospitals and doctors use a system of about 18,000 codes to describe medical services in bills they send to insurers. Apparently, that doesn't allow for quite enough nuance.nnA new federally mandated version will expand the number to around 140,000—adding codes...
One Year ICD-10 Delay Finalized
On Friday, August 24th, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a final rule that will save time and money for physicians and other health care providers by establishing a unique health plan identifier (HPID). The rule...
HHS Releases Final Insurance Exchange Blueprint
HHS, on August 14, issued a final “blueprint” that states can use to operate their own health insurance exchanges. The blueprint details the functions that state-based exchanges will perform, how exchanges operated as partnerships between the federal government and...
Medical Device Integration Software Surges In Hospitals
The rising tide of electronic health records (EHRs) in hospitals is lifting many other boats, ranging from clinical analytics apps to private health information exchanges. Another beneficiary is medical device integration (MDI) software, which connects medical device...
ATTN: Medicare Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) – JH Implementation Alert
Colorado Providers:nnWe are getting a new Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). No longer will Trailblazer be our Medicare contractor. The new company, Novitas Solutions, Inc.nnIf you receive payments through EFT (and you probably do) you must update your...
No Deadline for States to Decide on Medicaid Expansion
CMS announced on July 13 that it has not imposed a deadline on states to determine whether to expand their Medicaid programs. The Supreme Court recently ruled that states are not required to participate in the Affordable Care Act's expansion of the Medicaid program,...
HHS ‘Implementation Forums’ Begin Next Week
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sent a letter to state governors July 10 reiterating HHS’ willingness to work with states to help them implement the ACA, to provide assistance and funding to states as they move forward with the establishment of their exchanges, and to...
OCR Reveals HIPAA Audit Protocol
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has made public its long-awaited HIPAA audit protocol, posting it on its website June 26.nnThe Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which amended...
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Recently, the United States Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “Act”). In a 5 - 4 decision, with Chief Justice Roberts writing for the majority, the Court upheld the...
Participation In Care By Out Of Network Providers, Vendors, Facilities
The health plans are increasingly putting pressure on providers (especially surgeons) to utilize IN-network providers, vendors, facilities, etc.nnOne Example: For years, it has become common place for Out Of Network (OON) surgical assists (many of whom are SA’s or...