Question How does CMS calculates the penalty for those choosing not to participate/report? Answer Question Regarding the Improvement Activities, how can we determine which Improvement Activities are considered high-weighted and which are considered medium-weighted? Answer Question How do we go about opting in and when is the deadline? Answer Question If we have 11 therapists and 7 physicians but all therapy billing is incident to the physician, are we classified as a small practice since we only have 7 physicians? Answer Question If we are excluded from MIPS, do not want to opt-in to MIPS and we submit via claims, is

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2019 will now include physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists that treat Medicare beneficiaries in the private practice setting. The simplest way to know if you are a private practice under the Medicare program is that you submit claims to your Medicare Administrative Contractor on a 1500-claim form. Over the next several weeks, I will be answering question I receive on the MIPS program to help you get prepared. In addition, I will be presenting a 2.5 hour MIPS webinar tomorrow, December 18, 2018 from 1:00pm – 3:30pm ET. For additional information

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2019 will now include physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists that treat Medicare beneficiaries in the private practice setting. The simplest way to know if you are a private practice under the Medicare program is that you submit claims to your Medicare Administrative Contractor on a 1500-claim form. Over the next several weeks, I will be answering question I receive on the MIPS program to help you get prepared. In addition, I will be presenting a 2.5 hour MIPS webinar on December 18, 2018 from 1:00pm – 3:30pm ET. For additional information

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in 2019 will now include physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists that treat Medicare beneficiaries in the private practice setting. The simplest way to know if you are a private practice under the Medicare program is that you submit claims to your Medicare Administrative Contractor on a 1500-claim form. Over the next several weeks, I will be answering question I receive on the MIPS program to help you get prepared. In addition, I will be presenting a 2.5 hour MIPS webinar on December 18, 2018 from 1:00pm – 3:30pm ET. For additional information

During the weekend of September 28, 2018, the CPT Editorial Panel held their meeting where the American Physical Therapy Association, in collaboration with the Chiropractic Association, submitted an application for the addition of 2 CPT codes for dry needling/trigger point acupuncture. The CPT Editorial Panel did accept the addition of codes

Beginning on October 1, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) will begin using the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) for classifying skilled nursing facility patients in a covered Part A stay. CMS has created a website with information for providers to prepare and learn for this important payment change effective October 1, 2019. This new website includes information on the following: Concurrent and Group Therapy Limit MDS Changes Interrupted Stay Policy PDPM Classification Variable per diem Adjustment PDPM Frequently Asked Questions PDPM Classification Walkthrough To access this valuable information, click

Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) held a conference call on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Payment and Coverage Policies. During the phone call, the presenter stated that according to hospital conditions of participation that IRFs must meet, students do not have a role in providing therapy or therapy minutes to patients, even under direct supervision of the licensed therapist. The presenter cited

On December 12, 2017, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. One important piece of legislation included in the NDAA directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to add physical therapist assistants (PTAs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) to the TRICARE program as an eligible provider of therapy services. So, does this mean in 2019 that PTAs and OTAs can now treat TRICARE beneficiaries and have their services billed to and paid by the TRICARE program? Even though the NDAA is now law, the DOD must now make the change to add PTAs and OTAs as eligible