With stagnant or decreasing reimbursement and rising expenses, more practices are considering going out-of-network (OON) with some insurers. However, what information must owners consider when making this decision? In this article (Part 1 of 3), I will answer the following questions:

This webinar will provide participants with information on NCCI Edits Version 28.2 that became effective with dates of service beginning on July 1, 2022 and lasting through September 30, 2022

Please join us as Gawenda Seminars & Consulting, Inc. presents “Understanding NCCI Edits and Modifier 59: Version 26.2” webinar conference on June 24, 2020 from 1:00PM – 2:00PM eastern daylight time. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updates the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits every quarter. This webinar will provide participants with information on NCCI Edits Version 26.2 that become effective on July 1, 2020. In addition, I will teach participants changes that occurred in April 2020 that went retroactive to either December 31, 2019 or January 1, 2020.  To register online with a credit card, purchase

Please join us as Gawenda Seminars & Consulting, Inc. presents “2022 Outpatient Therapy Regulatory and Payment Updates” webinar conference on December 9, 2021 from 1:00PM – 2:30PM eastern standard time. This webinar will teach participants the new payment changes for Medicare Part B outpatient therapy services for calendar year 2022 along with changes to supervision requirements of an assistant, the 2022 Medicare Part B deductible, 2022 therapy threshold dollar amount, the 15% payment reduction when services are provided in whole or in part by an assistant, an update on the current status of telehealth with traditional Medicare and commercial insurance

Beginning with dates of service on and after January 1, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will require providers of outpatient physical therapy and occupational therapy services to append a modifier to CPT code(s) on the claim form when that service was provided in whole or in part by a physical therapist assistant (PTA) or an occupational therapy assistant (OTA). Click HERE to access my answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the new PTA and OTA modifiers. In this article, I will provide 14 scenarios and the answer how to correctly bill for

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has released a 3-page document providing data and Medicare spending for outpatient therapy in calendar year 2017. Here is a brief summary of the report. Distribution of Outpatient Therapy by Setting Skilled Nursing Facility: 37% PT in Private Practice: 34% Hospital: 16% ORF, CORF and HHA: 9% OT & SLP Private Practice: 3% Physician & Nonphysician Practitioner: 2% Keep in mind that PT in private practice can include physical therapists who practice in a physician-owned therapy practice, but are submitting claims under the NPI number of the treating physical therapist. Spending by Discipline In

On July 29, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed rule for calendar year (CY) 2020 for services paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). This proposed rule does impact providers of outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy services in all outpatient therapy settings that does include private practices, hospital outpatient departments (including Medicare beneficiaries under Observation status and in the Emergency Department and do not get admitted to the hospital), skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation agencies, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities and home health agencies providing outpatient therapy in a Medicare beneficiaries home. Highlights of

Effective July 1, 2019, Anthem Blue Cross patients in several states will require preauthorization to receive outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy services. This will be true not only for new patients beginning therapy on or after July 1, 2019, but also for current Anthem patients who are being seen now and will continue to be seen for therapy on or after July 1, 2019. The states where prior authorization will be required effective for dates of service on and after July 1, 2019 are: