Does HIPAA address the use of cell phones & PHI?
From HIPAA Weekly Advisor, the free, weekly e-mail newsletter brought to you by HcPro s premium monthly newsletter Briefings on HIPAA BOH Q Does HIPAA address the use of cell... Read More >
Outsourcing payroll – medical practice beware
According to Headliner Volume posted to the IRS website at www.irs.gov businesses small article ,,id , .html , outsourcing payroll duties can be a sound business practice. However, the employer... Read More >
Reduce waiting time to boost patient satisfaction
According to the American Medical Association, patients spend an average of minutes waiting for their appointments. For a lot of physician practices like my own internist , the wait is... Read More >
Adopt a sabbatical leave policy for your group’s physicians
With all the talk about beleaguered physicians experiencing low morale today, now s a good time to consider adopting a sabbatical leave policy for your group s physicians. For years,... Read More >
Identifying patient in limited benefit plans
Limited benefit plans often feature deductibles and benefit caps. Unlike deductibles, which are predictable and finite, these policies have benefit limits that can crop up at any time. It s... Read More >
IRS Expands EPCRS Program
IR- - summarizes Rev. Proc. - which expands and enhances the scope of the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System EPCRS . Qualified plan sponsors, as well as sponsors of SEP,... Read More >
10 things that can get a physician sued
My recently received newsletter from the Texas Medical Group Management Association has a lengthy article on the subject of those things that can get a physician sued for malpractice. It... Read More >
Effective feedback helps you manage & resolve conflict
Given enough time, conflict will arise between people who work together. When it happens, how you communicate with your staffers can determine how well you manage and resolve it. Behaviorists... Read More >
Physician’s Restitution for Insurance Fraud
An IRS private letter ruling concludes that restitution payments made by a physician to insurance companies to settle claims for insurance fraud are not deductible as trade or business losses... Read More >
Localities Under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
Medicare is statutorily required to adjust payments for physician fee schedule services to account for differences in costs due to geographic location. There are different localities that have not been... Read More >
OIG releases Advisory Opinion 8-10
The OIG released another advisory opiniopn finding that a proposed block leasing arrangement between two physician group practices one a practice providing cancer treatment services, including IMRT, the other a... Read More >
Collect those copays up front
Up front you say? Isn t that standard operating procedure in all physician offices? Yes it s standard operating procedure but what about collecting the patient copayment BEFORE they are... Read More >
Deciding what is important to you BEFORE starting a contract negotiation
Before starting a negotiation with a managed care payer, you must first define exactly what issues are most important to you and your physician practice. Starting a negotiation without doing... Read More >
Watch out for these managed care clauses
When reviewing your managed care contracts, pay attention to these clauses Gag clauses Prohibits you from discussing patient treatament options that the insurer does not offer. You can lose money... Read More >
IRS hobby loss rules
Many physicians have sideline business activities but are these activities true active trade or businesses? The IRS has posted a factsheet to its website at http www.irs.gov irs article ,,id... Read More >
Physician Groups Earn Performance Payments CMS Announces
nbsp CMS announced that all physician groups participating in the Physician Group Practice PGP Demonstration improved the quality of care delivered to patients with congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease... Read More >
IRS Revises 2008 Form 990 Instructions
The IRS released revised instructions for filling out the redesigned Form Return of Organizations Exempt from Income Tax , which must be filed starting with tax year filed in ,... Read More >
Advice on physician advice calls
Only the physician or an appropriately trained and qualified clinical support person, following written advice protocols that the physician approves, will give advice over the telephone. If possible, the physician... Read More >
Payer report cards a useful in managed care negotiations
In contract negotiations, payer report cards should be used as discussion points. The contents of the payer report card can be useful for contract language revisions and potential reimbursement considerations... Read More >
OIG Advisory Opinion 08-09 released
The OIG reiterated its position regarding gainsharing, but this time in the context of two new medical specialties orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery. After reviewing the arrangement established by the requestors,... Read More >
Tackling a new denials management hurdle
With all of the changes in health insurance products today, eligibility and benefit determination are more important than ever. Your staff s ability to make accurate assessments regarding eligibility and... Read More >
Revised Medicare Guide to Rural Health Services
The CD-ROM version of the revised Medicare Guide to Rural Health Services Information for Providers, Suppliers and Physicians April is now available from the CMS Medicare Learning Network. This guide... Read More >
Ideas to better manage consumer-directed health plans
If you re going to participate in a high-deductible plan, set aside time when your front office, billing, and collections staff can meet, and ask to have a plan representative... Read More >
How to take your practice’s pulse
Even with all the available data you might have at your fingertips, you may occasionally find yourself feeling uneasy about your practice s overall health. Diligence and early diagnosis make... Read More >
When are physicians going to get it – merge your practices
Why are physician practices continuing to feel the pinch and pain associated with the business side of medicine without doing something about it? There is a lot of complaining out... Read More >
5 practical tips on paying part-time employees
nbsp Many physician practices pay for part time labor, especially family members. Here are a few tips on paying part time employees nbsp . Withhold FICA on part-timers and retirees... Read More >
Get everyone on the same page
nbsp Many conflicts among partners and staffers really result from poor communication. To keep squabbles at a minimum, make certain each doctor and staffer understands your practice s overall goals... Read More >
Consider these four factors in negotiating talks
nbsp Case mix index This metric takes into account how sick patients are when they come in to your physician office and it can have a dramatic effect on your... Read More >
Should you have a standby line of credit in place?
The recent Medicare payment scare that put fear in to the souls of physician practices, along with continued variations in the timing of payer reimbursement, reminds me to remind you... Read More >
FICA Student Exception Applies to Medical Residents; Court Orders Refund of $2.5 Million
Court Orders . M FICA Refund for Medical Facility s Student Exemption A U.S. district court has ordered the government to refund . million in FICA taxes paid by a... Read More >
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As a top advisor to physicians, I help increase practice profits by delivering hands-on, expert medical accounting/tax support, practice counsel, and revenue-building strategies. Read More >
