Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

Ensure that your MAC accepts this commonly-documented phrase before you see your claims downcoded. There's no question that when the physician checks the "all others negative" box for ROS elements, you can be left with less information than you'd like. But whereas in the past you could turn that negative into a positive by counting that simple phrase toward a complete ROS, you might find that your MAC no longer plays by the old rules. Read on to find out how to avoid getting your claims downcoded by your payer. Require the Basics Many physicians resist supplying more information when they've checked the "all others negative" box on the review of systems (ROS) chart, because a common E/M shortcut has long made it simple for them to avoid writing each negative element reviewed. Background: The E/M documentation guidelines simply say, "Those systems with positive or pertinent negative responses must be [...]