Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
PROGRAM MEMO ROUNDUP
Hospitals subject to the outpatient prospective payment system will be getting some new guidance soon on the prickly subject of coding for low osmolar contrast media procedures. In program memo A-03-019 (http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/A03019.pdf), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services noted that, starting with services furnished on or after April 1, hospitals will be able to report LOCM using HCPCS codes A4644, A4645 and A4646. The agency had previously barred facilities from reporting with those codes starting Jan. 1, 2003, and fiscal intermediaries returned such claims to the provider.
In a separate program memo issued last week, AB-03-036 (http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/AB03036.pdf), the agency laid out requirements governing eligibility queries and responses.
Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
- Medicare:
MEDICARE TAB KEEPS GROWING, ALONG WITH PLANS FOR REFORM
The Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will become insolvent in 2026, four years [...] - Regional Payment Variation:
MEDPAC CHURNS OUT NEW ANALYSIS OF USE, SPENDING DATA
Data being developed for the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s June report clearly suggest that quality [...] - Spending:
HOUSE GIVES MEDICARE REPRIEVE, MEDICAID STILL ON CHOPPING BLOCK
The budget resolution approved, 215-212, by the House March 20 spares Medicare from cuts of [...] - Reimbursement:
FINANCIAL GOING TOUGH FOR DOCS, HOSPITALS
Physicians aren’t getting much opportunity to celebrate this year’s Medicare reimbursement increase. At a March [...] - Regulation:
HEALTH SUBPANEL APPROVES REG REFORM
It only seems like it’s once a month that the House votes to streamline Medicare [...] - Medicare+Choice:
BUSH MEDICARE RX REFORM WOULD BENEFIT MCOS
Managed care is the base upon which President Bush wants to build a new Medicare. [...] - Medicare+Choice:
BILL OFFERS GOOD NEWS TO M+COS IN SUBURBIA
Medicare+Choice organizations would get a much-needed payment boost under bipartisan legislation proposed by Sens. Charles [...] - Medicaid:
OIG, LONE STAR STATE SPAR OVER DSH
Texas hospitals that serve significant numbers of low-income and uninsured patients would likely face Medicaid [...] - Medicaid:
BAY STATE ACES HOSPITAL PAYMENT REVIEW
Massachusetts’ health department has its ducks in a row when it comes to restricting hospital [...] - Fraud & Abuse:
MANY WATCHDOGS EYE HEALTH CARE FRAUD
Health care providers that think the feds are going to get lax about the fight [...] - HIPAA:
URAC STEPS INTO HIPAA SECURITY ACCREDITATION
Health care providers that want an outside seal of approval for their Health Insurance Portability [...] - HIPAA:
HIPAA QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Nursing homes wondering whether the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s privacy rule will tangle [...] - PROGRAM MEMO ROUNDUP
Hospitals subject to the outpatient prospective payment system will be getting some new guidance soon [...] - REGISTER WATCH
Have any bright ideas on how to recruit and retain workers serving Medicaid recipients with [...] - BILL WATCH
The following House bills were introduced: H.R. 1301. A bill to amend title XVIII of [...]
