Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Watch out: Don't bill Medicare for Part B drugs unless you can prove that your physician administered them in the office. The U.S. Attorney's Office announced a settlement in which a medical practice agreed to pay just under half a million dollars to settle allegations that it billed Medicare improperly for drugs. The practice billed as if the physician had administered the drugs, when in fact the patients took the drugs home to administer themselves. Even if a drug isn't on the list of -usually self-administered drugs,- you can't bill for it unless a provider administers it in the physician's office, cautions Noridian Administrative Services.