Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert
False Claims Conviction Also Leads to HIPAA Charges
Plus: CMS eases face-to-face burden for both physicians and home care. If a new Department of Justice conviction is any indication of what the future holds, fraudsters could be adding years to their prison sentences by misusing protected health information in their schemes. On Aug. 15, the DOJ announced its latest triumph, involving the conviction of a New York medical supply company owner who illegally collected $10.7 million by using stolen Medicare information to submit fraudulent claims to the program. But unlike previous convictions of a similar nature, the DOJ added on a HIPAA indictment due to her violation of the HIPAA laws since she wrongfully disclosed patient information as part of her scheme. "The defendant showed no regard for patients' privacy rights when she stole their personal identity information to file false medical claims," said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Janice K. Fedarcyk in a statement. "She padded her own pockets at the expense of the Medicare kitty. The verdict today should serve as a warning to those who disregard privacy laws to defraud publicly funded programs meant to help our seniors." To read more about the case, visit www.justice.gov/usao/nye/pr/2012/2012aug15.html.
Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert
- CPT® 2013:
Urology Coding Changes Will Take Your Claims to A New Level
You'll have to wait until later in the year to hear about payment, however.Since urologists [...] - CPT® 2013:
CCI Past Is Seen in 64561's Future
Avoid separately reporting 76000 or 77002.Not all of the coding changes for next year involve [...] - CPT® 2013:
Ob-Gyn Coders: Consider Several Revisions to Your CPT® Manual
The few new codes will be overshadowed by verbiage changes.Although the 2013 CPT® manual doesn't [...] - CPT® 2013:
Pleural Aspiration and Drainage Will Be Easier to Code in 2013
32555 and 32557 promise a simpler coding path as well, experts say.Radiologists who perform thoracentesis [...] - CPT® 2013:
From X-rays to Thrombolysis, CPT® Holds Many Changes for Radiology Practices Next Year
Check out this overview to help you prepare for 2013 changes. Coding radiology services can [...] - CPT® 2013:
Don't Miss the Updated Chemodenervation Codes -- Including One for Migraine Treatment
Plus: Many E/M and some pain pump codes cover more providers now. You won't find [...] - Physician Note:
False Claims Conviction Also Leads to HIPAA Charges
Plus: CMS eases face-to-face burden for both physicians and home care.If a new Department of [...] - Reader Question:
Avoid Assumptions With Headache Dx
Question: A co-worker says we can submit "headache" and "migraine" on the same claim, but [...]
