Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert
CMS to Remove Social Security Numbers from Medicare Cards
A Medicare Beneficiary Identifier will replace SSNs by 2019. Practice administrators weary of the transition from fee-for-service care to MACRA have another line item on their collective plate to consider. In an effort to stop identity theft and protect the privacy of its beneficiaries, MACRA requires CMS to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue new Medicare cards that don't display, code, or embed SSNs by April 2019. Medicare advises senior citizens to carry their cards at all times, but doing so makes them more vulnerable to identity theft. If a wallet or purse is lost or stolen, identity thieves have access to an SSN. "The Social Security number is the key to identity theft," U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson recently said in a New York Times interview. "Thieves are having a field day with seniors' Medicare cards." The Sept. 29, 2016 issue of MLN Connects Provider e-News provides information and advice about Medicare's timeline and what to expect from the initiative's implementation. The program, called the Social Security Number Removal Initiative, or SSNRI for short, will go into effect starting April 2018 with the transition period running through Dec. 31, 2019. "A new randomly generated Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) will replace the SSN-based Health Insurance Claim Number on new Medicare cards for transactions like billing, eligibility status, and claim status," says the MLN Connects release. With both a comprehensive overview of the SSNRI and a link for providers on how to adapt their practice management systems in preparation for the change, CMS hopes to prepare providers in advance so that the eventual conversion runs smoothly. For now, there's no news on whether CMS will reduce Medicare card dimensions to fit in a standard wallet or not. For a link to the MLN Connects Provider e-News, visit >https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/FFSProvPartProg/Provider-Partnership-Email-Archive-Items/2016-09-29-eNews.html?DLPage=1&DLEntries=10&DLSort=0&DLSortDir=descending#_Toc462812247.
Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert
- Documentation:
7 Tips Will Upgrade Clinician Documentation and Improve Your Claim Success
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The nature of podiatry procedures places increased importance on documentation compared to other specialties. Here [...] - Modifiers:
Untangle These Modifiers for Post-Operation Complication Coding Success
Modifiers hold the key to payment within procedures' global periods. Many podiatry procedures have 90-day [...] - Tool:
Use This Cheat Sheet To Perfect Your Global Day Period Modifiers
Tack this chart up by your desk for easy reference. - Billing:
CMS to Remove Social Security Numbers from Medicare Cards
A Medicare Beneficiary Identifier will replace SSNs by 2019. Practice administrators weary of the transition [...] - You Be the Coder:
Hammer Out This Hammertoe Correction Scenario
Question: Is it appropriate to report a hammertoe correction (28285) along with a corresponding metatarsophalangeal joint [...] - Reader Question:
Same Diagnosis But Different Toe? Do This
Question: A patient presents for a follow-up of an ingrown toenail. The physician finds that the [...] - Reader Question:
Make Sure Your MD's Writing Is Legible
Question: I have heard payers are cracking down on illegible provider documentation. My provider’s handwriting really [...]
