Practice Management Alert

Plus, BCBS of North Carolina offers EMR support.

If your practice is wondering what to do if your vendors aren't ready for 5010 conversion before the deadline of Jan. 1, 2012, you aren't alone. CMS chimed in with tips on how to handle these issues during the agency's Sept. 20 Open Door Forum, and we've got the advice for you.

The message: If you want to avoid a cash flow crisis, talk to your vendors and clearinghouses now -- don't wait until January, advised CMS's Denise Buenning during the call.

An American Academy of Ophthalmology representative called into the forum and noted that several of her association's members were told by their vendors that they will not be ready by the deadline. She asked for tips on how the practices should deal with this situation.

"There are a number of risk mitigation strategies that I think folks should be looking at right now," Buenning said. "One is, I've heard that some of the provider organizations are advising their members to try and get a majority of their claims in prior to Jan. 1 and then just kind of ride out the next 30 days or so as the dust clears, so to speak."

"Obviously, employing the services of a clearinghouse is always an option," Buenning added. "If you're a Medicare fee-for-service provider, you can get the free software that Medicare makes available, downloaded from the MACs," she said. "There's also what they call 'all-payer' versions. Now, they might have to purchase this software, but at least they're not waiting on a vendor to do the installation for them," she added.

"Another option I've seen the AMA recommend to their providers is for the provider to get a line of credit from their local financial institution or bank to make sure they're covered on their cash flows."

The best option, Buenning said, is to "Contact your payers and find out how they're going to help the providers mitigate their risks and make sure their claims are going to continue to be paid."

If your practice is in North Carolina, you may be able to get some financial help from your payer to make the switch to electronic medical records (EMR).

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will be working with a company called AllScripts on the $23 million initiative, according to the Charlotte Observer. The program will upgrade and/or provide both hardware and software at little or no charge for more than 750 doctors and 39 free clinics in North Carolina.

"The Blue Cross and Allscripts program will cover 85 percent of a doctor's cost of the technology and support services for five years. It will cover 100 percent of the cost for a free clinic that serves the uninsured," according to the Charlotte Observer.