Wiki NP DNP

[crosa]

Hello my fellow AAPC members. I am looking for advice. I have a provider who is a NP DNP and started her own practice in NY. She has worked as an NP under another practice for years treating patients under an MD. She hasn't been with him for over a year now. Her specialty is pain management. This doctor has been audited and from my understanding has changed his TIN a few times in order to avoid an audit but it seems to have caught up to him. Now the NP who is in practice for herself has seem to have gotten caught up in all this. She has not been paid in a year and now they want to audit every patient she sees.
She was not aware this doctor was getting audited because the office secretary never told her. She has notes for the patients she treated.

What could she do to clear and disassociate herself with him especially since she not working for him?
She did not do anything wrong and now her private practice is taking a huge hit.

She's my friend and I would like to help her and salvage her name and practice. She is an honest and amazing practitioner and passionate about what she does.

 

[mitchellde]

An audit can go back several years so it could be that some of her records are legitimately included. The best she can do is get a lawyer and cooperate. Unless there was an issue with the billing then she probably has nothing to worry about. However if the office was billing her claims incorrectly then she could be liable for those claims. She needs professional advice.

 

[crosa]

An audit can go back several years so it could be that some of her records are legitimately included. The best she can do is get a lawyer and cooperate. Unless there was an issue with the billing then she probably has nothing to worry about. However if the office was billing her claims incorrectly then she could be liable for those claims. She needs professional advice.

Thank you I’ll let her know and done patients she didn’t see.

 

[Pathos]

As Debra is saying, audits can go back 7-10 years depending on the type of audit. I would suggest your friend should lawyer up with someone that deals with these types of issues.

I don't understand how she can keep her practice running if she hasn't been paid for over a year? I was under the impression that as an NP, she would have to work for a physician in order to practice, but perhaps your state allows differently?

Either way, even if she was innocent of the possible activities, if her name and signature were on the records, she would be held liable for anything associated with those visits. A good lawyer would be her best bet at this point.