This week’s Medicare updates include an article on elements necessary to include on orders or prescriptions for certain DMEPOS items, an NCA on colorectal cancer blood-based biomarker tests, a change to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule database update file, and more!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring the rapid spread of a novel 2019 coronavirus, formally named COVID-19, first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. On January 30, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a public health emergency of international concern due to its sustained person-to-person spread within countries and across continental borders.
Like other services covered by Medicare, observation must be reasonable and necessary or, in other words, medically necessary. The physician must document that they assessed patient risk to determine that the patient would benefit from observation services.
To enhance efforts to combat the opioid crisis in America, CMS policy allows for a new benefit under Medicare Part B concerning Opioid Treatment Programs.
This week’s Medicare updates include four new items added to the OIG work plan, a new version of the integrated denial notice form, a transmittal implementing numerous regulatory revisions to the State Operations Manual, and more!