In July, Utah pain doctor Jahan Imani, MD, and Intermountain Medical Management, P.C., entered into a nearly $400,000 settlement with the OIG to resolve allegations that Imani’s practice submitted false or fraudulent claims due to improper modifier use for payment by improperly using modifier -59 with HCPCS code G0431.
Patient care continues to move from the inpatient setting to outpatient. With this change, the challenge of securing comprehensive documentation that articulates the services rendered and the patient care provided now needs to extend across the care continuum.
My experience in ICD-10-CM documentation and coding integrity is that many physicians know in their heads what is wrong with their patients; however, they have not been taught to “think with ink” in describing their patients' illness in the EHR using ICD-10-CM’s language to ensure proper coding.
This week’s Medicare updates include notification of a new interest rate for Medicare Overpayments and Underpayments, revisions to the Medicare Claims Processing Manual regarding payment of services furnished by qualified nonphysician anesthetists, a fact sheet for hospitals on the 2018 Medicare EHR Incentive Program payment adjustment, and more!
Patient care continues to move from the inpatient setting to outpatient. With this change, the challenge of securing comprehensive documentation that articulates the services rendered and the patient care provided now needs to extend across the care continuum.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the Cooperating Parties responsible for the ICD-10-CM codes and guidelines, recently released a 2018 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting errata. Slight changes were made to the guidelines for diabetes, hypertension, and principal diagnosis selection.
