Pay Attention To your Place of Service Codes

According to an audit report published by the Office of Inspector, doctors are not reporting the correct "Place of Service" codes when submitting claims.  Medicare payments for the same services may vary depending on the location where the services were rendered.  This is because Medicare has determined, among other things, that the cost to produce a service may be more or less in certain settings.  In addition, payment for a professional service which is rendered in a facility (where a facility fee applies) will typically be lower than if the same services is rendered in the office setting, since the facility expense in the office setting (known as the practice expense) is rolled into the professional fee and not paid separately.  Failing to correctly code the POS can result in a physician receiving an overpayment and could even result in false claims liability.

 

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Congress Passes Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006

Both the House and the Senate have now passed the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 which, among other things, would eliminate the 5% cut in Medicare physician reimbursement that was to take effect in January 2006.  The Bill is on its way to the President for signature. The text of the Bill can be viewed by clicking here.

Pennsylvania Medical Record Copying Charges Updated

In the December 2, 2006 Pennsylvania Bulletin, the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health published the annual update to the rates a health care facility or provider may charge to produce copies of medical records.  With only a few exceptions, these charges apply to any request for a copy of a medical chart or record, including in response to a subpoena.