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Employee handbook

Update Your Employee Handbook, Comply With New NLRB Rule

If your medical practice’s employee handbook was written more than a month ago, it’s probably time to update it. Why? Because the latest National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling has turned the employee handbook rules upside-down, requiring you to use new language if you want to stay on the right side of the law. Get […]
Published Date: August 23, 2023
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JZ modifier

Avoid Oct. 1 Denials: Report Modifiers JW and JZ Properly

When CMS debuted the JZ modifier last November, the agency gave practices until July 1 to start using it, allowing for a brief period so billers could get to know how the modifier worked. Unfortunately, some practices aren’t yet using modifier JZ, which could mean trouble starting in October—at which point Medicare payers will start […]
Published Date: August 22, 2023
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Time-based coding

9 Things You Can Count Toward E/M Time (and 4 You Can’t)

When the office-based E/​M coding guidelines changed in 2021, coders faced a huge learning curve. It involved transitioning from selecting the right code based on history, exam and medical decision making (MDM) to choosing the most appropriate code based on either time spent or MDM only. And while coders have weathered the change by now, […]
Published Date: August 16, 2023
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ChatGPT

5 Possible Healthcare Compliance Risks From Using ChatGPT

Whether you’ve spent hours learning ChatGPT or you’re just dipping your toe into this relatively new artificial intelligence technology, one thing is clear: ChatGPT is probably being used somewhere in your medical practice, and it could be putting you at risk of compliance problems. Why? Because even if it’s helpful in filling out charts or […]
Published Date: August 15, 2023
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Telehealth across state lines

Telehealth Across State Lines: Can Professional Assns. Help?

The COVID-19 pandemic led to countless changes in how clinicians provided services, and one such change boosted the use of telehealth and increased the number of patients who were transient. When patients left one state and moved to another—whether temporarily or permanently—it created issues for many providers who wanted to keep seeing them over telehealth. […]
Published Date: August 8, 2023
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Telehealth toolkit

How to Use the OIG’s Telehealth Toolkit to Benefit Your Practice

If you’re curious about where you stand in terms of telehealth claim compliance, the OIG has a new tool that may help you sort things out. By using the government’s Telehealth Toolkit, you can evaluate how payers are reviewing telehealth claims and shore up any issues that may exist among your own. Check out a […]
Published Date: August 7, 2023
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Insurance contract

How to Leverage Your Strengths During Payer Negotiations

Once you’ve scheduled an insurance contract negotiation meeting with payers, you can’t simply breeze into the room without significant preparation. The best way to have the payer accept your terms is to identify any and all leverage you can use in the contracting process, and that’s easier said than done. It requires research and due […]
Published Date: August 1, 2023
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Informed consent

4 Ways to Confirm You’ve Gotten Patient Informed Consent

There’s a lot more to the patient informed consent laws than having your patients sign off on a form. In actuality, they must truly understand what they’re consenting to, and that starts with ensuring they have the capacity to understand. Your practice must be able to determine which patients have that ability and which don’t, […]
Published Date: July 31, 2023
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Modifier 59

4 Uses of Modifier 59 That Are Appropriate (And 2 That Aren’t)

Whether or not you have a solid understanding of the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits, you are likely very familiar with modifier 59 and the X modifiers, which allow you to report two procedures at the same time. What many practices don’t know, however, is that payers are waiting for you to misuse these […]
Published Date: July 26, 2023
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Communication tips

6 Communication Tips for Having Difficult Patient Conversations

You probably don’t like talking about finances with your patients, but you may be surprised to learn that they hate the topic even more than you do. When faced with a difficult billing experience, more than 40% of patients will consider switching practices. This means that smoothing these conversations can not only reduce anxiety among […]
Published Date: July 25, 2023
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