Diagnostic Radiology

Did you ever think the words "hemorrhaging" and "vulnerable" would pertain to your radiology coding and billing? More than likely, they do. That's because your healthcare revenue cycle management is actually more susceptible to errors which, when you add them up, can cost as much as a full time radiology coding professional on average. It's a fine line radiologists walk every day. Under-coding leads to lost revenue, while over-coding threatens compliance. The most common challenges stem from either inadequate documentation, which leaves coders without all the details necessary to maximize radiology reimbursement, or incomplete knowledge of latest coding practices. Poor and [...]

This year's OIG report includes priorities for finding fraud and waste in Medicare, which continues to include imaging services. Bottom line, your diagnostic radiology group's medical practice billing is under closer examination. If there was ever a time when you needed a healthcare revenue cycle management team that understands the nuances of radiology billing, coding and collections, it's now, when CMS is increasing audits resulting from overpayments. The federal government's goal is to cut the Medicare FFS improper payment rate by half and reduce overall payment errors by $50 billion nationwide. OIG is reviewing Medicare payments for high-cost diagnostic radiology tests [...]

It’s a critical juncture for diagnostic radiology groups, a time when the level of expertise of your Diagnostic Radiology revenue cycle management can literally make or break your practice. That’s because according to Congressional radiology leaders in a March 1 online article from Radiological Society of North America, “the latest Congressional cuts targeting imaging are “Draconian” and could limit patient access to quality imaging care not to mention stymie research. Following are excerpts from the online article: “In passing the 2012 American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA), the so-called “fiscal cliff” legislation, on Jan. 1, Congress bypassed a U.S. Centers for Medicare [...]

Few challenges are as great as balancing the delivery of medicine with the business of healthcare and staying abreast of all the changes in diagnostic radiology revenue cycle management. It takes a uniquely qualified diagnostic radiology medical coding, billing and collections expert to keep physicians continually updated and their revenue streaming in these choppy, uncertain reimbursement waters, especially when they pertain to Medicare. This just in…the final CMS rules are out. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has revised the payment system for Medicare services, which coincides with the implementation of new CPT codes. According to a January 2013 [...]