NAMSS, the National Association of Medical Staff Services, has posted an early summary of the Healthcare Reform bill, which might be a little easier than reading the 2000+ page bill.
http://www.namss.org/Portals/0/Health%20Reform%20Summary.pdf
Medicare & Reimbursement
Senate Proposes Delay of Medicare SGR Decrease Until October 1, 2010
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
On March 10, 2010, the U.S. Senate passed legislation (H.R.4213) on a 62-36 vote, which would reportedly delay a scheduled 21.2 percent Medicare payment reduction for physician services until October 1, 2010
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule SGR Reduction Postponed One Month
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
Special Medicare payment update: President signs extension of physician payment freeze
Late last night, the president signed H.R. 4691, the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 into law. This legislation includes a provision that freezes Medicare physician payments at their current level until March 31, 2010. The legislation also extends the therapy cap exception process…
Medicare SGR Physician 21.5% Cut Will Happen March 1, 2010
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
The Senate failed to act on The House bill to postpone the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cut. Therefore the mandatory 21.5% Medcare cut will happen on March1. Legislators have promised renewed efforts but there is no immediate relief in sight.
However, CMS is suggesting anpther 10 day hold to provide time…
CMS Mandates Advanced Imaging Accreditation by January 2012
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Compliance, Medicare & Reimbursement
Section 135(a) of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) amended section 1834(e) of the Social Security Act and required the Secretary to designate organizations to accredit suppliers, including but not limited to physicians, non-physician practitioners and Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities, that furnish the technical component (TC) of advanced diagnostic…
Pittsburgh Included In CMS DMEPOS Round One Competitive Bidding Program
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
CMS APPROVES THREE NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO ACCREDIT SUPPLIERS OF ADVANCED IMAGING SERVICES
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
CMS APPROVES THREE NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO
ACCREDIT SUPPLIERS OF ADVANCED IMAGING SERVICES
MRI, CT AND PET SCANS AMONG SERVICES TO BE AFFECTED
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is designating three national accreditation organizations – the American College of Radiology (ACR), the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC), and The Joint Commission (TJC)…
Congress/Senate Progress on Medicare SGR Reduction
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
On January 28, the Senate approved legislation that will increase the federal debt limit to $1.9 trillion. Included in this legislation was a provision to reinstate "pay-go" rules mandating that Congress must offset any future increased spending with corresponding spending reductions or revenue increases. This bill also provides Congress a 5 year exemption from these pay-go…
HHS Publishes New Data Bank Regulations
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
The Department of Health and Human Services has published proposed regulations for the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). The new regulations are intended to incorporate Section 1921 of the Social Security Act, which was enacted as part of the Medicare and Medicaid Patient and Program Protection Act of 1987 (MMPPA).
These proposed regulations were first…
With Healthcare Reform Stalled – What Happens to the Medicare SGR Cut?
By Michael Cassidy on
Posted in Medicare & Reimbursement
The stalled healthcare reform initiative leaves the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule problem of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) imposed 21.5% reduction as a stand alone separate issue. The physician fee schedule decrease was postponed for 2 months by an Obama addition to a defense approriation bill, with the expectation that a long term solution would…