Claims Processing
The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced it will begin using Medicare's standard payment rates for certain medical procedures performed by non-VA providers on Feb. 16, 2011.
In a new sample audit of Medicaid payments, the Office of the Inspector General found the government "inappropriately paid" 6.5 million claims for a total of $724 million. The claims were for personal care service provided by attendants who didn't have proof of federally required qualifications.
Underwriting discipline and an improved cost structure have led to an increased credit rating for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska.
In order to remain in compliance with Medicare rules, and avoid denials by recovery audit contractors (RACs) and others, hospitals must reduce outpatient procedures performed during inpatient stays.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has posted the 2011 Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule files on its website.
Siemens Healthcare clients looking to upgrade their legacy patient accounting systems will have help switching to the company's revenue cycle management platform, thanks to a new partnership with Cymetrix.
A new partnership between two healthcare information technology companies will allow patients registering for medical appointments on wireless touchscreen devices to pay for them as well.
The RACs officially rescinded some reviews in the past few weeks, even after having completed complex reviews including the issuance of denial letters to the providers for the claims reviewed.
A pilot program being conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs is testing whether using a private contractor to collect healthcare records from private physicians can speed the processing of veterans' disability compensation claims.
The owner of a Miami-area HIV clinic has been sentenced to almost six years in prison for his part in a Medicare fraud scheme.