Physician’s Payment Update 2000 Index

Billing

Billing industry challenges critical GAO study, JUL:105

Bogus billers can leave physicians on the hook, JUN:83

Follow these three steps to revive billing, collections, SEP:137

New insurance offered for billing risks, MAR:41

OIG: Third-party billing procedures rife with holes, JUN:83

Supervision may increase for third-party billers, JUN:82

Tips on structuring a billing arrangement, JUL:107

Capitation

Capitation audits check payers’ accuracy, integrity, MAR:44

Capitation audits keep HMOs more honest, SEP:127

HCFA delivers: Risk adjustment for capitation, APR:55

HCFA issues new rule on Medicare capitation, SEP:139

HMOs pushing specialists to sign up for capitation, OCT:145

HMOs using a combo of physician pay plans, AUG:121

Is capitation losing some of its allure?, JUL:98

Is capitation regaining its lost momentum?, NOV:169

When capitation gets raw, try CHF best practices’, JUN:91

Claims

Claim problems bugging you? You can avoid them, FEB:19

How to hunt down lost paper claims, FEB:21

OIG to review claims software, AUG:118

Want your claims money faster? Take a ride on the electronic highway, MAY:65

Compliance

Admitting your failures can avoid federal snares, NOV:158

Compliance guidelines will cover physicians, JAN:14

Compliance plan helps, but other risk areas lurk, AUG:110

Five key questions auditors likely will ask, AUG:113

OIG gives physician groups a reprieve by modifying final compliance plan, NOV:157

OIG preparing to provide guidance with model compliance plan, FEB: 17

Providers lobbying OIG for changes in small practice compliance guidelines, OCT:141

Small practice compliance plan offers guidance and some flexibility, JUL:93

The compliance guidelines at a glance, AUG:112

Watch for these red flags in your compliance work, OCT:148

Contracting

10 tips to get the best integration agreement, SEP:135

Avoid the consternation of all-products’ clauses, SEP:129

Doctor wins battle over exclusive contracts, JUL:105

Physicians feel fallout as hospitals nix HMO contracts, OCT:145

Fraud and Abuse

Anchor your rental deals in approved safe harbors, APR:52

Check the OIG work plan for insights on areas to shore up for 2001, DEC:173

Develop a plan to handle investigative intrusions, DEC:176

Discounted pathology services may violate law, FEB:27

Feds open data bank to help boost quality, MAR:42

HCFA may get tougher in disputed payment talks, JUN:84

Hearing sought to soften feds’ investigative zeal, FEB:22

How to waive fees and avoid legal trouble, DEC:178

Investigators increase focus on kickbacks, JUL:94

New exemptions broaden anti-kickback laws, JAN:5

OIG fraud alert targets space rental agreements, APR:51

OIG: No upfront rebates, SEP:129

OIG offers clarifications on existing safe harbors, FEB:29

OIG offers safe harbor for rental agreements, JUL:96

OIG says Medicare is overpaying MCOs, MAR:47

Review areas outlined for Part A units, DEC:174

Review your space rental agreements, JUL:97

Tips for avoiding a Medicare audit, DEC:174

What new safe harbor rules mean for practices, FEB:27

What to do if the feds have overpaid you, FEB:21

Health Care Financing Administration

Changes being sought to simplify Medicare, OCT:142

Feds continue probe of selling free drug samples, JUN:95

Feds ease hassle factor but not get-tough stance, MAY:68

Fee rule clarifies site-of-service policy, JAN:3

Final rule fallout: The good and the bad, JAN:2

Form 855 changes would ease red tape, DEC:183

HCFA considering changes to Form 855, APR: 59

HCFA focusing attention on benefit claim checks, MAR:38

HCFA looks at standardizing rules among local carrier networks, JUN:81

HCFA: Medicare+Choice enrollment is dropping, JUN:86

HCFA offers reassurance about hospice certification, DEC:183

HCFA releases new member count rules, MAR:46

HCFA sets new rules on evaluating contractors, FEB:31

Medicare HMO rates in for a reshuffling, MAR:37

Payment rules relaxed for physician extenders, JAN:5

Pressure is building for more preventive care, MAR:37

Proposed rule would speed appeal process, FEB:20

Suspicions arise that HCFA is using reduced RVUs to downgrade payments, JAN:1

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

HIPAA may be a pain but could produce a gain, JAN:13

Y2K may be history, but HIPAA looms, JAN:12

Physician’s Coding Strategist

ABCs of APCs: Primer for the new system, MAY:71

APC implementation delays appear to be over, FEB:24

Chain-of-command approach boosts accuracy, JAN:10

Confused about modifiers? Don’t fret, you’re not alone, NOV:163

Consultation vs. office visit: Know the difference, AUG:115

Dissecting the year 2001 physician fee schedule, SEP:131

Government report cites DRG 014 overpayments, FEB:26

HCFA announces reimbursement changes, JAN:8

HCFA data now available for benchmarking E&M, SEP:133

HCFA policies on codes, pacemaker draw questions, SEP:131

How are you using your observation codes?, FEB:25

How coding reviews could save you $30 million, DEC:181

Involve doctors and coders in improving outcomes, JUL:99

It’s time to think about modifier 25 changes, JAN:7

MedPAC expected to frame next stage of E/M debate, FEB:23

Mine the patient history for vital chart data, DEC:179

New CPT codes took effect July 1, AUG:116

New insurance offered for billing risks, MAR:41

New rules apply to office visits, consultations, MAR:39

Outpatient payments rise under final PPS rule, JUN:87

Pick an E/M guideline and stick with it, DEC:181

Time can play a role in new guidelines, MAR:40

Practice management

Advice on structuring small-group pay plans, AUG:114

Better financial controls put muscle into practice, OCT:146

Carriers told to focus on two CPT codes, NOV:165

Do hospital docs slack off? Latest data say no, MAY:75

Dodge the legal mess of a without-cause’ firing, SEP:130

Following HCFA rules eases head count woes, SEP:128

It’s time to update your internal coding guides, NOV:165

Key holes to plug in the verification process, MAY:69

Key issues to consider for a solid compensation plan, APR:53

New Web site offers access to database, NOV:164

Physician compensation: The carrot vs. the stick, MAR:35

Raising needed capital through a tithing’ system, JUN:85

Will new APC system hinder some practices?, OCT:143

Reimbursement

Are your payers looking for suitors? Don’t be the one left heartsick, APR:49

Be upfront with patients about payment incentives, APR:54

Court ruling gives physicians a peek into HMO rate-setting methodology, SEP:125

E/M coding still confusion under final outpatient PPS, AUG:116

HCFA bends same-day rule for cancer patients, APR:60

New evaluation guidelines draw praise for minimizing counting’ methods, JUL:109

New PPS system carries requalification clause, JUL:103

Persistence and a good system can boost your payment rates, MAR:33

Telemedicine payments are gaining ground, NOV:167

RVUs

Benchmarking role grows with move to RVUs, MAR:43

Suspicions arise that HCFA is using reduced RVUs to downgrade payments, JAN:1

RUVs made simple, or at least understandable, OCT:151

You can use RVUs to set and revise practice fees, JAN:4

Technology

Aetna budges on some rigid capitation issues, DEC:186

Avoid relationship roles in your Web site practice, DEC:185

Best use of the Internet? Save time and money, MAY:66

Coding method links electronic medical records, OCT:147

Cyber signatures arrive, but are they a good idea?, OCT:154

Diabetic test could aid telemedicine payments, JUN:93

Half of all HMOs lost money last year, NOV:161

HCFA adopts formats for electronic transactions, OCT:153

Internet sites let doctors make bids on procedures, JAN:11

Look before you leap into practicing via e-mail, DEC:184

Telemedicine payments are gaining ground, NOV:167

Use of e-mail grows as a patient satisfier, NOV:161

Using the Internet cuts costs, boosts cash flow, MAY:67

Want your claims money faster? Take a ride on the electronic highway, MAY:65

Your Web site can bring trouble with fraud laws, OCT:152

Trends

Alliance bases incentives on health, not savings, NOV:162

Clinton’s budget plan to shape health care debate, APR:61

Good outlook for some HMOS; others may struggle, APR:50

HMO group pledges friendlier times ahead, SEP:126

Lenders reject practices as good loan prospect, JUN:94

Mergers and acquisitions reverse trend and rise, OCT:155.

MGMA voices concerns about 2001 budget plan, MAY:76

Oklahoma doctors building their own 42-bed hospital, AUG:121

Patients dumping doctors in record numbers, NOV:160

Primary care doctors offer truck to surgeons, APR:6

Questions raised about open physician data bank, MAY:78

Racketeering lawsuits become way to fight HMOs, NOV:168

Rising health care costs are changing the market, OCT:144

Tips for surviving shift to empowered consumers, FEB:32

Two virtual HMOs’ prepare for launch, AUG:119

Underserved area bonuses getting critical review, APR:61

Need back issues? Call our order department at (800) 688-2421; inside Georgia (404) 262-7436.