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Upcoming Seminars:
Reimbursement Challenges in Outpatient Physical Therapy: Tools for Success in 2008 and Beyond!
May 9-10, 2008 — Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Reimbursement Issues in Outpatient Physical Therapy: Assuring Compliance and Avoiding Fraud & Abuse
July 25, 2008 — Orlando, Florida
Tools for Managing Your Practice in a Challenging Reimbursement Environment
August 2, 2008 — Highpoint, North Carolina
Documentation and Payment Issues in Outpatient Physical Therapy: Assuring Compliance & Avoiding Fraud and Abuse
October 16-17, 2008 — Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, Ohio
Audio Conference: The Advanced Beneficiary Notice: How to Legally Collect Cash from a Medicare Patient
September 9, 2008 — Partnership with APTA Chapters
Audio Conference: The OIG Self Disclosure Protocol: Should You Notify the Government if you suspect a Problem, and How to Minimize Your Risk of an Audit
October 7, 2008 — Partnership with APTA Chapters
Audio Conference (2 Part): Part 1: Establishing a Fee Schedule for your Facility: Using the Medicare Resource Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) as a Guide
November 11, 2008 — Partnership with APTA Chapters
Audio Conference (2 Part): Part 2: Determining Your Cost per Visit: Understanding Basic Financial Statements and Answering the Question: Should I Sign This Payer Contract?
November 18, 2008 — Partnership with APTA Chapters
Read more
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On The Horizon & Breaking News:
Coming Soon!
Our
new and improved website:
www.myrehabconsultants.com
For additional information on our new website, scheduled
to go live early this fall, click here
New 2008 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Payment
Rates Effective for Dates of Service July 1, 2008
through December 31, 2008: The
Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of
2008 was enacted on July 15, 2008. As a result, the
mid-year 2008 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS)
rate of -10.6 percent has been replaced with a 0.5
percent update, retroactive to July 1, 2008.
Click here for more information.
Congress overrides President's Veto: Key Provisions
Critical for Physical Therapy Providers: Congress overrode President Bush’s veto of the
Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, which was
therefore enacted on July 15, 2008. The legislation contained key provisions
that are critical aspects to physical therapist practice and those patients needing skilled
physical therapy interventions in the outpatient environment
Click here for more information.
News from CMS: 10 Day Hold on Claims Submitted beginning July 1, 2008
CMS has instructed its contractors to hold these claims for the first 10
business days of July, for dates of service in July. This should have
minimum impact on provider cash flow because, under current law, electronic
claims are not paid any sooner than 14 days (29 days for paper claims) after the
date of receipt. Meanwhile, all claims for services delivered on or before
June 30 will be processed and paid under normal procedures.
Click here for more information.
CMS Publishes 2009 Proposed Rule:
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published the
Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
Proposed Rule, which updates 2009 payment amounts and
revises other payment policies. The key provisions of the Rule that relate to
the provision of physical therapy services are summarized here. For the complete
Proposed Rule,
click here
CMS Publishes highly anticipated Transmittal providing guidance on the November
2007 Final Rule:
The
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published
Transmittal 88, which provides guidance on the
Final Rule regulations published in the November 27, 2007 Final Rule. The
Transmittal provides information regarding outpatient therapy services,
including the extension on the Plan of Care from 30 to 90 days and the new
personnel qualification Standards.
Click here for more information.
CMS Publishes new data on Therapy Utilization
The
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published a report entitled
CY 2006 Outpatient Therapy Services Utilization Report,
which identifies that the current Therapy Cap policy with the Exceptions Process
has caused the first negative utilization growth since the implementation of the
therapy caps in 1999!
Click here for more information.
February 28, 2008:
CMS Program Identifies $371.5 million in improper Medicare
payments in three states:
Therapists need to ensure they understand Medicare rules and regulations and be
prepared!
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) announced that $371.5 million in improper Medicare payments has
been collected from or repaid to health care providers and suppliers as part of
a demonstration program using recovery audit contractors (RACs) in California,
Florida, and New York in 2007. Nearly $440 million has been collected since the
program began in 2005 .
Click here for more information.
Congress Passes the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP
Extension Act of 2007 - President signs bill into law!
Congress approved and the
President has signed S 2499, extending the therapy cap exceptions process and
implementing a 0.5% positive update in the fee schedule conversion factor until
June 30, 2008.
Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) provides an incentive for physical
therapists to report quality measures-
Therapists could see up to 1.5% bonus payment!
Medicare began the incentive program in 2007, with one measure available to
physical therapists related to assessment of falls risk. In 2008, physical
therapists have access to 8 Quality Measures which could provide bonus payments
when reported consistently. Are you reporting these measures on your claim
forms?
CMS Publishes 2008 Final Rule!
30-day certification period extended to 90 days!
On November 1, 2007 CMS published its Final Rule for 2008, outlining the
changes to the Medicare Fee Schedule for 2008, as well as significant changes
for physical therapy.
These changes include an elimination of the Therapy Cap Exceptions Process, and
increased Therapy Cap amount of $1810 for 2008, but action by Congress (above)
provided a last minute reprieve on key issues!
Newly Released, December 14, 2007:
OIG Report finds Texas PT owes back over 1/4 million dollars!
The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human
Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report on December 14, 2007,
entitled "Review of Texas Physical Therapist's Medicare Claims for Therapy
Services Provided during 2002". This follows the OIG Report published in
August 2007 regarding a physical therapist in Florida who was found to owe
$411,000!. Therapists need to
make sure they understand Medicare rules!
Medicare-Compliant
Documentation Templates
RCRI has developed Outpatient Physical Therapy Documentation Templates that are compliant with Medicare's new Minimal Documentation Requirements.
Click here for more information or to order!
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