ASC Coding, Billing & Collections

The former chief executive of World Health Alternatives medical billing and staff firm will be sentenced for $41 million in securities fraud and tax evasion, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

House Republicans sent a counterproposal to the White House today that would avoid the "fiscal cliff," proposing a $4.6 trillion deficit reduction that would increase the eligibility age for Medicare benefits, among other provisions.

A report from the Office of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General is requiring random audits of practices and hospitals prior to meaningful use payout, according to Healthcare Finance News.

A growing number of hospitals are charging upfront fees for patients with non-emergent problems who seek care in emergency departments, according to American Medical News.

A $500,000 expenditure was approved by Adams Health Network to expand the capabilities of its facilities to receive software for EMRs and billing capabilities, according to the Decatur Daily Democrat.

Ohio is leading the way in national healthcare information technology, including electronic medical records and revenue cycle management systems, according to Hi Velocity Media.

On Tuesday, the NJAASC filed for an injunction of the New Jersey PIP Regulations in Superior Court, Appellate Division. This came after the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance denied their request for a stay of the regulations.

Healthcare providers will need to prepare for the inclusion of ICD-10 codes after Oct. 1, 2014 and should work to not be delayed by third-party billing services, according to PhysBizTech.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may result in more job openings for coders, billers and healthcare information technology personnel, according to Employee Benefit News.

As ASCs and other providers work toward the implementation of ICD-10, third-party billing services need to be part of the transition process, according to a recent CMS update.