ASC Coding, Billing & Collections

There is no doubt that the U.S. healthcare system will transition to ICD-10. Whether it happens in 2011, as proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), or at a later date, it is coming. The potential benefits…

Here are 10 common ASC procedures, listed by CPT code and description, with the Medicare reimbursement rates from the highest and lowest reimbursing state, according to SDI’s 2008 Outpatient Surgery Center Market Report.

According to the VMG Health 2008 Intellimarker, here is an analysis of accounts receivable for all ASCs, followed by a breakdown by revenues. Note: A/R dollars are in thousands.

Contract negotiations adhere to a rule that 80 percent of time should be used to prepare for the negotiation and 20 percent to negotiate. To help be more effective in achieving results when you actually need to sit down at…

While ASC facilities can expect a reduction in reimbursement in the specialties of pain management and GI in 2009, general surgery sees several procedures new to CPT and also some to the Medicare-approved procedures list which may offer reimbursement opportunities.…

After an extensive evidence review, CMS has announced a proposal to revise its existing coverage policy for bariatric surgery to include type 2 diabetes as one of the co-morbidities CMS would consider in determining whether bariatric surgery would be covered…

Medicare is struggling to get reimbursement to physicians in California, Nevada and Hawaii, according to the Los Angeles Times, and the effects could be devastating.

With regard to Scott Becker's post-election observations, there are several points that need to be made with regard to payor systems. First and foremost, I agree that the election of Barack Obama is truly momentous and represents hope and inspiration…

In these challenging economic times, there are several driving forces causing ASCs to scrutinize their cash flow. Threats to this necessary financial lifeline are abundant. What are measures you can take to protect the financial viability of your center? One…

Efficient billing and collections is critical to the success and profitability of your center, and any efforts you make to improve efficiency can help you better capture money you earn and avoid your leaving money on the table. To help…