CMS 2019 Medicare Fee Schedule Designed to Reduce Administrative Burdens

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its 2019 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and the Quality Payment Program (QPP) rule, which the agency says will “address provider burnout and provide clinicians immediate relief from excessive paperwork tied to outdated billing practices.†However, a controversial payment component of the plan will be delayed…

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OIG: CMS Overpaid Providers Millions in EHR Incentive Payments

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The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently released a report finding that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) overpaid some $729 million in Medicare electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments to eligible providers who did not comply with federal meaningful use requirements. In its report, the OIG…

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CMS Issues Sweeping New Rules For HHA Participation in Medicare/Medicaid

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Home health agencies have six months to comply with sweeping new changes that will impact their ability to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Earlier this month, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, released its final rules relating to the conditions of participation (CoPs) that home health agencies must meet to participate in the…

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OIG Says Free Labeling of Test Tubes, Collection Containers Could Violate Anti-Kickback Laws

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The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently issued an advisory opinion suggesting that a laboratory’s proposal to label test tubes and specimen collection containers at no cost to dialysis facilities could constitute remuneration under the anti-kickback statute and result in potential sanctions. The opinion issued this month came at the request of an unnamed laboratory…

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