It’s official: California workers’ compensation has a new Medical-Legal Fee Schedule (MLFS). These new fees and codes took effect on April 1, 2021. This will affect all QME’s of course but also a provider who is providing a report for a disputed medical fact. The updates are substantially different from Read more…
This act specifies that clinical notes collected in an electronic format must be made available in that format and made available free of charge to patients. Practices may continue using paper charts, and if you do not use electronic records, the 21st Century Cures Act likely has little impact on Read more…
JUST A REMINDER!!! 97026 & 97016 CIGNA WILL STOP PAYING THESE CODES Effective March 15, 2021, Cigna will NO LONGER pay for Heat Lamp 97026 & Vasopneumatic Devices 97016. It is effective for claims with dates of service on or after March 15, 2021. A letter from Cigna was sent Read more…
California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) announced the 2021 reimbursement changes to the Physician Services section of the Official Medical Fee Schedule (OMFS), to conform to relevant 2021 changes in the Medicare payment system as required by Labor Code section 5307.1. Fees for evaluation and management (E&M 99202-99205 and 99211-99215) were Read more…
A bill was introduced in the California Legislature to implement the national exam for California licensure as well as national certification. This would mean one exam for California providers and not two. This move will grant national certification allowing acupuncturists to be responsive to the current demand for their vital Read more…
On December 27, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 modified the Calendar Year (CY) 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS): Provided a 3.75% increase in MPFS payments for CY 2021 Suspended the 2% payment adjustment (sequestration) through March 31, 2021 Reinstated the 1.0 floor on the work Geographic Practice Cost Index Read more…
Medicare rates were to have been reduced by about 10% for all services other than E&M codes. However, due to the recent senate and congressional voting funding additional monies to Medicare this cut was averted and will only be about 5-6% instead of 10%. Unfortunately, due to the late rulings Read more…
CMS (Medicare) has released the 2021 deductible. The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries is $203 in 2021, an increase of $5 from the annual deductible of $198 in 2020. Medicare fees will be published before the end of the year however, it is likely the initially published fees Read more…
Medicare is scheduled to make a significant reduction in Medicare rates in 2021. All Medicare provider groups are forming a coalition to block these scheduled cuts and there are things that you may do. Several members of the House introduced H.R. 8702, the Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During Read more…
2021 ICD10-CM Updates 2021 update 10-1-2020 72,616 Codes 490 Additions 58 Deletions 47 Revisions As occurs every October 1 there are additions and deletions to the ICD10 code set that is effective on October 1, 2020. Though these are 2021 codes the effective date is October 1 of the prior Read more…