The Patient Test Result Information Act – commonly referred to as Act 112 – now requires Pennsylvania imaging entities to directly communicate with patients if the entity finds “significant abnormalities” in the patient’s test results, as well as to continue to follow normal reporting procedure to inform the ordering physician.…
On October 3, 2012, the OIG released its Work Plan for the FY of 2013. Throughout the week, we will be posting on various aspects of the Work Plan pertinent to our clients and our readers in the following areas: • Hospitals • Home Health Agencies • Hospices • Evaluation…
The Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) recently released a report entitled Questionable Billing Patterns of Portable X-Ray Suppliers (“Report”) wherein it identified portable x-ray suppliers with billing patterns associated with inappropriate Medicare payments. As a result of its Report, the OIG made recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid…
As we reported in previous blog entries regarding the 2012 Physician Fee Schedule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) will be expanding its application of the Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (“MPPR”) to the professional component (“PC”) of certain diagnostic imaging procedures. Currently, the MPPR only applies to the…
On July 19, 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) published in the Federal Register its CY 2012 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule (“Proposed Rule”). On November 1, 2011, CMS issued its CY 2012 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (“Final Rule”), in part, to “address changes to the…
CMS Issues 2012 Final Physician Fee Schedule. On July 19, 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) published in the Federal Register its CY 2012 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule (“Proposed Rule”). On November 1, 2011, CMS issued its 2012 Final Physician Fee Schedule (“Final Rule”), in part,…
The Medical Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) plans to release a recommendation calling for a reduction in the use of imaging services, including MRIs, CT scans and nuclear medicine. MedPAC’s advisory opinion would require some physicians and their patients to obtain pre-approval from Medicare for advanced imaging services. The proposal, if…
A Florida radiology clinic, Midtown Imaging LLC, and its former owners–Midtown Imaging PA and PBC Medical Imaging–have agreed to pay $3 million to settle allegations that Midtown Imaging LLC submitted false claims to Medicare between 2000 and 2008. The allegations arose from Midtown Imaging LLC’s lease and professional services agreements…
CMS’s 2011 Final Physician Fee Schedule (the “Fee Schedule”) provides for over 2000 pages of new rules and regulations pertaining to physician reimbursement under Medicare for 2011. With the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) and the Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act (collectively referred to as…
The OIG will review the high-cost diagnostic tests to ensure that they were medically necessary by looking at the same diagnostic tests ordered by the primary care physician as well as the specialist. With respect to independent diagnostic testing facilities (IDTFs), federal regulations require compliance with 17 standards. The OIG…