July Updates from CMS

By: Dave Fee

Summer is finally getting here in the Rockies. Last week, we had temperatures in the mid-50s and snow in the mountains. Now we are reaching the 80s. It has been an unusual spring through out the country.

It is also time for another update from CMS, with new codes and APCs. Though July has had relatively few changes, there are a few in particular to note. Because it is not October or January when there are many more changes, I tend to call July, like April, an off-update time. We will cover the updates announced from CMS and what is new with the 3M products in our quarterly webinar coming up July 19. I hope to see you there and we will cover all the fun details. In the mean time, let me give you a bit of a preview.

April Updates to the OCE: Round Three

By: Dave Fee

April Fools came late this year, but it wasn’t a joke. You know the kind that you see and are shocked by and fortunately it isn’t true.

Well, this year CMS announced another release of the OCE (R2 – meaning it is really the third one for the quarter) on Monday, April 11^th. It was a normal Monday and then an innocent looking email comes and you spend the rest of the day trying for figure out what it means.

It’s finally April — time for a CMS update

By: Dave Fee

It’s finally April and that means spring is here – a welcome season for anyone who has experienced the kind of snowfall we’ve had in Utah this year.  April also brings the CMS regulatory update, which means changes to the outpatient prospective payment systems, APCs and EAPGs.

This update proved to be an exciting time for our software development team as we worked hard to make the deadline for the April software release. The update is not extensive, but it was made more challenging because CMS has been a little slow in getting information out this quarter. In fact, the OCE was re-issued and not available until March 18^th, and the new APC rates were finally made available on March 23^rd.

New CT Codes from CMS

By: Dave Fee

Last week, I attended a meeting of the CMS APC Advisory Panel. Every meeting covers interesting topics; a few have significant potential to impact hospital processes and/or finances. I am always surprised at how few hospitals get engaged in this opportunity to provide input into the regulatory process. The Provider Roundtable, a group of professionals representing 16 healthcare organizations who provide input to CMS on OPPS rulemaking, is often the only group representing hospital issues during these meetings.

January 2011 Update: Modifying Codes

By: Dave Fee

I was about to say Happy New Year to everyone, but today is Ground Hog Day. Some good news from Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, PA, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow meaning that we will have an early spring. That would be a welcome relief for many from a very cold and snowy winter. If you have ever wondered where Punxsutawney, PA is, it is in western Pennsylvania, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburg, PA.

Winter also brings other events such as the January 2011 update to CPT and HCPCS level II codes, and to APCs and OPPS.