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CMS Finally Releases Proposed Rule on Physician Payment Disclosure - December 16, 2011
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its long-awaited proposed rule on industry payments to physicians Dec. 14, spelling out in exacting detail what payment information manufacturers would have to disclose to federal officials....

Medicare physician pay cut must be stopped now, AMA president tells doctors - November 17, 2011
With only weeks left before a 27.4% Medicare physician pay cut takes effect, American Medical Association President Peter W. Carmel, MD, called on doctors to keep the heat on Congress to avert the reduction....

Boutique Medical Billing Firm, VGA Billing Services, Offers Free Practice Management Software with their Services - October 19, 2011
VGA Billing Services, Inc., now provides complete transparency to their clients with a web based practice management program that can be accessed anywhere at any time....

Bizmatics Announces Medical Billing Services to Complement PrognoCIS EMR and PM Solutions - October 19, 2011
Leading EMR software provider Bizmatics Inc. has officially introduced their full-service, in-house electronic medical billing service to complement PrognoCIS EMR – their flagship electronic medical record system. This new service, which focuses on improved Revenue Cycle Management (RCM), offers practices an integrated EMR, practice management and billing service to streamline office efficiency and simplify collection processes. ...

Mercy Cedar Rapids Selects Benchmark Revenue Management for Revenue Cycle Solutions, Plans to Extend Revenue Cycle Services to Other Providers - October 19, 2011
Benchmark Revenue Management announced that it has signed a deal and is in the process of implementing its BackOffice solution set for Mercy Cedar Rapids Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In addition to denials management, AR follow-up, and integrated dashboards and productivity data, this move positions Mercy to offer its revenue cycle capabilities to other providers....

What to say when patients haggle over their bills - October 13, 2011
How patients negotiate payments with their physicians has been the subject of numerous stories in the media. With patients having a harder time than ever affording health care, consumer publications are running articles on how to haggle with doctors over prices. So how should physicians respond to patients who have read these articles while keeping the payroll covered, the rent paid and the doors open?...

Medical Billing Assistance, Inc. SIGNS DEAL TO Acquire First Choice Medical Group of Brevard, LLC - October 13, 2011
The acquisition provides FCMG physicians with MDBL's expertise in building efficiencies into their practice while implementing MDBL's new model for better healthcare management and billing solutions. In addition to practice efficiencies, MDBL will also be providing the physicians additional diagnostic equipment an ancillary services that will allow physicians, patients and shareholders to capitalize on the value and benefits of MDBL's unique model. ...

Four Factors Help Hospitals Manage Bad Debt - October 10, 2011
Higher out-of-pocket costs and flexible spending plan restrictions have increased patients' healthcare liabilities, such as deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance. Healthcare organizations then accumulate debt from patient liabilities that are not collected, known as bad-debt expense. Crowe Horwath LLP, one of the largest public accounting and consulting firms in the U.S., looks at operational control points that can help hospitals manage and reduce their bad-debt expense....

Insurers to pool claims data for study on health care costs - October 10, 2011
Four of the country's largest private health insurers -- in what is believed to be the first collaboration of its kind -- have agreed to offer their claims data for use in health research projects in the hopes of adding to the understanding of what is driving health care costs....

Medical Billing and Healthcare IT company, NextServices Expands its Client Base into New Territories - October 3, 2011
NextServices, a Michigan-based medical billing and electronic medical records company, recently announced the signing of clients in two new states this month. Mississippi and Virginia are new territories for the growing company . NextServices plans to analyze these practices' revenue cycle and seek out better efficiencies within their operations. ...

Some doctors blame themselves for rising healthcare costs - September 29, 2011
That's right – 42% of the docs in a nationwide survey said the patients in their own practices "were receiving too much medical care" and 28% said they personally were ordering more tests and making more referrals to specialists than they would "ideally like to be."...

HBMA Recommends Modifications to Accounting of Disclosures NPRM - September 25, 2011
The Healthcare Billing & Management Association (HBMA), a non-profit educational resource and advocacy group representing third-party medical billers and billing professionals, recently submitted detailed comments to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled HIPAA Privacy Rule Accounting of Disclosures under the Health Information Technology Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) as published in the May 31, 2011 Federal Register....

NexTech has Partnered with Chase Paymentech to Streamline Payment Processing - September 22, 2011
This arrangement will provide NexTech software users a solution that will generate more effective collections of funds for services rendered. NexTech clients will be able to check-out patients quickly and conveniently while easily collecting debit and credit card payments directly through the NexTech software. ...

New Jersey Rule Would Set Price Limit on Hospital Charges for 2,000 Outpatient Procedures - September 21, 2011
New auto insurance rules in New Jersey would set a price limit on what hospitals can bill for 2,000 previously unregulated outpatient procedures, according to an NJ.com report. According to the Insurance Council of New Jersey, the state limits what freestanding ambulatory surgery centers may charge but does not limit the amount hospitals charge for the same outpatient procedures....

Speakers and Events Announced for 2011 AMBA Annual Medical Billing Conference - September 9, 2011
The American Medical Billing Association's 11th Annual Conference Speakers include Timothy Kaja from UHC, Tammy Banks from the AMA and Robert Liles from Liles Parker, along with a great lineup of additonal speakers and presenters for the two day event scheduled for October 13-14, 2011. ...

Intuit, Avisena Collaborate on Health Care Online Bill Payment Portal - September 6, 2011
Avisena, a practice-management software company, has announced it will integrate Intuit Health's patient portal into its existing medical billing software to allow patients to pay their bills online and communicate electronically with their doctors....

Healthcare Billing & Management Association Announces Details of 2011 Fall Annual Conference - September 6, 2011
The Healthcare Billing & Management Association (HBMA), a non-profit educational resource and advocacy group representing third-party medical billers and practice management billing professionals, today announced details of the association's 2011 Annual Fall Conference. Taking place at The Bellagio Las Vegas, September 14-16, 2011, this event will feature three full days of educational sessions, legislative insights and networking opportunities for the medical billing community. ...

Identifying and Collecting Underpayments: 7 Ways to Increase Your Success - August 23, 2011
Although hospitals use sophisticated patient accounting systems to calculate the amount due from the payor at the time of billing, these systems are not always capable of handling multi-tiered contract structures. Hospitals have both a responsibility and a financial need to identify and correct erroneously calculated contractual discounts and to reverse inappropriate claim denials from payors. ...

New Study Data Reveals Negative Financial Impact of Some Treatments on Hospitals - August 8, 2011
Study results released today at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) 8th Annual Meeting reveals that treatment costs for some neurovascular conditions remain higher than reimbursement in the form of Medicare payments....

AMA offering online billing tools - August 8, 2011
Physicians can find the most up-to-date coding, billing and compliance changes on the website, AMA Coding Online. Doctors can choose from a variety of products and resources and the tools and references needed to stay current with constantly changing coding resources (www.amacodingonline.com)....

Medical Transcriptionists Join MedicalBillersandcoders.com to Service Physicians Across 50 States - August 1, 2011
In order to empower the healthcare providers to effectively address their medical documentation needs, Medicalbillersandcoders.com have announced the availability of the medical transcriptionist who service hospitals, clinics and physician offices across the US....

CollaborateMD Further Optimizes Practice Management and Medical Billing Software With v8.3.6 Release - July 31, 2011
CollaborateMD has released Version 8.3.6 of its software, including more than 100 enhancements and time-saving features to help customers save hours a week and further optimize their businesses. ...

University of Texas Practice Boosts Productivity and Cash Flow with McKesson Revenue Management Solutions - July 31, 2011
For more than seven years, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) - the nation's seventh-largest medical school - has relied on McKesson's Revenue Management Solutions (RMS) to help manage its growth and gain efficiencies across the revenue cycle. RMS enables UTHealth's Physician Faculty Practice Plan (UT Physicians) to maintain its mission of providing high-quality, personalized patient care while operating in an environment of cost containment, declining reimbursements and healthcare reform. ...

Medical Billing Company Creates Daily Online Healthcare Newspaper - July 30, 2011
Capture Billing & Consulting, Inc., a nationwide medical billing company located in South Riding, Virginia, has created an online newspaper named Medical Billing and Coding News....

Medical Business Associates Upgrades Medical Billing and Scheduling Software for Billing Customers to Complete Practice Management Suite - July 30, 2011
Medical Business Associates (MBA), a medical billing and credentialing company, has announced the release of an updated version of their eAccess medical billing and scheduling system....

Working fast to fix Medicaid billing - July 30, 2011
Since it switched computer systems in 2005, and again last year, the state has not been able to gain federal certification. That's important because it has been costing the state money for several years....

Purchaser-Led Group Finds Little Experience with Shared-Risk Payment Among Health Care Providers and Payers - July 27, 2011
Today, Catalyst for Payment Reform (CPR) released a Commonwealth Fund-commissioned study, conducted in partnership with Booz Allen Hamilton, suggesting that while Medicare proposes that health care providers assume "shared-risk" in its Medicare Shared Savings Program, very few health care providers and private-sector payers have experience with such payment arrangements. ...

Iowa insurers get more time on new health law - July 24, 2011
Iowa insurance companies have been given more time to comply with a new federal rule designed to curb insurers' profits. ...

Understanding Bundled Payments - July 23, 2011
Although 2011 may go down in the history books as the year of the accountable care organization, there's also been a tremendous amount of payment innovation on a different level-aligning incentives and optimizing the delivery of "episodes of care." Bundled (sometimes referred to as episode-based) payment structures are a means to that end....

Athenahealth and Software-as-a-Service Prove Successful With Health Information Technology - July 21, 2011
Athenahealth (ATHN) is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) based provider of technology services to over 30,000 medical professionals nationwide. Their product line allows physicians the ability to enjoy faster payment, increased collections, radically improved control over billing and clinical operations, and more time for their patients....

EMR Costs May Widen Gap Between Physicians and Hospital System in Florida's Lee County - July 20, 2011
Ft. Myers, Fla.-based Lee Memorial Health System is launching a $70 million electronic medical records system at its hospitals and clinics, but the cost of the technology is proving to be problematic for the area's independent providers, according to a News-Press report....

Allscripts Launches Revenue Cycle Management For Large Practices - July 14, 2011
Allscripts' RCM Services will use third-party billing companies to provide billing, coding, and collection functions. But it will not target small practices, as some of its competitors do with their RCM services. Instead, Allscripts is going after the increasing number of large organizations that are outsourcing their RCM operations. ...

nTelagent Webinar Addresses Five Ways Hospitals Can Stop Losing Money - July 12, 2011
On July 19, nTelagent, Inc. is hosting a complimentary webinar for hospitals and other healthcare service providers titled "Closing the Five Doors Your Accounts Receivable Escape From at Point of Service." For those unable to attend the July 19 webinar, a second presentation will be held on July 21....

Global payment alone won't solve Massachusetts' health market woes, report says - July 12, 2011
Health care price disparities and market dysfunctions in Massachusetts will confound the state's attempt to improve health care quality and reduce costs through a global payment system, according to a report by the state's attorney general....

Engage More, Collect More - July 8, 2011
We've heard it time and time again…patients are shouldering a significant portion of their healthcare costs and hospitals are struggling to address this shift in reimbursement. The source of poor cash flow may not be due to an inability to pay, however, but rather an inability to pay the way we choose to....

How to Optimize Your Hospital's Revenue Cycle to Achieve Efficiencies, Savings - July 4, 2011
The revenue cycle is a complex system that offers hospitals several opportunities for creating efficiencies and cost-savings. However, many organizations forgo improving the revenue cycle and instead focus primarily on cost cutting. Three experts from Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC explain the importance of improving a hospital's revenue cycle and give some tips on how to take advantage of cost-saving opportunities. ...

Insurers mishandle 1 in 5 claims, AMA finds - July 4, 2011
The Association's latest National Insurer Report Card finds that the accuracy rate for claims payment has declined in the past year....

BillingTree Hosting MedicalBillPaid.com at HFMA's 2011 ANI: The Healthcare Finance Conference - June 25, 2011
BillingTree, one of the nation's leading on-demand payment processors, today announced it will introduce ANI conference attendees to MedicalBillPaid.com during expo hours, presenting alternatives for medical bill payments as a service....

Healthcare Billing & Management Association Presents Recommendations to CMS and Congressional Members - June 25, 2011
The Healthcare Billing & Management Association (HBMA), a non-profit educational resource and advocacy group representing third-party medical billers and practice management billing professionals, announced its two recent presentations to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in Baltimore and Congressional members in Washington, D.C. ...

Aiken doctor uses direct pay system to simplify billing - June 10, 2011
Paying the doctor is an expensive necessity and dealing with insurance companies can become a hassle for many. One doctor in Aiken is trying to cut out the confusion. ...

Hospitals' Skepticism of New Obamacare Medicare Payment Scheme Grows - June 10, 2011
A frequent accusation against conservative Medicare reform proposals is that they would "end Medicare as we know it." But the reality is that Obamacare has already accomplished this. One example is a new program that will, for the first time, attempt to pay for quality by penalizing hospitals that fail to meet bureaucratically created standards for quality and efficiency....

Medicare to offer more waivers from e-prescribing penalty - June 8, 2011
As many as 209,000 doctors and other health professionals could be eligible to claim exemptions by Oct. 1 to avoid 1% Medicare pay reductions....

Successful Technology Adopters Improve Revenue at Physician Practices - June 4, 2011
A recent study shows physician practices that are successful technology adopters significantly improve revenue. Charlotte Martin, president and CEO of Gateway EDI, shares tips on how to successfully integrate technology into your practice's existing workflow. ...

MD Solutions Partners with dashboardMD to Offer Enhanced Dashboard Reporting Solutions for Physician Practices - June 3, 2011
MD Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of consulting, interim management, revenue cycle turnaround, EMR/PM implementation and remediation services, announced today that it has entered into a partnership with dashboard MD, a leading provider of business intelligence solutions and healthcare analytics for provider organizations. ...

Accretive Health Helps Hospitals Manage Revenue - June 3, 2011
Hospitals can't refuse treatment based on a patient's insurance status. Yet the way the revenue cycle is set up, hospitals might have to wait many months to receive payment for services, if they receive them at all....

More states expanding their move to Medicaid managed care - May 31, 2011
As states continue to move Medicaid programs away from unrestricted fee-for-service payment toward various types of capitated care, the concept of Medicaid managed care is drawing more scrutiny. At issue is whether such changes can produce program savings without unduly restricting beneficiary access to care....

Some doctors reject Providence billing rules - May 31, 2011
Sacred Heart is forcing emergency room doctors to shoulder more responsibility for unpaid patient bills. Ojdrovic said it risks putting doctors in the untenable position of weighing financial concerns against what's best for patients....

Aetna 'best performer' in athenahealth's annual ranking - May 29, 2011
The sixth annual PayerView rankings place Aetna at top for performance across several survey segments. The PayerView Rankings are published each year by EHR company athenahealth and Physicians Practices, a practice management journal for physicians....

AMI Increases Efficiency With Integrated RIS/PACS From Sectra - May 29, 2011
Sectra RIS with embedded voice recognition and single-desktop integration to the existing Sectra PACS has enabled AMI, after only two months, to improve the scheduling process, information access, and speed report turnaround....

MultiCare Health System selects RQi enterprise™ and RQi practice management |QA™ revenue cycle solutions - May 29, 2011
MultiCare Health System selects RQi enterprise™ and RQi practice management |QA™ revenue cycle solutions to eliminate errors at registration and significantly reduce denials thus resulting in improved cash flow. ...

Craneware, Fairview Southdale Hospital Present Strategies to Help Hospitals Adapt to Changing Payor Mix at NAHAM Annual Conference - May 29, 2011
Craneware, Inc., the market leader in automated revenue integrity solutions, and Fairview Southdale Hospital will help patient access professionals understand and prepare for the impact of healthcare reform on front-end revenue cycle processes at the National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM) 37th Annual Educational Conference and Exposition, May 24-27 in San Antonio, Texas. ...

Health IT Boosts Bottom Line For Hospitals - May 24, 2011
Hospitals with advanced health information technology systems and a high quality of care achieve greater revenue growth, attend to more patients, enjoy a superior reputation for excellence, and are better able to contain costs, a report from Fitch Ratings has revealed. ...

Hospitals to test out new billing approach - May 21, 2011
Maryland is preparing to change the way hospitals charge for service. Under experimental system, charges based on illness, success of treatment rather than services provided....

Avoid Medicare Reimbursement Cuts with Acentec's E-Prescribing Software - May 21, 2011
For medical facilities who don't yet use e-prescribing software, many will face Medicare reimbursement cuts if they do not start using it by June 2011, according to the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA). Because Medicare is such a large source of income for many medical clinics, this penalty will deeply affect many offices....

Physicians Group Management Announces Acquisition of CMS Medical Billing - May 18, 2011
PGM Billing is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of CMS Medical Billing, an established Medical Billing Company based in Kearny, New Jersey. This represents a significant step for PGM's mission to provide the highest level of customer service in the industry through their technology platform and breathe of client coverage....

Hospitals catch patients off-guard with extra outpatient charges - May 12, 2011
You visited your doctor at a clinic, but got charged like you were at a hospital. It's something that's catching a lot of people off-guard nationwide, costing hundreds more than people expected to pay! ...

Physicians appeal to Congress for five-year transition to Medicare pay changes - May 12, 2011
Doctors from the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Surgeons head to capital hill to demand a five-year period during which different Medicare reimbursement models can be tested....

Doctors Need a Permanent Fix to the Medicare Payment Mess - May 5, 2011
Physician payment is annually updated on the basis of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), a special economic formula which, as configured today, would result in deep annual payment cuts. This directly threatens seniors' access to care as it becomes financially infeasible for doctors to continue to take new Medicare patients under progressively lower payments....

CMS proposed rule links payments to QI - April 30, 2011
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed rule to update Medicare payment policies and rates for hospitals in fiscal year 2012, with the goal of improving care quality and patient outcomes....

AMA identifies Medicare's top regulatory burdens - April 21, 2011
More than 2,000 physicians provided input for a letter outlining rules that they say drive up practice costs and reduce time with patients....

Bill would post every physician's Medicare billing data on Internet - April 8, 2011
A Senate bill aimed at curtailing Medicare fraud would publish physician billing data online, letting viewers determine how much individual doctors earn annually from the program....

Medit Announces Medical Billing Service for Allscripts Software Users - April 8, 2011
Medit announces medical billing service for Allscripts software users. This service helps offset costs and shares the risk of unpaid claims. Medical billing service offered for software users increases the number of paid invoices....

PPMIS Launches 8 Lessons to Medical Billing - March 29, 2011
This primer is for those who are just getting into Medical Billing or have new employees who need to become familiar with the basics of medical billing....

8 Statistics for Hospitals to Track Weekly - March 28, 2011
The senior leadership team at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wis., reviews eight statistics on a weekly basis. Here Faye Deich, Sacred Heart's CFO, reviews each statistic and why it is measured. ...

Features To Look For In a Medical Billing Software Company - March 23, 2011
Since HIPAA in 1996, medical billing software has blossomed in to a huge industry. For medical practices that are only receiving 70-80% of the reimbursements available to them, medical billing solutions make sense....

San Francisco Medical Billing LLC Owner and Former Medical Billing Instructor, Kelly Hansen, To Host Complimentary Webinar on Medical Office Procedure - March 23, 2011
In an increasingly complex payer environment, providers are expected to achieve perfection not only in the services they provide, but also in how they request payment for those services. ...

Doctors & Hospitals Countdown II on PPACA Health Reform Laws Deadline on July 01, 2011 - With 0.5% of Claim Denials Appealed Reported by Congress - March 21, 2011
ERISAclaim.com Announced Its Initial Survey results of less than 0.001% PPACA Appeals Law Education by Provider Associations To Ensure Millions Of Doctors And About 5,815 Hospitals In Compliance with New Federal Appeals Laws By July 01, 2011 Deadline As PPACA Full Enforcement. ...

Health insurers respond to overhaul law by acquiring less-regulated lines of business - March 20, 2011
That could leave insurers with slim gains, even as they face regulations that could limit profits, prohibit the practice of charging sick people higher rates, and funnel individuals and small businesses into government-created exchanges to buy policies....

CBOSS and Evans Memorial Hospital Partnership Enhances Patient Security - March 16, 2011
The latest partnership between secure online payment leader, CBOSS Inc., and Evans Memorial Hospital, has increased patient satisfaction with the addition of a new secure online payment capability, and provides the Georgia hospital with valuable centralized management and financial reporting as well. ...

Medicare Advantage: Facts, Fallacies, And The Future - March 14, 2011
CMS's recent release of preliminary payment policies for Medicare health plans - that is, plans offered through Medicare Advantage (MA) - is likely to refuel the ongoing debate on MA payments that continues despite efforts to resolve it in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA)....

Survey: Internists Are 8.5 Times As Likely to Reject All Medicaid Patients vs. Those with Private Insurance - March 14, 2011
In some quarters, there is stubborn resistance to facing up to Medicaid's poor performance on health outcome measures. But all observers accept that Medicaid beneficiaries have a tough time finding doctors who will see them, due to the fact that Medicaid deeply underpays doctors and hospitals for their services. ...

Health care providers prepare for changes in medical billing methods Read more: Health care providers prepare for changes in medical billing methods - March 11, 2011
Major changes are coming to the method health care providers use to describe the care they provide patients, which in turn determines how they're paid....

Collecting Medical Receivables and Patient Satisfaction - March 9, 2011
insideARM's article underscored the need for companies within this space to understand the unique forces at play when it comes to the billing, collection and purchase of healthcare receivables. For those of you who specialize in this area and for those whose appetite for entry into this space remains fierce, do not ignore another force at play – patient satisfaction....

Shopping comes to health care: More hospitals post prices, negotiate costs - March 6, 2011
As out-of-pocket costs for health care increase, some of the most significant changes in decades are coming to hospitals to meet the demand for price information....

Hospital stays cost more in Northern California than Southern California - March 4, 2011
On average, hospitals in Northern California's most populous counties collect 56% more revenue per patient per day than hospitals in Southern California's largest counties, a Times analysis shows....

Senators Grassley, Wyden Push to Make Medicare Billing Data Public - March 2, 2011
Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa introduced a bill today that would make available to the public data on Medicare billing by doctors and other health care providers, a portion of which is currently kept hidden by a decades-old U.S. District Court order in Florida....

8 Mistakes Your Hospital is Making Right Now - December 21, 2010
The mistakes your hospital is making now may cripple its chances of thriving under healthcare reform and future care delivery requirements. Many of these blunders stem from a lack of urgency to impending policies and penalties....

Medical Business Associates Obtains Approval as Software Vendor for Blue Cross Blue Shield in SC - December 20, 2010
Peter R. Meyer, president of Medical Business Associates (MBA), has announced that Medical Business Associates is now an approved vendor for Blue Cross Blue Shield direct claims submission in South Carolina....

Apollo Health Street to Provide Full Business Office Management and Support for Roxborough Memorial Hospital - December 15, 2010
Over the next five years, Apollo's healthcare experts will be responsible for office site management that will include the oversight of electronic and manual billing, patient account follow-up, correspondence processing, payment and remittance posting, reconciliation and follow-up, financial counseling, self pay patient and account follow-up, patient accounting customer service, and clinical denials. ...

Medicare apple computer track blood glucose diabetes~ ~board ... - December 9, 2010

Medical billing and coding answers - December 9, 2010

SuccessEHS Assists Clients With Medicare Payment Errors - December 6, 2010
SuccessEHS, a company specializing in physician practice management and electronic health record (EHR/EMR) solutions, announces the availability of a new tool that assists clients with identifying underpaid Medicare claims....

HBMA Announces Details of its Enhanced Certification Program - December 3, 2010
Secure user logins and stringent exam requirements highlight changes to the CHBME program in 2011...

CMS Announces 2011 Payment Changes for Medicare Home Health Services - November 27, 2010
he Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued a final rule to update the Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) rates for Calendar Year (CY) 2011....

6 Ways to Make the ASC Billing Process More Profitable - November 25, 2010
Brian Brown, regional vice president of operations at Meridian Surgical Partners, lists six ways to make the ASC billing process more profitable. ...

Obama administration spells out health-care law's 'medical loss ratio' rule - November 22, 2010
The Obama administration issued rules on Monday defining a promise to consumers in the new federal health-care law that insurers will spend at least $4 out of $5 they collect in premiums on medical services and other efforts to improve patients' health. ...

CMS finalizes 2011 Medicare physician fee schedule - November 21, 2010
Payments for primary care services and certain surgical procedures will improve under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services final 2011 physician fee schedule issued Nov. 2. Patients also will receive new wellness benefits and lower co-pays....

Consumer Risks Feared as Health Law Spurs Mergers - November 21, 2010
Consumer advocates fear that the health care law could worsen some of the very problems it was meant to solve - by reducing competition, driving up costs and creating incentives for doctors and hospitals to stint on care, in order to retain their cost-saving bonuses. ...

Physician's Billing Alternative Deploys iVina BulletScan S300 Scanners in Medical Practices to Process Claims Faster and Maximize Cash Flow - November 18, 2010
Full service medical billing and accounts receivable management service automates scanning and forwarding medical billing records from medical practices to insurance firms by placing high speed, low-cost document scanners into its clients' offices....

Research and Markets: Reimbursement Briefing: New FY2011 Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) Final Rule What Your Hospital Needs to - November 18, 2010
Here is your chance to get an in-depth analysis of the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System Fiscal Year 2011 hospital reimbursement final regulations....

Doctors brace for possible big Medicare pay cuts - November 17, 2010
The scheduled cuts -- the result of a system set up years ago to control costs -- have raised alarms that damage to Medicare could result if Congress fails to act by Dec. 1, when an initial 23 percent reduction would hit....

Medical Professionals Discover Free Credit Card Processing Equipment - November 14, 2010
Electronic Merchant Systems, one of the nation's leading payment processors is currently providing free credit card machines and payment processing equipment to medical professionals...

5 Tips to Maximize ASC Collections - November 14, 2010
Here are five tips from ASC experts on how to maximize ASC collections and ensure proper and full reimbursement....

12 Ways to Immediately Improve Profitability of an ASC - November 14, 2010
Caryl Serbin, RN, president of Serbin Surgery Center Billing, offers 12 ways for an ASC to immediately improve profitability. ...

Hospital Ads Suggest Medicare Reimbursement Cuts Will Hurt Care Quality - September 25, 2010
Hospital trade groups are buying 60-second TV spots implying that patients might expect compromised care if a proposed $3.7 billion cut in Medicare reimbursement takes effect starting Oct. 1 for fiscal 2011....

Health Bills Need Checkup - September 15, 2010
After Gov. Joe Manchin had knee replacement surgery, he said the hardest part wasn't his recovery - it was trying to decode the many medical bills he received in the mail....

Beneficial Site for Medical Billing and Coding Training - September 8, 2010
Medical billing and coding are two different areas of specialty, but they can be combined to create a more attractive resume. Because of their similar natures however, prospective students often confuse them and think they are the same field, when in fact medical billing and coding training can be two very different courses of study. For this reason, students need a thorough and accurate explanatory website to help avoid confusions and know exactly which field they want to be in, and medicalbillingandcodingonline.net is just the thing. ...

Determined design - September 8, 2010
How you design your wellness-based practice can make the difference between surviving and thriving...

New Payment Method May Help Curb Costs, Improve Care - September 8, 2010
Weslie Kary says it's like buying a new car. You don't pay for a wheel, and then pay for the windshield, and then pay for a back bumper. You pay once, and you get a car....

Free Electronic Health Records Now Integrated with Affordable Medical Billing in New Partnership Between Practice Fusion and Kareo - September 8, 2010
Managing a medical practice just got a little easier as Kareo and Practice Fusion announced the launch of their integrated solution for medical practitioners....

eMedischedule.com to Provide Customized Online Scheduling, Automated Virtual Call Center for Frederick County (Maryland) Health Department - September 5, 2010
eMedischedule.com, a provider of online clinic scheduling and medical scheduling technology, has been selected by the Frederick County Health Department in Frederick, Md., to provide customized online scheduling and automated virtual call center technology to support its clinic and office scheduling needs. ...

Physicians Practice Announces Its Second Virtual Conference and Exhibition to be Held in September - September 5, 2010
Physicians Practice, a division of UBM Medica, will hold Physicians Practice LIVE, a virtual conference and exhibition for physicians and administrators, for the second time this year on September 22....

Electronic Merchant Systems Modernize the Medical Billing Process - September 5, 2010
The new medical billing process provides patients with additional payment options while reducing administrative and billing costs....

Medigistics, Inc. Selects CPU's MED/FM Medical Billing and Practice Management Software Solution - September 5, 2010
Medigistics, Inc., of Columbus, Ohio, has recently selected CPU's MED/FM practice management software application for their practice management and billing needs. Medigistics selected the Full System model from CPU because of their experienced internal IT department's ability to manage the system professionally....

Practices develop new payment system for uninsured patients - September 5, 2010
Programs offered by physicians vary, but generally patients pay a monthly amount and are charged a discounted per-visit fee....

Make medical bill accuracy a high priority - September 3, 2010
As health-care reform starts to evolve, Americans hopefully will not only be more fit, their wallets will be, too. One of the potential sources of cost-savings is the streamlining of paper work so that Americans won't be devoting their health-care dollars to redundant and inefficient execution of documents....

Firms put limits on mental therapy - September 3, 2010
Spiraling medical costs have driven many employers to place new limits on coverage for mental health care, raising concerns that the rules may violate federal regulations intended to make it as easy for patients to see therapists as other doctors....

Vaden to outsource control of physical therapy - September 3, 2010
Citing budget cuts, Vaden Health Center officials said control of the center's physical therapy unit will be transferred to an outside firm beginning in September. The unit, staffed by four employees, serves about 700 students a year....

Physician Revenue Services Offers FREE EMR Interface to Its Clients - September 2, 2010
The Company provides the right tools to providers' offices that become indispensable to their workflow in addition to guaranteeing less billing and coding errors, which results in faster reimbursement....

Zynx Health Partners with the Care Collaborative to Offer More than 1,000 Clinically Proven Order Sets to ZynxOrder Customers - September 2, 2010
The Care Collaborative, an alliance between Ascension Health, Adventist Health System and Catholic Healthcare West for the development and use of jointly developed clinical content, today announced a formal licensure agreement with Zynx Health, the market leader in providing evidence-based and experience-based clinical decision support solutions. ...

Reportlinker Adds Global Renal Dialysis Equipment Pipeline Analysis, Opportunity Assessment and Market Forecasts to 2016 - September 1, 2010
Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue....

Track ARRA Spending Priorities With HIMSS Analytics Market Intelligence - September 1, 2010
With American Recovery and Reinvestment Act regulations more defined and qualified hospitals due to receive funding as early as 2011, understanding and tracking marketplace expenditures is vital. ...

House passes VA chiropractic care bill - September 1, 2010
The House and Senate have both approved the expansion of chiropractic care at veterans medical centers, but disagree about how widely available the treatment should be....

3 Reasons You Should Purchase Appointment Scheduler Software - September 1, 2010
One software product that is often overlooked, however, is appointment scheduler software. If you want to know how this type of software can help reduce your stress and improve your productivity, this is the information you're looking for....

CareCloud Launches Concierge: A Modernized Physician Revenue Cycle Experience - September 1, 2010
CareCloud today announced the national launch of CareCloud Concierge, a unique technology-enabled service that has been helping medical practices and other healthcare providers maximize their profitability, reduce unnecessary expenses and ultimately improve patient care. ...

Few Tax-exempt Hospitals Offer Details on Charity Care for Needy Patients - August 31, 2010
Many non-profit hospitals don't do enough to tell needy patients they may qualify for charity care programs, or how to apply for help, according to a report released today by The Access Project and Community Catalyst....

PPJ Enterprise Set to Enhance and Market Automated Billing Software - August 31, 2010
PPJ Enterprise, a Healthcare Finance company unveiled that its subsidiary, Automated Biller, Electronic Health Records and Practice management billing software, will soon be receiving funding as the company has planned to enhance and update to compliance and start to market the billing software during the year of 2010....

Southlake Clinic Selects ProVation Medical Software for Procedure Documentation and Coding, Patient Charting - August 31, 2010
Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information for healthcare professionals and students, announced today that Southlake Clinic has selected its ProVation® MD software for gastroenterology procedure documentation and coding, and its ProVation® EHR electronic health record and patient charting solution. ...

CMS proposes an additional 6.1% cut in Medicare payments - August 30, 2010
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed rule that would implement provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 that reduce preventive services for Medicare beneficiaries by 6.1 percent on or after Jan. 1, 2011....

Protect mental-health parity, but scrutiny is inevitable - August 30, 2010
IN THE abstract, everyone who feels the sting of rising health care premiums understands the need to hold down costs. In practice, such efforts may look to medical providers like unwelcome outside interference. The state's Group Insurance Commission, which provides health care for many state employees, has moved to tighten the reins on out-of-network therapists....

Hospitals on Buying Spree Snap Up Physician Practices - August 29, 2010
For a variety of reasons, growing numbers of physicians are selling their medical practices to hospitals and health systems. This is creating a noticeable reduction in the number of private practices in the United States....

Billing changes rile hospital patients - August 29, 2010
Miami Valley Hospital has owned physician practices for years. But the region's largest hospital encountered unexpected pushback from patients over billing practices in recent months after it absorbed Miami Valley Cardiologists, a large cardiology practice....

Becoming clock wise: How to get on time and stay on time - August 29, 2010
Keeping you and your practice on schedule makes patients happier and can help maximize practice revenue....

Fraud estimates may be overstated, AHCA chief says - August 29, 2010
Amid all the shouting over health care reform this year, one issue has united the left and right: outrage over the scale and brazenness of health care fraud. But as pundits and politicians rage, the man in charge of managing Florida's Medicaid program thinks the problem has been overstated....

Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Change Passed and Signed into Law - August 29, 2010
The President signed into law on Friday, June 25, 2010, The Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act. The bill was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 417 to 1. The Senate had earlier approved the measure....

Insurers, commissioners hammer out details of health-care reform - August 29, 2010
If you were a regulator interpreting the new requirement that health insurers use at least 80 or 85 percent of their premium dollars to pay medical bills or otherwise improve consumers' health, which of the following expenses would you count toward the quota....

Settlement ends last legal challenge to balanced billing of patients - August 29, 2010
A settlement between state regulators and Southern California-based hospital company Prime Healthcare Services has ended the last legal challenge to California's ban on balanced billing of patients....

NextGen Healthcare Executes Agreements with Five Critical Access Hospitals - August 29, 2010
NextGen Healthcare, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: QSII) and leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, today announced that five critical access hospitals have signed on to implement NextGen® Inpatient Clinicals....

Deal reached on wheelchairs - August 29, 2010
Kansans with disabilities who receive Medicaid benefits will be able to access wheelchairs again after the Kansas Health Policy Authority reached an agreement with durable medical equipment providers in Kansas....

ChiroTouch Protects Chiropractors with Launch of Data Storage and Protection Services - August 29, 2010
ChiroTouch™, the nation's leader in chiropractic software, is now offering its family of chiropractic practices the ability to both store and protect their data through its new CTSecure service....

Why is Patient Scheduling Software Important For Your Office? - August 29, 2010
While there are a few, small-town practices that can get away with the old-fashioned pen and paper methods of scheduling and managing appointments most of today's doctors need a good software program if they want to keep up with the competition. If you've been delaying the purchase of the right software product, there are some things you will want to keep in mind....

Regaining Emotional Vitality: Three Doctors, Three Challenges, Three Strategies - August 29, 2010
Are you struggling with the uncertainty, constantly changing rules, and ambiguity regarding the future of health care? Do you long for some sort of guarantee or "insurance policy" that will protect you against third-party audits, declining practice volume, or other bad news? Do you find yourself feeling anxious and looking frantically for some new tactic that will increase your sense of security? If so, you're far from alone. ...

Calif. Workers' Comp Medical Payments Back to Pre-Reform Levels - August 29, 2010
California workers' compensation medical payments are increasing and have moved back above pre-reform levels, according to a new study by the Califonria Workers' Compensation Insitute....

Simpler medical billing saves $7 billion - August 29, 2010
Simplifying and standardizing administrative procedures for medical bills could save about $7 billion a year, U.S. researchers estimate....

HealthEdge to Discuss Market Forces Driving Transformation of Payor Technology at AHIP Institute 2010 Conference - August 27, 2010
Presentation Will Explore Technology Infrastructure Required to Deliver the Agility and Configurability Payors Need to Thrive During Unprecedented Industry Transition...

R.I. Overhauls Medicaid Payments For Elderly, Disabled; Medicaid Delays Reported In Kansas - August 27, 2010
Rhode Island received a waiver from the Bush administration to revamp its Medicaid program for the elderly and disabled, despite concerns from "community health activists [who] feared that it would push some of the neediest onto waiting lists or worse - throw some poor people off the Medicaid rolls altogether....

Doctors' Medicare panel disbanded after 18 years - August 27, 2010
PPAC was discontinued by the new health reform law. Physicians now must use other avenues to express concerns about Medicare fee for service....

Ingenix to review Alabama Medicaid claims - August 27, 2010
The state of Alabama has awarded Ingenix Inc. a two-year contract to review claims and identify any funds owed to the state....

Fight Erupts Over Rules Issued for 'Mental Health Parity' Insurance Law - August 27, 2010
A huge fight has erupted over rules issued by the Obama administration to enforce a 2008 law that requires equal insurance coverage for the treatment of mental and physical illnesses. ...

Claims Disputes Grow - August 27, 2010
In an effort to contain costs, many insurers are holding the line on reimbursements to hospitals and other care providers, and paring down the number of providers in their networks. And many insureds are getting caught in the crossfire -- with more disputed and unpaid claims, and confusion over which providers are and aren't covered at lower in-network rates....

House passes 19-month Medicare cut freeze - August 27, 2010
Wrapping a up a week Democrats spent wrangling with the budgets hawks in their own party, the House of Representatives voted Friday to freeze looming Medicare physician payment cuts until 2011 as part of a two-piece benefits package. ...

CMS Sets ESRD Bundle Base Rate at $229.63 - August 27, 2010
Under the new end-stage renal disease payment system, the base payment rate for each dialysis treatment will be $229.63, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)....

Health Reform Takes Aim at Hospital Readmission Rates - August 27, 2010
While the new Medicare penalties won't take effect until October 2012, hospitals have some experience with such a system. Uncle Sam currently doesn't pay for a readmission on the same day as a discharge, unless it's for an unrelated reason. But the new law goes much further, directing Medicare to recover payments made for unnecessary readmissions within 30 days of discharge after a stay for three conditions: heart attack, pneumonia, and heart failure....

CMS Forced to Begin Processing Medicare Payment Claims at Reduced Rate - August 27, 2010
CMS has instructed its Medicare contractors to start processing claims for physician payments at a 21.3 percent reduced rate after Congress failed to pass legislation blocking a Medicare payment reduction that took effect as called for by the sustainable growth rate formula....

Capture Billing Employee Receives Award for Medical Billing Outstanding Instructor - August 27, 2010
Employee at Capture Billing receives the "Chancellors Award for Outstanding Trainer/Instructor at the Virginia Community Colleges for Continuing Education and Workforce Development."...

As Medicare Payment Reduction Takes Effect, Physicians Need to Look at Options - August 27, 2010
As of June 18, CMS began processing Medicare claims with dates of service of June 1 and later with a 21.3 percent physician fee cut. What does this mean for physicians, and how can they minimize the effect on their immediate cash flow?...

AMA: Delegates Adopt Balance Billing Resolution - August 27, 2010
The American Medical Association's House of Delegates has adopted a resolution directing the doctors' group to draft legislation that would allow physicians to bill their Medicare patients for the amount of the claim that Medicare didn't cover....

Now There is a New Online Solution to 24/7 Patient Appointment Scheduling - August 27, 2010
ChiropracticOutfitters.com is pleased to announce it has partnered with ChiroOnline and now offers access to their Patient Scheduling Software....

CMS Calls on Healthcare Billing & Management Association to Present at ICD-10 Vendor Conference - August 27, 2010
The Healthcare Billing & Management Association (HBMA), a non-profit educational resource and advocacy group representing third-party medical billers and billing professionals, was called on by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to present at the ICD-10 Vendor Conference in an effort to explore readiness, barriers to success and testing....

Grady hospital makes profit - August 27, 2010
Grady CEO Michael Young told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that a recent audit for 2009 showed the hospital about $34 million in the black. Young noted that about $25 million of that resulted from one-time infusions of cash and some accounting procedures that do not represent real cash on hand....

ACOM Health Introduces Physician Referral Program; Free to First 50 Purchasers of RAPID Chiropractic Software - August 27, 2010
ACOM Health has introduced a highly automated program that chiropractors can use to dramatically increase practice revenue by generating quality patient referrals from primary care physicians in their communities....

Physical therapists want state to cap insurance co-payments for their treatments - August 26, 2010
Physical therapists say Cashier's experience is typical of what's happening to many patients as insurers have increased physical therapy co-payments - the amount patients are required to pay out of pocket....

Primary-care Physicians Struggle Daily - August 26, 2010
Primary-care physicians must face a wide range of issues each and every day, many urgent and uncompensated tasks, according to a study that gives a rare look into the mechanics of office practice....

Atlantic Medical Imaging Outsourcing Billing Services to Zotec Partners - August 25, 2010
Zotec Partners, an industry leader in medical billing, practice management and Radiology Information Systems (RIS) software and services, announces today that Atlantic Medical Imaging (AMI) is now outsourcing billing services to the company....

Capture Medical Billing Launches Facebook Fan Page to Help Improve Medical Billing Issues - August 25, 2010
Over the past decade or so, healthcare has become a highly regulated field. There is a maze of Medicare and Medicaid regulation along with patient privacy laws that must be followed. Don't adhere to them and risk allegations of fraud, civil penalties and possibly even jail time....

Strong notifies patients their bills may have gone to other people - August 25, 2010
About half of the 2,500 patient bills Strong Memorial Hospital mailed on April 19 went to the wrong patients, and this week the hospital sent letters apologizing to affected people and telling them to be alert to any possible misuse of their information....

Mental Health Doctors Cross the Digital Divide - August 25, 2010
Free Electronic Medical Record system - Practice Fusion - releases a psychiatric module for mental health professionals in advance of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Annual Meeting in New Orleans....

ecare India - the leading Medical Billing Company gets ISO 27001:2005 certification - August 25, 2010
ecare India, a Premier Healthcare outsourcing company that focuses on medical billing and coding services to healthcare industry announced that it has been certified with ISO 27001:2005 for information security management....

MedAct Increases Collections and Efficiency With InstaMed Connect - August 23, 2010
MedAct seamlessly integrated InstaMed Connect, a fully integrated and open Application Programming Interface (API), into their existing application to deliver their customers solutions that drastically increase efficiencies and patient collections. ...

The Health Care Reform Rush: Medical Office Scheduling Software the Cure for Expected 32 Million Patient Increase at Doctors' Offices - August 23, 2010
Physicians and medical practitioners bracing for the expected rush for medical care created by the March signing of the federal Health Care Reform Bill are relying on Appointment-Plus medical office scheduling software to help better manage their patients' appointments. The Web-based scheduler offers such functionality as "point-and-click" screen scheduling and automated e-mail and text message appointment reminders....

McKesson to Help South Miami Criticare Improve Revenue Management and Drive Expansion - August 23, 2010
To help address reimbursement challenges and optimize its financial operations, South Miami Criticare has chosen McKesson to provide emergency department billing, coding and reporting services. ...

Expeditive Adds New Service Line, Remote Medicare Billers to Critical Access Hospitals - August 22, 2010
Expeditive, a leading provider of interim revenue cycle staffing and A/R SWAT teams has announced a new service line. It will provide remote Medicare billers to Critical Access hospitals. ...

Medicare fraud risk created by billing loophole - August 22, 2010
A temporary rule allows equipment claims to be processed without NPIs from referring physicians. Suppliers say this facilitates payments. OIG says it needs to stop....

Could Streamlining Medical Billing Save $7 Billion a Year? - August 22, 2010
It's been a big week for looking at what doctors do when they're not seeing patients. The NEJM published a piece yesterday quantifying this "invisible work" in a small primary care practice....

National Billing Selected as a Practice Fusion Certified Consultant - August 22, 2010
National Billing has teamed with Practice Fusion to provide assistance to doctors interested in transitioning from paper charts to Electronic Health Records (EHR) and are going to include the EHR program for free with their medical billing services....

MTBC, a Unique Healthcare IT Company, Completes Acquisition and Integration of MABCO, a Montana Based Billing Service - August 22, 2010
MTBC announced today that it has successfully completed its acquisition of Medical Accounting and Billing, Inc. (MABCO), a medical billing company based in Helena, Montana. ...

EMP's Medical Billing & Financial Services Selects the SyberWorks Hosted Learning Management System to Provide Medical Billing Training - August 22, 2010
SyberWorks Inc., a leader in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) industry, announced today that they signed an agreement with the Emergency Medicine Physicians' Medical Billing & Financial Services division to provide medical billing training through the SyberWorks Hosted Learning Management System....

Medicaid change hurts, high-need patients say - August 11, 2010
A provision in the state budget last summer changed how the state pays for certain Medicaid services. Instead of having ambulance companies, therapists and other service providers bill the state, the state is giving nursing homes $3.91 per day per Medicaid patient to cover the expenses....

Point-of-Care Tool Helps Clinicians Answer Questions, Make Decisions - August 11, 2010
There may be no better way for a clinician to problem-solve than by analyzing all of the information at hand and making an informed decision when it's most needed-at the point of care. Fortunately, clinicians have more recent and relevant medical data at the ready with the availability of a clinical reference tool called DynaMed by Ipswich, MA-based EBSCO Publishing....

What's Keeping Us So Busy in Primary Care? A Snapshot from One Practice - July 28, 2010
Primary care practices typically measure productivity according to the number of visits, which also drives payment. Work that does not involve a visit from a patient is invisible to those who support and purchase primary care. Several studies have estimated the amount of time that primary care physicians devote to nonvisit work....

Health Affairs: Simpler billing processes could create major savings - July 28, 2010
The U.S. system of billing third parties for health care services is complex, expensive and inefficient, and physicians end up using nearly 12 percent of their net patient service revenue to cover the costs of excessive administrative complexity, according to an article in the April edition of Health Affairs....

Can Insurers Still Cap Physical Therapy Visits? - July 25, 2010
Yes, it's likely that your insurer will be able to continue to limit physical therapy and mental health benefits under the new health law. Existing health plans won't ever have to provide the "essential health benefits" that will be mandatory in the health insurance exchanges and for individual and small group plans starting in 2014....

Dialysis groups, senators raise concerns over VA proposal for veterans with ESRD - July 25, 2010
The Kidney Care Partners, The Kidney Care Coalition, Dialysis Patient Citizens, and the Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee issued mostly critical comments to the Department of Veteran's Affairs for its proposal to use Medicare rates to cover outpatient dialysis services. ...

Healthcare Solutions and Broadspire Partner To Lower Workers' Compensation Costs - July 20, 2010
Healthcare Solutions and Broadspire today announced a technology-enabled durable medical equipment (DME) formulary that significantly reduces workers' compensation costs....

Healthcare providers experiment with lump-sum pricing - July 19, 2010
Charging a predetermined fee for common surgical procedures would eliminate surprises for patients and could help control costs, proponents say....

Harris Corporation Awarded $72 Million Contract to Support Expansion of VA's Consolidated Billing and Collection Services - July 19, 2010
The work will improve billing and collection activities across sixteen of VA's networks and 108 associated medical centers. The VA is one of the world's largest healthcare delivery organizations. ...

Microwize Technology is Recognized as the Best Support Value Added Reseller (VAR) for Lytec Medical Billing Software - July 18, 2010
As a champion distributor of medical billing software and electronic medical records (EMR), Microwize Technology, Inc., announces its achievement in winning an award for the best-rated support Value Added Reseller (VAR) for Lytec in 2009. Microwize would like to extend its continued devotion to excellent support with the new release of Lytec 2010 and Lytec MD EMR....

Are you practicing patient-centered billing? - July 18, 2010
These days it would be hard to find a hospital that doesn't advocate patient-centered care or its newer, younger cousin, self-directed care. On the clinical side of the equation, providers are actively seeking ways to get patients to participate in their own care. On the billing side, not so much....

Memorial Hermann Home Health Implements Authentidate's Inscrybe Healthcare Service to Automate Processing of Health Care Orders - July 18, 2010
Authentidate Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: ADAT), a worldwide provider of secure Health Information Exchange, workflow management services and telehealth solutions, today announced that Memorial Hermann Home Health, a division of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Texas, selected Authentidate's Inscrybe® Healthcare web-based service to streamline care order processing in their home health division. ...

Insurers save money, but patients forgo treatment - July 18, 2010
While I was in treatment my daughter called me in serious pain, asking for my exercises. We knew she should really go to physical therapy herself, but anything seemed better than nothing. She didn't mind the sweat and groaning, but couldn't afford the $40 per visit co-pay her health plan required....

Georgia's Kidney Community Praises House Insurance Committee for Advancing Medigap Bill; Strongly Urges Bill Passage Before Close of Legislative Sessi - July 17, 2010
The Georgia House Insurance Committee today passed patient-centered legislation (S.B. 316) that will allow more than 2,000 kidney failure patients and those deemed disabled in Georgia to obtain secondary insurance coverage for medical care....

The trend is techno - July 17, 2010
To maintain practice prosperity, even survival, you may see expanding patient population as the answer. This in turn generates a new issue for you: how to handle higher patient volume while continuing to deliver quality care. ...

Be a digital clinic - July 15, 2010
Modern digital tools can more accurately and quickly assess a case, and provide the much needed indicator of improvement. And this matters - especially in this era of third-party reimbursement. ...

Audit finds waste in hospital stays, says state could reduce Medicaid costs - July 15, 2010
The state Department of Health and Hospitals is not doing enough to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, an oversight that may be driving up the cost of the Medicaid program, according to an audit released Monday. ...

AssistMed, Inc. and HealthPac Computer Systems, Inc. Announce Integration of AssistMed Duet(TM) and HPlus Pro(TM) - July 14, 2010
AssistMed, Inc. and HealthPac Computer Systems, Inc. today announced the integration of AssistMed's Duet™ data capture technology with HealthPac's HPlus Pro™ patient accounting and control system to enhance professional healthcare services....

VA proposing to use Medicare rates to cover outpatient dialysis
 services



 - July 14, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs says it can save 39% in payments to 
non-VA managed dialysis clinics for patient services, and 75% in lab test
payments by switching to Medicare pricing.

...

Reform Won't Change Insurers' Profits Much - July 11, 2010
The insurance industry that was demonized in the health care debate faces a flood of new customers and tight new regulations, but when it comes to their bottom lines, it appears little will change, reports CBS News Chief Investigative Correspondent Armen Keteyian. ...

Medical Billers Celebrate Official Day Of Recognition On March 25, 2010 - USA - July 11, 2010
Medical billers from across the nation will celebrate National Medical Biller's Day on Thursday, March 25, 2010. Medical Billers provide vital billing and administrative services to doctors and other healthcare providers and this day of recognition is a great way to let them know they are appreciated....

Should You Outsource Your Medical Billing? - July 11, 2010
One of the many business questions physicians face is whether to outsource their medical billing to third-party medical billing services or do it in-house with medical billing software. Some physicians would assume outsourcing billing to a medical billing service makes the most sense. After all, they're the experts with the resources to properly process your claims, right? Others might want to maintain control of collections and do it all in-house....

New Web-Based Medical Billing Shows Trend Toward Electronic Health Records - July 11, 2010
An increasing number of Connecticut doctors are using a new Web-based system for medical billing, scheduling appointments and prescribing medications....

Sacred Heart Medical Group Selects Allscripts Practice Management and Revenue Cycle Management for 200 Providers - July 11, 2010
Allscripts (Nasdaq: MDRX) announced today that Sacred Heart Medical Group has selected the Allscripts Practice Management and Allscripts Payerpath™ revenue cycle management solutions to automate billing, scheduling, claims management and other vital financial functions for its 200 providers in 37 locations. ...

SourceMedical Announces the Launch of Therapy Billing Services - July 11, 2010
SourceMedical, the provider of outpatient information management solutions to the ambulatory therapy market, announced the launch of SourceTherapy Billing. A new billing service enabled by the acquisition of Advance Patient Financial Solutions (APFS), a company specialising in a broad array of outsourced revenue cycle and consulting services for the physical therapy industry. ...

Senate approves balance billing measure - July 10, 2010
Legislation that potentially pits physicians against insurance companies over how patients are billed has moved from the Senate to the House....

Unity Management Group Inc. Submits Offer for Large PPO Network in Nevada - July 10, 2010
Unity Management Group Inc. (PINKSHEETS: UYMG), a Health Resource Company specializing in Physician and Hospital Practice Management, Medical Discount Plans, Business Services, Billing Software and Technologies. ...

Patient billing legislation pits docs against CareFirst - July 10, 2010
A bill moving through the State House is pitting physicians against insurance companies over a billing practice that the state's largest insurer says is needed to keep doctors in their network and health care costs affordable for small businesses and their workers....

Maryland lawmakers want to banish 'balance billing' by some doctors - July 10, 2010
A bill designed to take patients out of the health care billing equation could end up taking money away from physicians who work for hospitals if two leading members of the House of Delegates get their way....

Professional Claims Link Now Providing Medical Billing For The Entire State of Florida - July 10, 2010
Professional Claims Link is a Florida-based corporation that has been providing physicians with outstanding medical billing services for ten years. The company is now serving the entire state of Florida....

Gulfstream Outsourcing and Specialized Billing (GO-SB) announces its aggressive approach to dealing with Third Party Liability Insurance Companies on - July 10, 2010
GO-SB was created as a partnership between a group of health care professionals and insurance and litigation attorneys. Using specialized knowledge, superior technology and advanced training, GO-SB maximizes hospital revenue relating to Motor vehicle accident, Worker's Compensation and Third Party Bodily Injury Lien claims....

The best kept secret in chiropractic marketing - July 7, 2010
Think about it; a pertinent, well-crafted, regular chiropractic column in your local paper is the best and, arguably, the most cost-effective exposure you can get for your new practice. In most cities and towns, the local newspaper is the main source of community news for thousands of people - 90 percent of whom have never visited a chiropractor. ...

New patient or established? - July 6, 2010
Understanding the difference between a new patient and an established patient should be easy: A new patient is one you have never seen before; an established patient is one who has previously used your services....

Health Providers Watch for Passage of Bill that May Change Their World: "Preferred Provider" Contracts May Be Eliminated - July 6, 2010
Imminent passage of the health care reform bill, The Affordable Health Care for America Act, is still uncertain, but as currently written, provisions of the law will be enacted within six months of signing. If passed, hospital billing and collections operations will see sweeping changes, including massive revisions or even elimination of managed care contracts....

Money doesn't always equal motivation - July 6, 2010
You have the right team assembled and the office is finally purring like a lap cat being petted. Patient scheduling is efficient and timely, insurance is verified and billed accurately, and patients are just "gushing" about the way they're treated every time they walk into your office. ...

Credentials and your curriculum vitae - July 6, 2010
You are on the phone with a lawyer or referring physician who needs to determine if you are the right person to treat his client or patient. He asks for your curriculum vitae (CV) and you immediately fax a resume. You never hear from him and spend the next few months justifying why he didn't understand you are the best chiropractor in town. ...

From classmate to colleague - July 6, 2010
The next time you are in class, take a good look at the faces of your classmates. Someday these people will be your colleagues and fellow chiropractors in the field. They will soon be scattered across the United States and the world, taking their place in the industry. It would be nice to have a large network of friends you can rely on when the time comes....

Thousands of Physical Therapists are Closing their Doors - July 5, 2010
High insurance co-payments has led thousands of consumers who need Physical Therapy to stop their treatments. On May 18th thousands of Physical Therapists in New York State are closing their doors to go to Albany to fight for a new legislation that reduces patient co-payment obligation. ...

ACOM Health Announces Rebate Program on Purchases of RAPID Chiropractic Software Suite - July 4, 2010
ACOM Health has allocated $100,000.00 to fund a rebate program for purchases of its RAPID documentation and practice management software, it was announced today by Sam Mikhail, vice president of sales. ...

The Right Time? - July 4, 2010
Regulatory issues and infrastructure upgrades might renew interest in revenue cycle apps....

Medical Billing Leader, Zotec Partners, Receives Multi-Year Contract Renewals from Leading Radiology Groups - July 4, 2010
Four Prominent Radiology Groups Each Sign Five Year Renewals to Continue Utilizing Zotec Partners' Comprehensive Suite of Medical Billing and Practice Management Tools...

Practical Documentation: Internal documentation audits - July 4, 2010
The Institute of Internal Auditors defines internal auditing as "an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. ...

Insurance Waivers and Maintenance Treatment - July 4, 2010
I have a patient whose insurance carrier placed a waiver on their "spine" due to prior treatment the patient had received in this office. My concern is that my current treatment is not for a specific condition, but simply maintenance, and as my patient puts it, to "feel good." This patient requested an adjustment about two times per month and I never had a specific diagnosis other than simple misalignment. ...

What is your exit strategy? - July 4, 2010
Given current economic conditions, you now have numerous issues to assess while planning for retirement. As you approach retirement age, you rightfully hope to realize the benefits of the years of equity you have built in your practice. ...

Investing in your future - July 4, 2010
In this recession, beginning a specialty diplomate program or obtaining a certification is one way to invest in your future today. You can enhance your education and expertise as well as expand the services your practice can offer to new and existing patients - thereby potentially increasing your bottom line....

Practical Documentation: Doing the right thing the wrong way can cost you - July 3, 2010
It happens when you attempt to do the right thing for patients with no insurance or limited benefits by "tweaking" your documentation and coding to result in an overall lesser charge for the patient. ...

Chiro Biz Quiz: Build a bigger, better market - July 3, 2010
There are several reasons for opening multiple locations. The most obvious is to see more patients. Many businesses reach a point at which their patient base stops increasing. This is known as "burning through your market." Adding locations or acquiring other practices is often the best way to deal with this problem....

As The Dialysis Bundled Payment Plan Draws Near, Medical Directors and Renal Administrators Become More Concerned About Negative Patient Outcomes In E - July 3, 2010
BioTrends announces the release of the second wave of an on-going series of reports, Special Report: Impact of the Dialysis Bundled Payment System. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will be implementing the new payment system on January 1, 2011 and will phase the program in over a four year period....

MediPro Offers Migration Incentives for MediNotes e to SuiteMed - June 21, 2010
MediPro, a medical billing software company, has created a plan for MediNotes e users to upgrade to SuiteMed before the product is discontinued....

Hepful hints to maximize collections - June 20, 2010
With insurance companies tightening their belts during this economic crisis, well-managed, efficient billing and collections systems are more important than ever. It won't matter how many new patients you get a month or how many patient visits you have a week if you are not collecting the money you are entitled to. ...

Why do I need a patient treatment plan? - June 20, 2010
Patient treatment plans have become a standard documentation requirement. Not only can they can help you get paid faster, but they can also prevent post-payment refunds....

Should I practice here or there? - June 20, 2010
How to choose an optimum office location? Begin the process of choosing the optimum office location by asking yourself five simple questions....

Alpha II Announces Contract with MedAppz - June 20, 2010
This integration of technologies will allow iSuite users to generate evaluation and management codes (E&M), delivering a more decisive calculation based on history, exam and medical decision making information obtained from medical records. ...

NCO Announces the Expansion of Its Healthcare Remittance Processing Service Solution - June 20, 2010
Designed to increase proficiency and productivity, Remittance Processing Service solution automates process of depositing, posting, and managing healthcare patient payments. This accelerates payments to hospitals while reducing expenditures and eliminating most errors....

Officials: Grady in stable condition - June 20, 2010
Grady Memorial Hospital, on the verge of financial collapse about two years ago, has reached financial stability and improved patient care, hospital officials said....

Hassan rate setting panel not right for hospitals - June 20, 2010
In her recent column (Seacoast Sunday, Feb.28), "N.H. Senate bill would set up hospital rate setting commission," Sen. Maggie Hassan asks whether a government rate review commission that has been in place in the state of Maryland since the early 1970s could work here in New Hampshire....

West Chicago chiropractor charged with health fraud - June 14, 2010
A West Chicago chiropractor has been charged with health-care fraud in an 18-count federal grand-jury indictment....

A Billion Dollar Opportunity for Chiropractors - June 5, 2010
Truck driver exams, Department of Transportation (DOT) and non-DOT alcohol and drug testing are the vehicle for all chiropractic physicians to significantly increase their income and fill open appointments. ...

Bundled payments might cut hospital costs without reducing quality of care - May 16, 2010
For most doctors, I would argue that the motivation is not really greed. It's a combination of concern for patients, clinic availability and the need to generate additional revenue to offset overhead costs. In nearly all cases, I find, the doctors are making choices that are well within the guidelines of evidence-based medicine. ...

AttackMedicalBills.com Fights Medical Bill And Health Insurance Processing Errors For Consumers - May 16, 2010
Patients with significant medical bills benefit from working with a medical billing advocate who helps uncover billing errors, appeals insurance company denials, and negotiates lower fees with medical care providers. Industry experts estimate that as many as 9 out of 10 hospital bills contain errors which often lead to denials by insurance plans. Because unpaid medical bills are a leading cause of personal bankruptcy, consumers must stay on top of their mountain of confusing medical paperwork....

Speakers and Agenda Announced for Healthcare Billing & Management Association 2010 Spring Educational Conference - May 16, 2010
The Healthcare Billing & Management Association (HBMA), a non-profit educational resource and advocacy group representing third-party medical billers and billing professionals, announced today details of the association's 2010 Spring Educational Conference....

Proposed California eBilling Rules Released - May 16, 2010
Largest State Workers' Compensation System to Mandate Medical Billing EDI, Electronic / Paper Workflows, PHI Protections and Uniform Bill Data...

Nine Healthcare Companies Named Finalists for Innovations in HealthcareSM ABBY Awards, to be Presented April 28th - May 16, 2010
These awards honor companies which have proven ways to lower the cost of providing quality healthcare through their innovative approaches to the delivery of healthcare, or medical or information/telecommunications technology....

Just the facts, ma'am - May 16, 2010
Historically, case management has relied on the individual physician's interpretation of how the patient feels - for diagnosing the problem and for treating it - with treatment continuing until the patient feels better and/or the symptoms go away. ...

Double your patient volume - May 16, 2010
Dr. Hans uses the integrated ACOM Health's RAPID Chiropractic Documentation & Practice Management software suite to virtually eliminate the need for paper documents. ...

Is cash really king? - April 29, 2010
The debate over whether to maintain an insurance-based practice or convert to a cash basis is one that doesn't go away. The fact is, there isn't one universal answer. The right decision relates to an amalgam of skill sets, objectives, and knowledge, and what is right for one practice might be wrong for another. ...

Update on Medicare Reimbursement for Physical Therapy Services - April 26, 2010
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) reported on its website (APTA.org) on Friday, February 26, 2010 that "The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will hold claims for the first 10 business days of March....

Physical therapists claim Groves nursing home owes $356,000 for services - April 26, 2010
A group of therapists claims a Groves nursing home has not paid more than $356,000 in charges for more than a year's worth of the treatment it has provided to the home's residents....

Payments for Physical Therapy Services to be Drastically Cut by Anthem Blue Cross of California - March 15, 2010
Patients enrolled in Anthem Blue Cross of California may be in for a rude and costly awakening the next time they visit a physical therapist. According to the California Physical Therapy Association, the insurance company is slashing payment for physical therapy services to a rate so low it is financially impossible for many physical therapists to continue providing care to enrollees of Anthem Blue Cross....

Thomson Reuters and Ingenious Med Improve Inpatient Billing Efficiency for Hospitals and Physician Practices - March 15, 2010
The solution will help hospital clinicians improve inpatient billing efficiency and accuracy - so they capture all appropriate charges for the treatment they provide....

Patients are finding facility fees for visits to doctors - March 15, 2010
Hospital-owned practices, clinics billing for room services on site. Area consumers are upset but additional charge allowed, legal....

N.J. doctors will gain easier access to paperwork via web - March 13, 2010
Two trade groups for the health insurance industry carried out some reform of their own Thursday by launching a statewide program that will make it easier and less expensive for doctors to provide care to their patients....

The Case for the iPad: Mobile Charge Capture for Physicians - March 13, 2010
Physicians know what they want from technology: simplicity, mobility, and automation. When the iPad was announced on January 27th, we were eager to find out what it has in store for us. Now that we've dedicated more than a week of intensive software development to it, it's clear that the iPad's innovations will take the already-legendary simplicity, mobility, and automation of pMDsoft's charge capture application to the next level....

Coding Q&A: What is ghost billing and coding? - March 10, 2010
Ghost billing and coding occurs when a healthcare provider or equipment supplier bills an insurance carrier for a procedure that never took place or for a product that was never provided to the patient....

Capario Announces Specialized Product for Physician Billing Service Customers - March 10, 2010
New Web-based Portal is Tailored to the Unique Needs of Physician Billing Service Clients for Improved Workflow and Financial Decision Support....

Practice Development Strategies Expedites Healthcare Claim Processing and Accelerates Cash Flow for its Clients with InstaMed - March 10, 2010
Practice Development Strategies (PDS) provides medical billing, consulting and practice management services to over 200 medical practices across the country. The company continually seeks ways to reduce claim rejections and accelerate cash flow for its clients....

New Management Reports From AdvancedMD Enables Billing Professionals to Diagnose and Resolve Billing Process Bottlenecks Faster - March 10, 2010
AdvancedMD® Software, Inc., the leader in all-in-one, web-based practice management, EHR and billing applications for medical practices and medical billing services, announced it has released six new management reports designed to help billing services and physician practices avoid key billing and collection problems....

ACOM Health Chiropractic Software Now Available as Individual Modules; Doctors Pick Entry Point, Build out to Powerful Total Office Suite - March 3, 2010
ACOM Health has inaugurated a program through which doctors can purchase and implement an expanded version of its award-winning chiropractic software solution on a module-by-module basis, with the opportunity to build out to the full solution suite at whatever pace their practices can absorb and/or afford....

Hays Medical Center Expands Its Relationship with MedAssets Revenue Cycle Management Solutions - March 2, 2010
Hays Medical Center of Hays, Kan., has expanded its use of MedAssets' revenue cycle management solutions to further improve its financial performance....

MedAptus Launches Consulting Services Capability - March 2, 2010
MedAptus(R), the market leader for charge capture technologies, today announced the formation of an expanded Consulting Services team to further assist provider groups and hospitals in realizing optimal financial and operational performance....

Academy Offers New Resources to Help Members Get Ready for ICD-10 - February 26, 2010
The AAFP is offering new resources to help prepare family physicians for the transition to the clinical modification of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, or ICD-10-CM, which becomes official on Oct. 1, 2013....

Health care costs a complex issue for providers, consumers - February 26, 2010
There's a lot of finger-pointing about the prices of health care in the United States. From insurance companies to drug manufacturers to federal health care programs to hospitals and health systems to treating diseases instead of promoting health, it's easy to play the blame game....

How Going to a Chiropractor Can Increase Your Health Insurance Premiums - February 22, 2010
Visiting a chiropractor for a routine adjustment might be viewed by your insurer as a sign of some "underlying medical condition," and give justification for jacking up your rates by as much as 25%....

Fighting Denied Claims Requires Perseverance - February 17, 2010
Ms. Carr researched medical journals and other publications to find proof that her procedure was a bona fide and safe treatment. She then wrote a formal letter to her insurer making her case and including copies of the research she had found. Her doctor backed her up with a thorough letter of his own....

Private practice doctors could go way of house calls - February 17, 2010
The independent, private practice doctor running his or her own office may soon become an obsolete artifact of an earlier era, a model no longer practical or desirable for today's world....

Billing for Modalities - February 16, 2010
Q: I am concerned about billing for modalities, as they seem more likely to be denied than paid. What can I do to get paid, and is there something else I should be doing to help the process?...

TENSnet offers free electrotherapy billing and coding webinars - February 16, 2010
TENSnet, a leading online wholesale website for TENS, electrodes and other chiropractic equipment is sponsoring free weekly webinars to chiropractic professionals and their staff....

Brooklyn man charged $100,000 for two-day hospital stay & surgery - February 5, 2010
The patient is fine - it's the hospital bill that's sick. Almost $10,000 for two nights in a semiprivate room. More than $16,500 for six hours on the operating table. Total bill for back surgery in a Manhattan hospital: $109,000 - and that's not counting doctors' fees....

Chiropractic visits lead to higher premium - February 3, 2010
Anthem Blue Cross charged a healthy Hollywood resident 25% more for insurance coverage because she sees a chiropractor from time to time. This is one reason we're talking about healthcare reform....

How to get paid for care delivered over the phone - February 2, 2010
For many physicians, the frustration of the telephone is that they have to spend a lot of time using it, yet they don't get paid. But it is possible to get paid for your work on the phone....

Doc's cash-only billing bucks the insurance morass - January 31, 2010
Dr. James Eelkema, a longtime ER doc, has setup a cash-only family practice in Burnsville, posting prices online. One problem:$36. Two problems $54. He's out-MinuteClinic'ing MinuteClinic....

AdvantEdge Healthcare Solutions Acquires Medical Account Services, Inc. - January 31, 2010
AdvantEdge Healthcare Solutions (AHS), one of the nation's leading providers of medical billing and practice management services, today announced that it has acquired Medical Account Services (MAS), the premier anesthesia billing company throughout Ohio. ...

Medicare Contractors Use Conflicting Rules on Consultations; CMS to Issue Guidance Soon - January 31, 2010
Without national guidance from CMS, different Medicare contractors are giving conflicting instructions to providers on billing for consultations that don't qualify for any of the three evaluation and management (E/M) codes now used for inpatient consults....

Fresenius Medical Care Canada Announces NephroCare Software Acquisition - January 31, 2010
Fresenius Medical Care Canada (FMCC) announced today that it has completed the purchase of sole Canadian development and distribution rights to the NephroCare® software from Cybernius Medical LTD. ...

Therapists pained by new Anthem Blue Cross plan - January 30, 2010
Anthem Blue Cross patients may find it harder to find physical, speech and occupational therapists willing to treat them, and they may have to reach deeper into their pockets to pay for those who will care for them....

Should Health Insurance Cover Primary And Preventive Care? - January 30, 2010
First, it doesn't cover gasoline, oil changes, or worn-out tires. Those are predictable, normally affordable consumer purchases. Even if I could buy such coverage, I wouldn't. It's not worth the added insurer overhead and profit-not to mention the cost inflation on gas and tires once sellers discover their customers no longer care about price....

Bizmatics and RevenueXL Announce Partnership to Offer Electronic Medical Records and Practice Management Software and Account Receivables Management S - January 30, 2010
RevenueXL and Bizmatics come together to offer Medical Practices one-stop shop for Electronic Medical Records (a.k.a. Electronic Health Records) Software and proven outsourced medical billing solutions including Account Receivable Management Services. ...

Merge Healthcare Announces New Hospital Deployment - January 30, 2010
Tri Hospital MRI Center of Port Huron, Michigan has selected Merge Healthcare (NASDAQ:MRGE) to provide a radiology information system (RIS) that includes integrated business workflow from scheduling through billing....

ACOM Health Chiropractic Business Services Group Offers Revolutionary 200 Percent ROI Guarantee - January 30, 2010
The ACOM Health Chiropractic Business Services Group has introduced a "true measurement" performance guarantee assuring that a practice will realize at least 200 percent return on its investment in services or ACOM Health will restore the difference between the actual return and the target results....

Solo practices let doctors spend more time with patients - January 19, 2010
She has no nurse, no billing staff and no answering service. She only has a part-time secretary to digitally scan records that still arrive on paper at her paperless office....

Prices for common medical tests vary widely in Houston - January 19, 2010
Most of us already know to ask for generic medicines rather than brand-name drugs. But how can you find the cheapest MRI or CT scan?...

Insurer okayed out-of-network care for heart patient but family faces huge bill - January 19, 2010
The initial surgery in 2003 was a success. But what the relieved parents didn't realize was that their financial life would be drastically impaired. They ended up with $70,000 in doctors' bills that their insurer, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia, refused to pay -- even though it had approved the couple's choice of surgeons....

RAC Targets Skilled Nursing Facilities' Consolidated Billing - January 19, 2010
Skilled nursing facilities in the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program's Region D should pay extra attention to consolidated billing practices and reimbursement as HealthDataInsights (HDI), the RAC for that region, recently added SNF consolidated billing to their list of CMS approved audit issues....

Collection Agency Issues Video on Improving Internal Accounts Receivables Procedures - January 18, 2010
American Profit Recovery, a nationwide collection agency recently issued a video outlining what a business of any size but particularly a small business can do to improve cash flow in any economic situation including best practices for internal accounting and billing procedures....

Cutting costs tops health industry to-do list for 2010 - January 18, 2010
The recession drove money pressures last year, but the stimulus act and reform will be the driving forces this year, according to a recent report....

Learning from your peers - January 18, 2010
Being a chiropractor comes with a unique set of challenges - advice comes from a lot of sources on how best to handle practice concerns. But are you listening to the right people?...

There is no better time to be a chiropractor - January 18, 2010
With the stresses people are facing everyday - including but not limited to emotional, chemical, and physical stress - you must realize there is no better time than now to be a chiropractor....

New Payment Posting Service Helps Healthcare Providers Improve Collection Process - January 16, 2010
By remotely processing payments, checks, invoices, and Explanation of Benefits (EOBs), DATAMARK enables healthcare providers to actively manage their collection process and maximize revenue. ...

The truth about insurance practices vs. cash practices - January 12, 2010
Here is a view concerning insurance practices and "cash" practices that is different from what you might traditionally hear....

Treat Me, but No Tricks Please - January 12, 2010
I RECEIVED an e-mail message recently from an angry doctor. He'd torn his hamstring running on a beach and spent eight weeks - a total of 20 hours - in physical therapy. Then his insurer said the physical therapy was not covered....

Health Care Firm Expands Rapidly Amid Tepid Economy - January 12, 2010
The company attributes its brisk growth to the material advantage practitioners achieve when utilizing its new collections and compliance enhancement intelligence known as Rehab Integrity Pro....

Necessary Evil: Change - January 7, 2010
Medicare wipes out consultation codes, which could benefit HM groups...

Why Health Insurance Reform Will Increase Costs - January 7, 2010
Why we will see increased health insurance costs and a radical shift toward expanded government control of health insurance and medical care....

Profast Billing Solutions Unveils New Medicare RAC Audit Service - Helps Medical Providers Identify Errors in Compliance - January 4, 2010
Profast Billing Solutions announced the launch of a new service for physicians, home health agencies, hospitals and durable medical equipment providers in order to prepare for the upcoming RAC audit by Medicare....

Painless payments - January 4, 2010
Paying the doctor is simple with credit card-based mPay Gateway, the latest start-up from Mark Tierney....

A new twist in healthcare billing: the 'facility fee' - January 4, 2010
Possibly coming soon to a doctor's office near you: a little something extra on your bill, not covered by insurance -- a nifty number known as a "facility fee." What is it exactly?...

Tackling contentious insurance issues - December 29, 2009
In the 2010 legislative session, resolving claims faster and simplifying medical billing will be the big issues for Sean Shaw, the state's insurance consumer advocate....

WMC 'uncompensated care' on the rise - December 29, 2009
In March 2008, Wyoming Medical Center anticipated uncompensated care at the regional hospital would top $30 million by the end of the fiscal year the following June. In December 2009, uncompensated care is more than $40 million and still climbing....

The Power of One Announces New Medical Billing, Practice Management, and EMR Solutions for Specialty Physicians and Medical Billing Companies - December 29, 2009
ONE offers its software and services to medical billing companies, academic hospitals, and an array of hospital and office-based practices, including individual and group practices in the Northeast....

Curve Dental Announces Release of New, Web-based Dental Software - December 29, 2009
In development for more than five years, Curve Hero's advanced technology is designed only for the web for the contemporary dental practice, providing key features, such as scheduling, billing, clinical and perio charting, reporting, imaging, clinical notes, patient education, and more. ...

MacPractice enhances single window interface for MD, DC, DDS, 20/20, EMR products - December 25, 2009
MacPractice - the developer of MacPractice MD, MacPractice DDS, MacPractice DC, and MacPractice 20/20 - has added new features and has enhanced its single window interface for all MacPractice products including MacPractice EMR....

Medical Billing Software Offered by Health Tec Software Inc. - December 25, 2009
Health Tec Software, Inc., the leader in supplying and providing the different medical software systems released one of the most important systems that is greatly needed in the medical field – the medical billing software....

XENA Health Partners with Office Ally - December 25, 2009
The partnership provides XENA Health customers expanded access to a full service, web-based clearinghouse for free....

RealMed Ranked as 2009 'Best in KLAS' Claims and Clearinghouse Service - December 18, 2009
RealMed is a dynamic revenue cycle management solution providing advanced, online, automated transactions processing between healthcare providers and all payers. KLAS is an independent research firm specializing in vendor performance measurement in the software, professional services, and medical equipment categories....

Home Care of the Carolinas and Alliance Medical, Inc. Select Authentidate's Inscrybe Healthcare to Improve Care Order Processing - December 18, 2009
Authentidate Holding Corp., a worldwide provider of secure Health Information Exchange and workflow management services, today announced that Home Care of the Carolinas ("HCC"), a home health agency, and Alliance Medical, Inc. ("AMI"), a durable medical equipment supplier, have selected Authentidate's Inscrybe® Healthcare web-based service to streamline and standardize processes for the completion of patient care orders....

Bundling may lead to clinics closing, survey finds - December 9, 2009
Twenty-six percent of medical director and renal administrators who responded to a Harris Interactive poll about the impact of the proposed bundled payment for dialysis said they believe their center may have to close its doors if changes aren't made to the current proposal....

Home Dialysis Update: Advocates object to payment plan for home training - December 9, 2009
CMS's decision to pay for home training costs only within the first four months of dialysis care has home therapy advocates concerned about the future....

Out-of-network bill a legal loophole - December 9, 2009
Balanced-billing policy shifts thousands of dollars in health cost to patients....

Blue Shield of California Is Dropped From the State's High-Risk Pool for 2010 - December 4, 2009
Blue Shield of California (BSC) will no longer be allowed to offer coverage for California's high-risk pool on Jan....

Most state hospitals fail to comply with price-quote law - December 3, 2009
Most California hospitals are failing to comply with a state law requiring them to furnish price quotes upon request for a host of medical services, according to a report released Tuesday....

Sun Knowledge, Ltd. Offers In-House Medication Therapy Management Services for Medicare Part D Providers - December 3, 2009
Sun Knowledge, Ltd., a leading India-based Medicare provider of Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) services, offers in-house administration of their Medication Therapy Management (MTM) solutions to Medicare, Medicaid and other managed care organizations....

Hospitals Report Workflow Improvements with New Release of McKesson's Cardiovascular Information Solution - December 3, 2009
Today McKesson unveiled the latest version of its comprehensive Horizon Cardiology™ cardiovascular information system (CVIS) designed to automate and simplify cardiologists' complex workflows....

Lytec 2010 Practice Management System Available Soon at MediPro - December 3, 2009
An updated version of this leading practice management software will be available in early December. Enhancements include streamlined integration with electronic claims solution....

Seeking the Best Medical Care Prices - December 3, 2009
Health care consumers are encouraged to comparison-shop on things like doctor's fees and heart surgery rates. But unfortunately, most of us have little clear or useful information to go shopping with....

IMAGINE Software Gains Record Number of New Clients Across United States - December 3, 2009
Technology Partners, Inc. (dba IMAGINE Software), a leading provider of medical billing technology, announces today that it has recently been awarded nine new contracts in various parts of the United States....

Quantros Licenses Adverse Event Identification Technology from University of Michigan - December 3, 2009
Integration of PSI case review system with Quantros platform helps identify patient safety events through automated triggers and improves coding practices....

Medicare Advantage: billing problems - December 3, 2009
Medicare Advantage plans are run by insurance companies and they are complex. Rules must be followed and enrollees must stay in network, or they will face complicated billing problems....

PracticeMax to Take Coding Paperless at Thibodaux RMC - December 3, 2009
PracticeMax will provide coding services for the hospital's emergency physician group. The Thibodaux emergency department treats approximately 30,000 patients per year. ...

TennCare may curtail coverage to reduce costs - December 3, 2009
They might also eliminate coverage for occupational, speech and physical therapy, and limit enrollees to no more than 15 outpatient procedures and 15 lab procedures in a year....

BridgeGate Launches New Healthcare Integration and Interoperability Products - December 2, 2009
Suite Helps Organizations Meet HIPAA Compliance Requirements and Automate Billing, Claims, Enrollment and Eligibility....

Medical billing errors spawn an industry to help consumers - December 2, 2009
The national firm that Inglett's company is affiliated with, Medical Billing Advocates of America, says that consumers often lack the knowledge and time to question their bills....

New law allows mediation of doctors' balance bills - December 2, 2009
Hospital patients stuck with a surprise doctor's bill that's not covered by their insurance will finally have a "seat at the table" in negotiating with doctors charging them for out-of-network services....

University Research Concludes Real Time Location Systems Can Transform Hospitals - December 2, 2009
Results from the first multidisciplinary university study examining the impact of a Real Time Location System (RTLS) deployed throughout a hospital show that the technology for tracking mobile medical equipment is driving increased operational efficiency and saving hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, while also enabling nurses to spend more time with patients and improve staff morale. ...

VHA Oklahoma Arkansas Adopts Quantros ACE to Manage Improvement Efforts of Its Member Hospitals - December 2, 2009
Quantros, a leading software and services provider for the healthcare industry, announces that the clinical performance consulting practice VHA Oklahoma Arkansas, LLC (VHAOA) has adopted the Quantros Accreditation and Compliance Excellence (ACE) solution to help its member hospitals manage their clinical improvement and compliance efforts....

Concuity Announces Next-Generation Revenue Cycle Management Solution - December 2, 2009
New ClearContracts(TM) 9.0 to Improve Clients' Revenues, Security and Month-End Processing....

HealthEdge Wins Healthcare IT Innovation Award for Best Technology at Healthcare IT Summit - December 2, 2009
HealthEdge, provider of the only modern, enterprise-class software platform for healthcare payors, today announced that its HealthRules product suite was voted BestNew Technology in the insurer category by healthcare executives who attended the 2009 Healthcare IT Summit last week in La Quinta, Calif....

MedAptus Announces Professional Intelligent Charge Capture Now Available on BlackBerry Smartphones - December 1, 2009
MedAptus(R), market leader for charge capture technologies, today announced the extension of its Professional Intelligent Charge Capture software suite - Practice Plus Edition, Inpatient Edition and Enterprise Edition - to BlackBerry(R) smartphone devices....

MDeverywhere Uses Salesforce CRM and InsideSales.com Dialer to Increase Productivity by 33.3% - December 1, 2009
Fast Growing Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management Company Appreciates Extra-Mile Service and Immediate Response to Integrate On-Demand Phone Dialer Software With Leading Hosted CRM Solution....

eBill Benefits Likely to Speed Up Compliance Initiatives of Workers' Compensation Carriers in California - December 1, 2009
Fast-Track Implementation of New Medical EDI Rules Offers Strategic Response to Cost Inflation in Face of Rejected Pure Premium Rate Hike....

RAM Technologies Teams With IBM to Serve SMB Marketplace - December 1, 2009
RAM Technologies has teamed with IBM to bring leading claims management solutions to market for health care payer organizations....

Looking Back at the Crystal Ball: Practice Technology Four Years Later - December 1, 2009
What was controversial four years ago, but not anymore? How about the following three statements: (1) More chiropractors will adopt electronic documentation in the near future. (2) Medicare will increase audits of chiropractors....

Physician Compliance Network Provides Expert Chart Review for All Types of Medical Cases - December 1, 2009
Physician Compliance Network, LLC, a physician owned and operated company, has expanded their core service capabilities to include chart review for medical quality and appropriateness of care for virtually any medical specialty and situation....

Genpact Helps Miami Children's Hospital Win Four 'Global Six Sigma & Business Improvement Awards' - November 30, 2009
The awards, which come at a time when national attention is focused on improving the country's healthcare system, recognize this innovative partnership for its progress towards optimizing and improving work processes that directly impact patient care. ...

Hyland Software One of the 'Clear Document Management and Imaging Leaders' According to New KLAS Report - November 30, 2009
Strength across multiple settings, from clinical to revenue cycle and administrative departments, one of the major strengths of OnBase....

New software helps translate your complex medical bills into simple language - November 29, 2009
The company is looking for another blockbuster product. And the new Quicken Health Care Expense Tracker just happens to answer a pressing problem for health care consumers: It makes it easier to understand what a doctor's office, hospital or laboratory is asking you to pay by putting it in simple language....

athenahealth Chooses Monolith Software to Increase Transparency in Support of Its National Physician Network - November 28, 2009
National Centrally-Hosted Business Service Provider for Physician Practices Reaches for Higher Levels of Application and System Performance With Greater Real-Time Service Monitoring....

Meta Health Technology Wins Premier Contract for Reimbursement Software; Contract Includes Meta's Patient Abstracting and Electronic Physician Query P - November 28, 2009
Meta Health Technology, a leading provider of software solutions for health information management, has been awarded a 36-month contract by Premier Purchasing Partners, LP. The agreement provides Premier's more than 2,200 member hospitals and 63,000 additional healthcare sites with access to pre-negotiated pricing and terms for Meta's patient chart abstracting and Electronic Physician Query software products....

Document Inspection - November 27, 2009
One constant in all the modifications to billing and reimbursement guidelines for evaluation and management (E/M) services provided by hospitalists is that a face-to-face patient encounter by the billing provider is required....

HealthEdge to Discuss Healthcare Market Trends Driving Payor Technology Revolution at 2009 Healthcare IT Summit - November 26, 2009
Presentation Will Highlight How Patented HealthRules Technology Platform Provides Payors with a Significant Competitive Advantage in Rapidly Evolving Healthcare Market....

Why UPNs Make Sense for Medical Devices - November 26, 2009
Over the past few years, FDA has held several meetings on unique device identification (UDI) to collect input from the device industry. It is expected that the agency will issue a draft guidance on the topic in the near future....

The American Hospital Association Awards Its Endorsement to Quest Archive Manager for Email Archiving - November 25, 2009
The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced it has awarded an exclusive endorsement to Quest® Archive Manager for its email archiving capabilities. Archive Manager captures, indexes and stores email and attachments centrally, lowering storage costs, providing faster email discovery response and ensuring compliance through email preservation....

Medical Billing Software MPMsoft Selected by eMedical Systems, Inc. as Practice Management Solution - November 25, 2009
Author of his own medical billing software for 17 years, Wahlquist recently made the unusual decision to retire his software and move his medical practices over to a new generation of medical billing software made by MPMsoft....

iVolution Medical Systems Launches Loan Program to Improve Physician Cash Flow - November 25, 2009
Universal Capital Management, Inc. is pleased to announce that one of its holdings, iVolution Medical Systems, Inc., is preparing to launch a loan program that offers physicians easy access to working capital. ...

Crittenton Hospital Medical Center Teams with McKesson to Pursue Financial and Operational Excellence - November 20, 2009
With impending payment reform, ICD-10 and potential economic stimulus incentives for healthcare IT on the horizon, the provider is working with McKesson to transform its enterprise revenue management operations to meet growing demands. ...

ChiroTouch launches "stimulus package" webinar series to educate chiropractors - November 3, 2009
ChiroTouch, the world's leader in practice management software solutions for chiropractors, recently began conducting a series of webinars to address the complexities of the government's stimulus package....

The Top 10 Business Mistakes Made By Physician Practices - November 3, 2009
Many medical practices are struggling. Shifting reimbursements are a significant factor, but many are making basic business mistakes, according to Andrew Graham, MBA, President of Clinic Service Corporation....

'Balance billing' can trip up patients who have insurance - November 3, 2009
When Thomas Harrington went to the emergency room for treatment of a smashed finger one Sunday morning in August 2007, he fully expected his insurance would cover his costs. ...

Orlando Health Expands Solution Suite With MedeAnalytics Clinical Resource Analytics - November 3, 2009
Clinical Resource Analytics (CRA) provides current insight into service line profitability, clinical cost drivers and utilization of clinical resources at the physician and patient level....

Genesis Health System Deploys AeroScout`s Solution for Hospital-Wide Asset Tracking and Management - November 3, 2009
Genesis uses the AeroScout solution to improve staff efficiency, optimize maintenance of medical equipment and reduce operational and capital expenses associated with renting additional devices and purchasing equipment. ...

Integrated Medical Services Selects Allscripts Electronic Health Record and Revenue Cycle Management - November 3, 2009
Allscripts announced today that Integrated Medical Services (IMS) has selected the Allscripts Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Practice Management solution, with Allscripts Revenue Cycle Management, to enhance the quality of the care delivered by its 100 physicians, improve patient communications, and better manage the cost of care delivery....

Surveying the Reimbursement 'Landscape' - November 3, 2009
Address coding, coverage policies, payment methods, and other reimbursement questions early in a device's life cycle....

CMS Tightens Rules for Physicians Who Order, Refer - November 3, 2009
Effective Oct. 5, physicians who participate in Medicare must include their names and National Provider Identifiers, or NPIs, when ordering prescriptions, medical supplies or medical services or when making patient referrals for service....

A bundle of ill effects from Ohio's change in Medicare reimbursement can't be allowed to continue hurting specialty nursing home patients - November 3, 2009
State officials say the new approach, which is intended to save money in the Medicaid sector of its budget and bring in $55 million more in federal Medicaid funding, seems to be working out well enough for most nursing homes -- as you'd expect, since the nursing home lobby's fingerprints are all over it. ...

Health insurer profits even when denying coverage - November 2, 2009
California's high-risk insurance program serves no more than 7,100 people at a time, and as such accounts for only a small fraction of Anthem's profit. In the first half of the year, Anthem's parent, WellPoint Inc., reported net income of $1.3 billion....

HealthEdge Announces Revolutionary Benefit Predictor - November 2, 2009
New Addition to the HealthRules Product Suite Provides Unprecedented Ability to Understand and Communicate Benefit Coverage to Members....

Sauer Family Chiropractic of Kaneohe Hawaii Chooses Alphamed Solutions to Provide Medical Billing Services to Improve Billing and Increase Cash Flow - November 2, 2009
Sauer Family Chiropractic is very pleased with the level of service, responsiveness, and improved practice revenue and collection provided by Alphamed....

Ingenious Med Continues to Expand Client Base With an Extremely Successful Third Quarter 2009 - November 2, 2009
Ingenious Med, the leaders in inpatient practice management, reports impressive growth in the third quarter of 2009....

Medicare tries 'bundling' reimbursements - November 2, 2009
Medicare is trying a new "bundled" payment system that issues a single reimbursement to U.S. doctors and hospitals, officials say....

AcuMedSpa Holdings, Inc. Begins Using AcuClaims, Inc, for All Insurance Verification and Billing Services - November 2, 2009
Acumedspa Holdings, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: AMSZ), which owns and operates multiple Medical Spa locations throughout South Florida has agreed to begin using AcuClaims for 100 % of insurance verification and billing services. ...

ZyDoc Launches MediSapien Telephone Information Management Service Featuring Appointment Reminder System to Improve Efficiency, Reduce No-Shows - November 2, 2009
ZyDoc Medical Transcription, the technical leader in e-Transcription services has announced the launch of MediSapien™, a breakthrough telephony application designed to improve medical office efficiency. ...

Ethical Purchasing and Selling by DCs - November 2, 2009
We would like to suggest another way of looking at ethical purchasing - from a chiropractic professional viewpoint....

Chiropractic Marketing Online Coach Launches First-of-a-Kind Wealth Club for Chiropractors - November 2, 2009
Chiropractic marketing expert, Dr. Matthew Loop, launches a new, first-of-a-kind club aimed at helping fellow chiropractors improve their income using the internet, more specifically affiliate marketing. ...

Nuesoft Technologies Unveils New Electronic Health Record NueMD HER(R) Gives Company Total Clinical and Administrative Solution - November 1, 2009
NueMD is the only combined EHR/practice management solution on the market that uses an Internet-based technology. This means that it is not delivered through a Web browser, but via a direct connection that avoids public networks for ultimate security and speed....

Video Released to Help Physicians Bill Insurance for the H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine - November 1, 2009
Medical billing company produces one minute videos to help helthcare providers on topics including coding and billing for the H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine....

CollaborateMD Releases 8.3 Version of Medical Billing Software to All Users - November 1, 2009
CollaborateMD, a leading provider of hybrid SaaS medical billing software, today rolled out the stable release of 8.3, an update that remained in beta for the past three months while users were encouraged to test and report their experiences....

Team Tips: Staff actions affect patient retention - November 1, 2009
Retention depends on the relation-ships you build, how well you educate your patients, your attention to detail, your ability to follow through with your promises and your staff's attitude and behavior toward your patients....

Managing your practice effectively and efficiently - November 1, 2009
To succeed in any business, you need to separate yourself from the competition. Your product or service needs to be more effective and efficient than your competitors'....

Coding questions: When should you ask for insurance information? - November 1, 2009
Should my CA ask for insurance information when a patient makes initial contact with the office?...

Surviving and thriving in tough times--How to recession-proof your practice - November 1, 2009
We may not know for certain if the nation is yet facing the "Big R" (recession), but there is little doubt we are in the midst of tough economic times. And as individual discretionary incomes shrink, it is more important than ever for chiropractors to strengthen their business and shore up their customer base....

Don't cry over spilled milk! Learn from the mistakes 15 DCs admit to making - November 1, 2009
Chiropractic Economics asked its readers to fess up and tell us about their blunders. We think their confessions can help keep you on the "straight and narrow" in managing your practice....

ERISAclaim.com Announced Free ERISA Webinar for Healthcare Overpayment Dispute and Claim Denials in Response to Increasing High Demand from the $6 Tri - November 1, 2009
Effective on October 20, 2009, ERISAclaim.com is offering free ERISA seminar monthly for healthcare claims in response to the skyrocketing overpayment recoupment dispute and claim denial litigations in the $6 trillion healthcare denial management market....

The Ultimate Chiropractic Ads - An Indispensable Marketing Tool for Chiropractors - November 1, 2009
The Ultimate Chiropractic Ads (http://www.ultimatechiropracticads.com) have been available to chiropractors around the world for over a year now. In that year, the economic downturn has put a damper on many businesses....

ACA supports bill repealing 'flawed' Medicare payment formula - November 1, 2009
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has joined with other provider groups to support legislation, S. 1776, introduced in Congress on Oct. 13 by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (R-Mich.) that would permanently repeal the "flawed" formula that determines Medicare reimbursement rates. ...

Allscripts and Sandata Partner to Enhance Quality in Home Care Agencies Nationwide - November 1, 2009
Sandata Technologies, Inc., a leading nationwide provider of information technology solutions to the home healthcare and social services communities, today announced an agreement with Allscripts the leader in software, services, information, and connectivity solutions for physicians, hospitals and post-acute providers, making Santrax the preferred electronic time and attendance provider for current and future home care agency clients of Allscripts....

Iowa's Largest Health System Launches First-in-the-Nation Statewide Electronic Prescribing - November 1, 2009
Iowa's Largest Health System Launches First-in-the-Nation Statewide Electronic Prescribing. Initiative Adds Critical Patient Safety Solution to Iowa Health System's HealthNet connect network...

Intermedix Corporation Acquires Billing Services Division of ESO Solutions, Inc. - November 1, 2009
Intermedix Corporation, the leading provider of technology-based business services to emergency providers, announced today that it has acquired the assets and operations of the Billing Services Division ("the Acquired Billing Operations") of ESO Solutions, Inc. ("ESO") of Austin, Texas....

Allscripts, Intuit Team to Speed Patient Bill Payment for Physicians Nationwide - November 1, 2009
Partnership helps reduce the problems, questions and paper from consumer medical bills....

Danbury Office of Physician Services Awards athenahealth Revenue Cycle Management Contract - November 1, 2009
athenahealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHN), a leading provider of internet-based business services to physician practices, today announced that the Danbury Office of Physician Services (DOPS), one of Connecticut`s largest multi-specialty physician group practices has selected athenahealth`s revenue cycle management service, athenaCollectorSM, for its 250 medical provider organization....

A-Life Medical, Inc. Introduces New Reconciliation Solution for Healthcare Industry - November 1, 2009
RecoverItTM Designed to Maximize Revenue by Properly Reconciling Required Reimbursement Data for Prompter Processing and Payment....

Ask the Attorney: Avoid fraud allegations - October 31, 2009
You are correct that you are responsible for the codes you claim. Wrong codes send signals to insurers and could cause them to investigate for fraud or abuse....

Vendor News from MGMA - October 31, 2009
Several health information technology vendors made announcements during the Medical Group Management Association's annual conference in Denver....

PPJ Enterprise Announces Great Success in the 20th Annual AAPM Meeting as Exhibitor - October 31, 2009
PPJ Enterprise, a leader in proprietary automated health care reimbursement cycle (all specialties), on line health information Digital systems and practice information management digital system software for health care providers and general businesses worldwide announced today that PPJ Enterprise announces success in the 20th Annual AAPM Meeting as exhibitor....

What is PIP Coverage? - October 31, 2009
The state of Florida is what is known as a "no fault" state for automobile accidents. This means if you are in an auto accident in Florida, regardless of who is at fault for the collision, you look to your own automobile insurer to pay a portion of your medical expenses and wage loss under your PIP (Personal Injury Protection) coverage for any injuries you received in the accident....

Response Mail Express Helps Chiropractors Drive New Business Using Innovative Direct Mail Tactics - October 31, 2009
With the aging of the Baby Boomers well underway in our nation, chiropractic professionals will see more patients, and more competition, over the next decade....

Heartland Payment Systems Introduces ConfirmPay - October 26, 2009
Heartland Payment Systems® (NYSE: HPY), one of the nation's largest payments processors, announces the release of ConfirmPaySM, powered by TransEngen™. TransEngen's leading technology streamlines the healthcare payment process and improves revenue cycles. ...

Measures of Success - October 25, 2009
The worst economic downturn since the Great Depression has generated some unexpected outcomes, yet not all of them are bad for hospitalists....

MedFORCE Technologies and Computers Unlimited Integrate Software Solutions - October 23, 2009
The association between TIMS Software business management and patient billing solutions and MedFORCE Scan document imaging and WorkFLOW automation software, creates a seamless information exchange for customers. ...

Revenue Essentials - October 23, 2009
It is crucial for physicians to keep abreast of revenue cycle issues, but more often than not, they go unnoticed until a physician's bottom line is affected....

Capture Billing Associates Elected to Local Chapter of the American Academy of Professional Coders - October 21, 2009
With Healthcare Reform around the corner, Capture Billing and its staff members are helping to prepare Certified Professional Coders to meet the upcoming need in healthcare reimbursements and coding....

Commissioner Orders Insurers to Use Current Medicare Rates - October 21, 2009
Insurance Commissioner McCarty Orders Insurers to Use Current Medicare Rates to Comply with Recent Legislation....

Aprima Improves Medical Practices' Coding and Billing Accuracy with Intelligent Medical Objects' Tools - October 18, 2009
Clinician-friendly searching, extended code and terminology mappings now available for electronic health record users....

Provider's Choice Medical Billing Selects HealthFusion - October 18, 2009
Provider's Choice Medical Billing, representing more than 170 physician practices, has selected HealthFusion® for its clearinghouse and insurance claims services....

Health Plans Collaborate on Landmark Initiative to Reduce Time, Expense for Physician Office Practice 'Paperwork' - October 18, 2009
Health plans today launched a landmark initiative to make delivering and getting health care easier for patients and their physicians by reducing the time, effort, and expense for the "paperwork" required for each patient office visit....

Regional plans billing changes to help patients, combat bad debt - October 18, 2009
Regional Health is in the midst of retooling its patient bill payment options in an effort to better balance the need to cover its costs with the need to serve uninsured patients....

BJC Healthcare Chooses Omnicell OptiFlex Solutions for the OR and Cath Lab - October 18, 2009
Leading OptiFlex(TM) Supply Systems to be Implemented in Specialty Areas for Single Point of Documentation and Automated Replenishment....

System reform bill revisited by House panel that OK'd it - October 18, 2009
The Energy and Commerce Committee rejects physician balance billing, but adds hospital and health plan disclosure requirements....

ACOM Health Announces Patient Education Software; Designed to Encourage Chiropractic Treatment Plan Compliance - October 17, 2009
ACOM Health today announces new Patient Education software module for its Chiropractic Software suite that is designed to keep patients returning for their full series of office visits and to motivate them to faithfully perform their prescribed home exercise regimens between visits....

Pilot project would gather Ohio doctors into one insurance e-portal - October 15, 2009
An insurance-driven plan will try to unite doctors around one online portal to submit patient claims information: cutting down on administrative time, quickly providing details on how patients are insured, and (hopefully) trimming costs from health care....

Finance and Taxes: Changing accounting methods midstream - October 13, 2009
The funny thing about federal tax laws is they require transactions to be handled in a certain way. Accounting methods affect when something is deductible, not whether it is deductible....

docSTAR and TeamDME! Create Workflow Solutions for Home Medical Equipment Suppliers - October 12, 2009
Alliance integrates docSTAR's world class document management system with TeamDME! workflow automation software....

MedQuist Awarded RAC Consulting and Solution Agreement with Doylestown Hospital - October 12, 2009
MedQuist Inc. (Nasdaq: MEDQ), a leading provider of technology-enabled clinical documentation services, announced today that it was awarded the contract for Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) consulting services and software by Doylestown Hospital....

Southeastern Regional Medical Center Selects Allscripts Care Management to Streamline Patient Care and Prepare for Medicare RAC Audits - October 12, 2009
Allscripts announced today that Southeastern Regional Medical Center will implement the Allscripts suite of care management solutions to streamline patient movement through the hospital, enhance continuity of care across the organization and prepare for Medicare's Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program....

Nine-time health care entrepreneur talks success strategies - October 11, 2009
To James Sweeney, the founder of eight health care companies including Caremark, CardioNet and Bridge Medical, even the best idea won't succeed without the right amount of government help....

Private insurers keep dialysis clinics humming - October 9, 2009
Fresenius Medical Care, the world's largest dialysis provider, made more than $800 million last year - even though it reported losing money on those patients who receive federal Medicare benefits....

Prescription for confusion
Understanding system is first step in health reform - October 9, 2009
"When you are in a hospital sick, you don't just have a doctor and a nurse watching over you, you also have people cleaning the floor, you have nurses responsible for behind the scenes things, legions of medical records (employees) and even X-ray technicians sitting in the basement if you need an X-ray."...

Anthem, Norton officials to meet Wednesday - October 9, 2009
In a notice to customers and brokers, the insurer said that beginning Jan. 1, it would reimburse members if they are charged full prices for services rendered by Norton's Kosair Children's Hospital....

The Hospital of Central Connecticut Selects Ingenious Med for Inpatient Practice Management - October 8, 2009
The Hospital of Central Connecticut (THOCC), a 400-bed hospital in New Britain, has chosen Ingenious Med's IM Practice Manager to automate, organize and increase quality of care and revenue....

Chiro8000 Announces New Client Website for Service, Support, and Training at Forte360.com - October 7, 2009
Forte Holdings, a leading provider of healthcare software solutions in the United States, has released its new client portal website, www.forte360.com. It is designed to be of service for software users of the best in class Chiro8000....

Cardinal Health Introduces Expanded Suite of Services to Help Hospital Pharmacies Improve Cost Containment, Workflow, Patient Safety - October 7, 2009
Company Leverages Decades of Experience Advising and Managing Hundreds of Hospital Pharmacies to Introduce Customized Consulting, Analytics, Operations Services....

Oklahoma companies must register in battle against fraud - October 6, 2009
Under a stepped-up effort to prevent Medicare fraud, companies responsible for tracking and reporting workers' compensation claims must register online by Sept. 30 with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services....

Phytel Unveils Proactive Patient Outreach Version 5 - October 5, 2009
Phytel, the leading provider of information technology that empowers physician-led health improvement, today announced that version 5 of its web-based Proactive Patient Outreach Solution has been released and fully deployed to all of its customers....

ACOM Health Debuts Latest Chiropractic Practice Management Software; Integrates Seamlessly with Documentation Software - October 5, 2009
ACOM Health has re-engineered and completely rewritten the Practice Management module of its Chiropractic software suite to streamline and simplify critical front office processes and provide seamless integration with the suite's clinical documentation software, it was announced today by General Manager Mark Firmin....

New Mexico looks to other states for ideas on Medicaid fix - October 5, 2009
States across the country are responding to a funding crisis in Medicaid, the government's low-income health insurance program jointly paid for by the feds and state governments....

Health care system drowning in paperwork - October 5, 2009
Why is it so expensive? Every insurance company, every government program, every doctor, everybody involved in the process has a separate billing practice and claims processing requirements....

Advantedge Healthcare Solutions to Exhibit at ASC Conference and ASA Annual Meeting - October 5, 2009
Advantedge Healthcare Solutions (AHS), one of the top 25 providers of medical billing and practice management services in the United States, today announced that the company will be attending the Healthcare Billing & Management Association (HBMA) Fall 2009 Annual Conference...

MDS Medical Software Named Fastest Growing Arizona-Based Health Company on 2009 Inc. 5000 List - October 1, 2009
Phoenix-based medical software and technology integrator MDS Medical Software has been named the fastest growing Arizona-based company in the health category on the 2009 Inc. 5000 list. In addition, MDS was named the number 2000 company nationwide....

Medicare Training Program Helps San Diego Group Win National Recognition - September 30, 2009
The San Diego chapter of Heathcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) earned a national award for membership professional development using a training and education program from HCPro, Inc., of Marblehead, MA....

Hospital pricing in South Florida confuses and dismays - September 30, 2009
Dollar was echoing what many policy experts are saying during the present debate about healthcare reform: Costs must be brought down to help cover the uninsured. That's particularly true in South Florida, where healthcare spending is far higher than in most other areas of the country. ...

Pilot study finds chiropractic care, physical therapy may reduce costs - September 30, 2009
Individuals with musculoskeletal disorders who received chiropractic care or physical therapy had lower health care costs and were less likely to have surgery than employees who did not receive those services, according to a recent report....

Craneware Partners with McKesson on Enterprise Revenue Management Solution - September 27, 2009
Craneware, Inc. (AIM: CRW.L), a leader in financial improvement solutions for the U.S. healthcare market, today announced that it will work with McKesson, the world's largest healthcare services company, to integrate Craneware's Chargemaster Toolkit(R) into McKesson's next generation hospital information system (HIS), Horizon Enterprise Revenue Management(TM)....

Health plans still need to work on basic skills - September 27, 2009
The AMA report card shows the mixed progress insurers have shown in improving their services for physicians....

Local doctor offers health reform ideas - September 23, 2009
A recent Harvard study published in the American Journal of Medicine revealed that almost two-thirds of bankruptcies in the United States are caused by medical bills, with most stemming from a single illness or injury....

State HMOs deny 1 in 5 claims, analysis shows - September 23, 2009
A nurses group says state government data show that denial rates among the five largest insurers ranged up to 39.6% in the first half of 2009. The firms caution that the figures are misleading....

It's the Number You Need to Profitably Grow Your Practice - September 23, 2009
In light of our country's recent economic challenges, many chiropractors are now seeking ways to trim the fat, lower expenses and stay profitable with lower patient volumes and decreased revenues....

Chiro Biz Quiz: Using an outside billing service - September 23, 2009
There are numerous pros and cons to outsourcing your billing. For a new or small practice it can be cost-effective to use a billing company. One of the biggest downsides to using a billing company is that you lose some degree of control....

SPi Expands Healthcare Platform by Adding Medical Coding Consulting Services to Its Portfolio - September 22, 2009
SPi, a leading global business process outsourcing (BPO) company, today announced that it has acquired Laguna Medical Systems, Inc. (LMS) for an aggregate purchase price of US $8.25 million....

American Hospital Association suggests changes to Medicare 2010 payment rates - September 20, 2009
In two separate letters to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the American Hospital Association has recommended changes to the 2010 proposed Medicare payment rates....

Illinois Hospital ED Sees Revenue Increase by Implementing The T SystemEV(R) - September 19, 2009
Electronic Emergency Department Information System Culminates Graham Hospital's Two Year Move From Homegrown Solution; Total Revenue per Patient-Visit Increases by Over 35%....

ClinixMIS Announces EMR Enhancements with ClinixMD 7.5 - September 18, 2009
Healthcare software developer Clinix Medical Information Services, LLC, (www.clinixmis.com) announced the release of ClinixMD Version 7.5, an important upgrade to the company's Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system....

Greenway Medical Technologies' PrimeEnterprise Creates an Interconnected and Interoperable System of Community Health Information for Its Customers - September 18, 2009
PrimeEnterprise Provides the Tools for Effective Management and Connectivity of Large Healthcare Enterprises....

Emdeon and BroMenn Healthcare System Take the Lead on Consumer Price TransparencyEmdeon and BroMenn Healthcare System Take the Lead on Consumer Price - September 18, 2009
Emdeon Patient Responsibility Estimator(SM) Empowers the Consumer with Knowledge of Their Costs Prior to Care Delivery and Enables Providers to Increase Revenue Collections. ...

LifeCare Solutions Simplifies Healthcare Order Process Management with Authentidate's Inscrybe Healthcare - September 18, 2009
Authentidate Holding Corp. today announced that LifeCare Solutions, Inc., a leading Western U.S. provider of home healthcare services and medical equipment, selected Authentidate's Inscrybe(TM) Healthcare web-based service to simplify completion of healthcare documentation with physicians....

New incentives for patient care - September 17, 2009
A three-year study is under way at a dozen New Jersey hospitals - including Monmouth Medical Center, Jersey Shore University Medical Center and CentraState Medical Center - to see if paying doctors to cut costs is an effective way to save hospitals money. More than 500 physicians have agreed to participate....

eMedical Systems, Inc. Selects MPMsoft as its Medical Billing Software Solution - September 17, 2009
Far removed from the brouha of Washington D.C. is business owner John Wahlquist of eMedicalSystems, Bremerton, Washington state. Author of his own medical billing software for over 17 years, Wahlquist recently made the unusual choice to retire his product and migrate his medical practices over to a new generation medical billing solution offered by MPMsoft....

ClaimTrust® Announces New RAC Solution for Hospitals - September 17, 2009
InSight RAC is the First Fully Hosted-Solution to Incorporate a Knowledgebase of Winning RAC Arguments to Help Hospitals Organize, Manage, and Report RAC Activity....

Part II: Bay Area hospitals as debt collectors - how do they rate? - September 16, 2009
You can look at the number of agencies that regulate our hospitals and be overwhelmed by the sheer number. Until, that is, you realize that none of these agencies regulate debt collection and billing accuracy for patients who are privately insured or uninsured....

Staying in Flow to Navigate Practice Ebbs - September 14, 2009
Outdated myths sustain this control ethos and support the notion that a dip in volume is a sign of a defect in your philosophy, belief system, procedures, purpose or intention....

Claimat Helps People Earn Money from Home: New Medical Billing Business from Home - September 14, 2009
Claimat (www.claimat.com), a comprehensive solution for medical billing, proudly announces the debut of its new service for people who want to start their own medical billing business....

Chiro Biz Quiz: Your practice-opening checklist - September 13, 2009
Whether you are a new grad or have been working as an associate, the time has come to open your own practice. When opening a new practice it's impossible to remember everything that will need to be done. For this reason, it is essential to make a checklist....

MedSynergies Surgical Division Expands Relationship with Outpatient Physical Therapy Leader - September 13, 2009
Peak Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center Implements Practice Management and Revenue Cycle Solutions in New Locations after 41% Increase in Collections....

Avisena Announces Major Increases in Profit for Second Quarter 2009 - September 12, 2009
Revenue Cycle Management Specialists, Avisena, Announces Increased Earnings for the Second Quarter, Including Positive Operating Profit for the Year-to-Date....

Case management set, motions to be heard in PPO class action suit - September 12, 2009
A case management conference is set next week for a class action suit against an insurance company that plaintiffs claim withheld monies due them by using improper Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) discounts....

KMC plan links doctor pay to productivity - September 12, 2009
On Tuesday, Kern County supervisors will debate a new compensation plan designed to tie physician pay to physician work....

Laboratory Testing in ESRD Bundling - September 12, 2009
The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) of 2008 requires the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop and begin implementation of a bundled payment system for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by 2011....

Cost-Effective Care: The Evidence Mounts - September 12, 2009
Tell your legislators: chiropractic reduces health care costs, and a growing body of evidence is proving it....

How to reduce your practice's credit card fees - September 10, 2009
Surveys show that more and more physicians no longer accept credit and debit cards, in large part because of the expense. But these charges can be contained by shopping around, paying attention to added fees and processing in the most secure manner....

eMedDox Launches Medical Billing & Coding Services - September 10, 2009
eMedox, a trusted provider of medical transcription services in Little Rock, Arkansas, is helping medical transcription service clients with complex, time-consuming medical billing and coding tasks. Along with the launch of the new service eMedDox has launched a new blog at ICD-10 Implementation.com to provide the health care industry with needed information on the upcoming ICD-10 transition. ...

CollaborateMD Rank Advances on Inc. 5,000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies List - September 10, 2009
Inc. Magazine today ranked CollaborateMD, a leading provider of hybrid SaaS practice management and medical billing software for physician offices and third-party billing services, No. 1125 on its annual ranking of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the country....

Alphamed Solutions Launches New Electronic Healthcare Newsletter - September 10, 2009
Physicians and practice managers can read expert advices, case studies, and a multitude of articles to learn about the latest in healthcare industry trends that affect their medical practices....

Healthcare Billing & Management Association Announces Details of its Annual Conference in Las Vegas - September 10, 2009
The 2009 Event Will Educate Medical Billing Professionals on How to Improve Their Business in an Era of Increased Market Scrutiny and Evolving Federal Legislation....

Facility fees added to patient bills have some crying foul - September 8, 2009
Clinics that charge patients extra say the cost of meeting Medicare standards justifies the fees, but the response is calls for more billing transparency....

Investigate Claim Denials - September 8, 2009
Claims frequently are rejected or denied. Even more frequently, the physician or billing staff does not understand the reason for the denial....

Brick Mountain Billing, Chooses IOS Health Systems For Electronic Health Records & Practice Mgmt. - September 8, 2009
Brick Mountain Billing, a provider of billing services, bad debt collections, evaluation of revenue cycle process and chart audits has chosen IOS Health Systems to provide a fully integrated web-based EHR and Practice Management system....

Physicians Face Prospect of Large Medicare Payment Cuts - September 5, 2009
The agency that oversees Medicare is also proposing to stop payment for consultation codes typically used by specialist physicians....

Medicare benefits vary widely by region - August 28, 2009
Is Rod Stewart eligible for Medicare? If so, he might want to look at a map that details how much Medicare spends on its enrollees by state. It tells a story and then some....

Greenway Medical Technologies' EHR Solution, PrimeSuite, Enables Eligible Professionals to Participate in PQRI Through Integration With Outcome Scienc - August 28, 2009
Physicians Who Satisfactorily Submit Quality Measures Can Receive Bonus Payments of Two percent on all 2009 Medicare Billing....

AMA report: Payers more accurate, transparent, but problems continue - August 28, 2009
The Association's insurer report card also says increased use of electronic claims-processing will help keep costs down....

Medical Services of America Selects Authentidate's Inscrybe Healthcare to Standardize Healthcare Order Process Management - August 28, 2009
Authentidate Holding Corp. today announced that Medical Services of America, Inc., a leading provider of home healthcare services and medical equipment, will implement Authentidate's Inscrybe(TM) Healthcare web-based service to streamline completion of healthcare referral orders and other healthcare documentation by physicians....

Awarepoint Expands Its Real-Time Location Solution (RTLS) at Jackson Health System - August 28, 2009
RTLS Network Coverage Grows to 4,459,000 Square Feet, Securing It as the Largest RTLS Installation in U.S. Healthcare...

Insurers face a push for new benefits
Advocates seek more coverage for disabilities - August 25, 2009
The cascade of proposals to mandate coverage is up 50 percent from last year, and comes amid unprecedented scrutiny of healthcare spending....

Health insurance: Nothing balanced about "balance billing" - August 25, 2009
Balance billing charges patients unfairly for expenses not covered by health insurance. ...

Connecticut law requires insurers to list full fee schedule - August 25, 2009
The legislation limits how often insurers can make changes to a contract with a physician and sets an 18-month limit on retroactive claim denials....

MedPay Contributes to Henry County Health Center Receipt of High Performance in Revenue Cycle Award - August 25, 2009
Henry County Health Center, located in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa was chosen as one of only eleven healthcare providers nationwide to have ever received the prestigious Healthcare Financial Management Association's (HFMA) High Performance in Revenue Cycle award....

AHIP Selects Deloitte as ICD-10 Training Provider for Health Insurance Plans - August 22, 2009
America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) has selected Deloitte to be a provider of subject matter experience, knowledge and training content related to ICD-10 and HIPAA 5010 compliance learning programs for the upcoming year....

Incorrect medical charges can add up quickly, Oklahoma City man finds - August 22, 2009
Last year, Claude Schuldt said he saved more than $20,000 by catching errors in his son's medical bills....

Auto Injury Solutions' Provider Desktop Meets Minnesota Legislation - August 19, 2009
Auto Injury Solutions Inc, (AIS) a leading provider of medical claim management tools for the auto insurance industry announced today the expansion of its provider transaction portal, Provider Desktop, in compliance with new Minnesota legislation....

Advantedge Healthcare Solutions and Physicians' Service Center Join Forces and Combine Operations - August 18, 2009
Advantedge Healthcare Solutions (AHS), a leading provider of medical billing and practice management services, and Physicians' Service Center (PSC), the premier medical billing company in the MidWest with primary operations in Lombard, Illinois, today announced an agreement to combine their respective businesses....

CollaborateMD Launches New Medical Billing Software Release - August 18, 2009
CollaborateMD, a leading provider of hybrid SaaS practice management and medical billing software for physician offices and third-party billing services, today announced that the official 8.3 beta release is now available to all customers....

St. Joseph Medical Center Selects McKesson for Revenue Management Services - August 18, 2009
To enable its network physicians to better focus on patient care while addressing operational and revenue challenges, St. Joseph Medical Center has selected McKesson's Revenue Management Solutions (RMS) group to manage its medical billing processes....

Medical Costs Per Claim Dropped for Texas Workers' Compensation Claims Following Series of Reforms, New WCRI Study Finds - August 18, 2009
Medical costs per workers' compensation claim in Texas declined dramatically over a relatively short period following a series of reforms, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI)....

Mitchell AUTOEXPRESS(TM) Starts Up Minnesota Health Care Provider E-Bill Exchanges With Auto Insurers - August 5, 2009
Minnesota is the initial state to implement regulations that require all health care providers and insurance carriers, for the first time including Auto Insurers, to exchange standard electronic health care administrative transactions....

Miami Jewish Home Suit Alleges Deception - August 5, 2009
Woman Claims Her Insurance Was Wrongly Rejected, Costing Her Thousands. Attorney Claims Her Story May Not Be Unique. Health Care Provider Rejects Claims Made By Patient....

Minnesota goes electronic on Wednesday with medical billing - August 5, 2009
The state of Minnesota will soon turn a corner that no other state has dared face in the same way. A 2007 law takes effect Wednesday, requiring "electronic billing of all health care claims."...

Cleveland Clinic Selects MediServe to Provide a Seamless Automated Workflow for Rehabilitation Services across the Health System - August 4, 2009
The Cleveland Clinic has selected MediServe to provide a seamless automated workflow to integrate referral tracking, authorizations, scheduling, documentation and the plan of care through the therapy continuum for Acute Care, Outpatient and Inpatient Rehabilitation facilities....

Chiropractor gets prison sentence for filing phony Blue Cross claims - July 27, 2009
A chiropractor who defrauded Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan of hundreds of thousands of dollars by filing phony claims was sentenced to 20 months in prison Thursday by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan....

New state law may make it easier for some insured to get big bills - July 27, 2009
The practice is called "balance-billing," where out-of-network providers can bill the patient for the difference between what the provider charges and what the insurer pays. A Florida law took effect last week that critics say could make the practice more prevalent and costly to consumers....

Destin chiropractor takes a crack at change with paperless filing - July 23, 2009
While the White House works to streamline an inefficient healthcare system, chiropractor Dr. Brian Schuessler is taking a big step forward in his small Destin practice....

Independence Day Arrives for Doctors: The World's First Internet-Enabled Healthcare Solution with iBillWell Rapid Sequence BillingTM Provides Doctors - July 22, 2009
This state-of-the-art billing system featuring Rapid Sequence BillingTM, which completed beta testing in May, allows physicians to freely assign billing work to internal medical billing staff and/or to local medical billing companies while maintaining complete control of all billing source data and fundamental business processes....

Medical Data Systems, Inc. (MDS) Announces Operations Expansion and Opening of its Primary Collections Operations Office - July 22, 2009
Medical Data Systems, Inc. (MDS), a national leader in accounts receivable management, and collection services to the healthcare industry has announced the expansion in to Primary Collections Operations, and the opening of an additional office in Vero Beach, Florida....

Xena Health Integrates With Availity for Real-Time and Batch Transactions - July 22, 2009
Availity, LLC, the industry's premier health information network, today announced its intent to integrate several real-time and batch health care transactions with Xena Health, a leading provider of medical billing and revenue cycle management software....

Getting paid for unlisted procedures - July 21, 2009
Q: I have been told not to bill insurance carriers for unlisted modalities because they never pay for them. Is this true? If so, is there any way to appeal for payment? A: Getting paid for unlisted procedures can be complicated. However, there are several things you can do to increase your chances of reimbursement....

ACOM Health Intends RAPID Chiropractic Software Compliance with Economic Stimulus Plan Certification Rules: Chief Software Engineer - July 21, 2009
Because healthcare is a highly monitored and regulated field, doctors are subject to compliance and reporting regulations from every level of government and as a consequence, comprehensive and accurate records are imperative, according to Vais Salikhov, chief software engineer at the ACOM Health Division of ACOM Solutions, Inc....

Debunking a cash practice myth - July 17, 2009
While I believe that all of these doctors are providing the best of care for their patients clinically, I also believe they may be doing their patients a disservice that is inexcusable....

Medicare and Chiropractic: Clearing Up Some Billing Misconceptions - July 17, 2009
Rather than a single question and answer, as is the usual format of this column, here are nine truisms regarding Medicare and chiropractic:...

Texas Health Fort Worth hospital is working on couple's billing problem - July 16, 2009
For much of the past year, though, the Ledfords have tried to explain to hospital billing administrators and then a collection agency that the hospital messed up the bill for Eric's ER stay. But nobody would listen....

Omega Medical Solutions Selects Allscripts Practice Management and Allscripts Payerpath Revenue Cycle Management - July 11, 2009
South Carolina Medical Billing Company Offers Clients an Integrated Practice Management and Online Claims Clearinghouse Solution...

Healthcare Billing & Management Association Presents Survey Findings to America's Health Insurance Plans - July 8, 2009
The Healthcare Billing & Management Association (HBMA), a non-profit educational resource and advocacy group representing third-party medical billers and billing professionals, announced today that it presented member survey findings to executives of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) at Institute 2009 in San Diego, Calif. in June. ...

Hospitals look to collect fees upfront - July 8, 2009
The likelihood a health care provider will collect the full amount of patient payment drops to less than 20 percent after care is provided, according to the National Association of Healthcare Access Management. ...

'RAP' Doctor Billing Controversy Continues - July 7, 2009
Physicians, hospitals and health insurers have defeated a proposed state law that would have forced insurers to cover out-of-network physicians' charges consumers incurred at in-network hospitals. However, healthcare industry members say the issue is not dead, and they expect to see legislation addressing the topic next year....

Finding a Cure for Medical Office Fraud - July 7, 2009
As we parsed the records, the truth was revealed. My dad had been defrauded by a "trusted" employee who was stealing cash from the daily deposit. Despite having witnessed scores of such episodes over the years, I am no less disappointed each time one occurs. I know how hard doctors work, and I know how much they care....

DecisionHealth Launches Online Training Courses to Assess and Improve Coding and Billing Competencies for Physician Office and Home Health Providers - July 5, 2009
Health care education leader, DecisionHealth, uses web instructional courses to help health care providers improve coding and billing competencies. New Online Training Center offers course content and corresponding assessments to drive tangible results including improved coding and billing productivity, greater accuracy, and where appropriate, increased billing opportunity....

Chiropractors Beat Economic Trend with Coding Expertise, Stats Reveal Dramatic Benefits from ACOM Health's Chiropractic Consulting - July 5, 2009
The analysis also shows that despite declining patient volumes traceable to the economic downturn, practices can continue to thrive if they collect fully and fairly for all of the services they perform....

Harden Healthcare Expands Relationship with Sandata Technologies - July 5, 2009
Sandata Technologies, Inc., a leading nationwide provider of information technology solutions to the home healthcare and social services communities, and Girling Health Care, a Harden Healthcare company, announced an agreement by which Girling will utilize Santrax to manage time and attendance of its field-based employees within its Texas-based operations....

Revenue Cycle Best Practices Outlined - July 5, 2009
The Healthcare Financial Management Association this fall will release a detailed report on best practices for implementing efficient revenue cycle management that provides timely, useful information to patients....

Medical Billing Software Introduces New Features That Makes Medical Offices More Productive - July 5, 2009
Medical billing software company announced release of Medisoft version 15 that can help make medical offices more productive....

Medical Insurance Documents Shed Light on Kidney Transplant Patients' Health - July 4, 2009
Billing claims from health insurance companies can provide insights on the long-term health of kidney transplant patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that valuable health information can be obtained by analyzing medical insurers' reimbursement documents, a process that is much simpler and cheaper than many other forms of clinical investigation....

Medicare Rule on Paying for Oxygen Vexes Patients - July 4, 2009
Under the new rules, which began to affect patients on Jan. 1, Medicare will pay suppliers at its prevailing rate for the first three years after a patient begins coverage. Suppliers are then required to continue providing oxygen services to patients for another two years, but at a sharply reduced payment rate. After that, patients are entitled to receive new equipment and Medicare will resume paying suppliers at the higher rate....

Direct billing could ease pain of health care costs - July 4, 2009
The number of so-called "patient-centered" practices is growing, the newspaper said, because doctors find they can spend twice as much time with patients and cut their overhead by as much as half by using new technologies and avoiding the red tape of filing insurance claims....

Mayo, doc leave clinic for courtroom - July 4, 2009
Dr. Peter Elkin and his former employer are in a virulent battle over who owns software that could revolutionize record-keeping....

Chiropractor gives up license in deal - June 29, 2009
A Spokane Valley chiropractor has agreed to a 10-year license suspension to settle allegations of double-billing, having sex with a patient and smoking marijuana....

Trumbull Laboratories Sees 55% Reduction in Accounts Receivable Days Using Joint ZirMed®/Cortex Billing Solution - June 29, 2009
Memphis-Based Anatomic Lab Enjoys Fewer Claim Errors, Dramatically Improved Turnaround Time; Client Services Staff Is Automatically Updated With Latest Payment Status Information...

Projected impact of the proposed 'bundled' ESRD payment system on a small dialysis organization - June 27, 2009
Payment for outpatient hemodialysis services is currently made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on a per-treatment basis using a partially "bundled" composite rate adjusted for geographic and patient characteristics, plus a separately billable portion for medications and services not included in the bundle. In response to concerns over rising costs of the End-Stage Renal Disease Program, and specifically the increasing use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, Congress has mandated a new, more inclusive prospective payment system, in which current composite rate services, separately billable medications, and dialysis-related laboratory services will be included in a single payment....

Medical billing system could use streamlining - June 24, 2009
Ensuring a smooth paper trail between medical providers, insurance companies and patients has become almost as important as a proper diagnosis and treatment. Miss a step along the way and patients can find themselves out thousands of dollars....

Reform Health Care Now: Insurance reimbursements make no sense - June 24, 2009
When I opened my own medical practice more than four years ago, I decided to do my own billing so I could learn how medical billing worked. I soon realized that that insurance company reimbursements are often arbitrary and nonsensical....

CollaborateMD and X-Link Provide New Data Exchange Capabilities - June 24, 2009
CollaborateMD, a leading provider of hybrid SaaS medical billing software and practice management software for physician offices and third-party billing services, announced a new partnership with the X-Link Solutions Network to harness the power of their two-way real-time data transfer system....

Medical Collection Agency Acquisitions Help Software Developer Sell Product - June 22, 2009
A medical technology firm has found a way to get its products in front of healthcare providers: buy up their billers and collection agencies to leverage the existing relationships with doctors and hospitals....

Consumer Advocates Urge Veto of Health Legislation, Cite Poll Showing Floridians at Risk from "Balance Billing" of Medical Fees - June 22, 2009
Two of Florida's leading consumer advocacy organizations released results from a statewide poll today showing a majority of Florida families are not prepared to pay unexpected out-of-pocket medical costs....

Craneware Supports Hospitals' Compliance and Upfront Collections with Accurate Estimates - June 22, 2009
Craneware's Patient Charge Estimator(TM) Gives Patients Visibility into Treatment Costs before Receiving Services....

Healthcare challenge: Billing errors - June 21, 2009
Medical billing experts say more than 80 percent of healthcare invoices reflect some kind of administrative error. Ripples spreading outward from this extra layer of complexity created an entire new sub-industry called medical billings auditors or patient advocates....

Dr. Beck's "Ultimate Chiropractic Ads" Become the Essential Marketing Tool for Chiropractors - June 21, 2009
Using personal experience, Dr. Michael Beck has created (http://www.ultimatechiropracticads.com) to give Chiropractors worldwide, the tools to grow a healthy practice without creating excessive advertising debt. This system has been tested in Chiropractic offices worldwide before being released to the profession. Already many Chiropractors have begun to apply these tools and have already seen a healthy return on their investment....

MedicalCharting.com Launches EMR Software Solution with CCHIT-Certified EHR Software - June 20, 2009
With the new release, MedicalCharting.com also announced the availability of Medisoft Clinical, which combines the PM capabilities of Medisoft v15 with Practice Partner Patient Records, a CCHIT Certified® 08 Ambulatory electronic health record (EHR)....

HealthEast Reaches Settlement on Kyphoplasty Billing Investigation - June 20, 2009
HealthEast Care System has finalized a settlement with the U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of New York regarding billing of kyphoplasty procedures performed at HealthEast hospitals from 2002 to 2007....

Medstrat Announces Integration of Echoes With MacPractice's EMR - June 20, 2009
Medstrat announces a strategic alliance to market and deliver an integrated PACS-EMR solution for the Apple Macintosh....

Nonprofit Outpatient Clinics and Social Service Agencies Outsource Billing to Increase Profits - June 20, 2009
Millin Associates (www.millinmedical.com), a medical billing and consulting leader for 27 years, provides expanded services and next-generation software empowering organizations to better receive payments and minimize denied claims....

Mitchell and Jopari Say 'Green Transaction Initiatives' Play Key Role in P&C and Group Health Industry Environmental Best Practices - June 20, 2009
Cost Advantages of Electronic Medical Bill and Payment Support Insurance Industry Corporate Greening...

SSI Group to Integrate Boston Software Systems' Boston WorkStation Into ClickON PREVENT - June 20, 2009
Combined Solution Sets New Standard in More Efficient Registration and Revenue Cycle Management Processes...

DocuSys Partners with Medusind Solutions, a Provider of Revenue Cycle Management Services - June 20, 2009
DocuSys, Inc., a market-leading provider of innovative systems for anesthesia information management, medication management and presurgical care management, announced today it has partnered with Medusind Solutions, Inc., one of the leading outsourcing companies providing integrated healthcare business solutions....

Clinic Service Announces Agreement to Provide Billing Service to MedExpress - June 20, 2009
Clinic Service Corporation (CSC), the leader in Colorado Practice Management Solutions, announced today the firm has secured an agreement to be the regional provider of medical billing services to all Front Range MedExpress Urgent Care locations....

Plexis Announces New Claims Editing Capability - June 18, 2009
Plexis Healthcare Systems announced recently they have added a new real-time claims editing capability. The new editing platform, offered through a partnership with Bloodhound Technologies, Inc., helps Plexis' clients contain costs, increase auto-adjudication rates and improve payer-provider relations....

Help for physicians on Medicare deadlines - June 18, 2009
CMS is making it tougher for doctors to enroll or update Medicare information. An AMA resource lets members cut through red tape....

MRO Releases Audit Tracker Online for Tracking and Reporting of All Payer Audit Processes - June 18, 2009
MRO Corp., the market leader of shared-service, release-of-information (ROI) solutions for healthcare providers, today announced the release of Audit Tracker Online, a request management program that enables hospitals and health systems to effectively manage payer audits and denials from initial medical records request through appeals and payment resolution....

COST: Is This What They Went to Med School For? - June 17, 2009
Two new studies released this week online by Health Affairs examine how health care providers, particularly physician practices, interact with insurers....

Marina Medical Expands into Texas with Five Emergency Departments in San Antonio - June 17, 2009
Marina Medical announced today that it has partnered with Emergency Physicians Affiliates in San Antonio, TX ("EPA") to provide billing and practice management services to EPA's five emergency departments....

Chiropractors to sue Aetna for underreimbursements - June 17, 2009
The New York Chiropractic Counsel and Donna Restivo, D.C., have retained the law firm of Pomerantz Haudek Block Grossman & Gross LLP to bring a class action against Aetna, Inc. for improper reductions in health care payments for chiropractors who are not part of Aetna's network of providers (known as out-of-network or "ONET" providers). ...

Medical practice interaction with insurers costs $21B-$31B per year - June 17, 2009
A recent study has found that medical practices spend between $21 billion and $31 billion annually dealing with insurers - or more than $68,000 per physician per year....

MD On-Line, Inc. Receives EHNAC Healthcare Network Accreditation - June 16, 2009
Accreditation ensures compliance with industry-established standards for all health data processing and transactions...

Improve the shape of your practice with Take Shape for Life - June 16, 2009
Take Shape for Life Co-Founder Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, a featured speaker for Chiropractic Economics' May FirstTuessday@2pm Webinar, outlined a specific turnkey nutritional and weigh loss system that Doctors of Chiropractic could implement to enhance their practice....

Chiropractic Marketing Consultant Ben Cummings Teaches How to Get Free Patients With YouTube - June 16, 2009
Top consultant launches new weekly online web TV show for chiropractors, The Chiropractic Marketing Makeover Show, designed to help chiropractors get more patients. This weeks episode shows chiropractors how to use YouTube to drive in free patients to a chiropractic clinic quickly....

AARP: Health Reform Must Lower Costs, Improve Care for People in Medicare - June 16, 2009
As the Administration prepares to announce another drop in the lifespan of the Medicare trust fund, AARP's Health Action Now campaign is insisting that comprehensive health reform include specific measures to cut wasteful spending and lower costs for individuals-all while improving the quality of care....

New Study Suggests Peritoneal Dialysis May Offer Significant Savings to Medicare - June 16, 2009
The paper details the use of in-home versus in-center dialysis, including the patterns of dialysis utilization and the results of a budget-impact analysis that indicate if the peritoneal dialysis (PD) share of total dialysis were to increase to 15%, Medicare could yield over one billion dollars in savings over five years....

Mediware Continues Solid Revenue and Earnings Growth - June 15, 2009
Good Financial Management, Growth in Strategic Markets and Service Revenues Produce Solid Results Despite Economy...

The IT Rx - June 15, 2009
Health care providers, electronic systems firms are getting a boost from federal and state initiatives...

How to set your fee schedule: Experts advise updating it every 3 to 12 months - June 5, 2009
You know what third parties pay you. But experts say you also need to know what your base charge is for every service you provide....

Modernizing Healthcare Through Electronic Medical Record - ClinicTools(R) - June 4, 2009
ccording to an earlier report by CNNMoney.com, "President Barack Obama, as part of the effort to revive the economy, has proposed a massive effort to modernize health care by making all health records standardized and electronic....

SourceMedical Teams with VisionShare; TherapySource and VisionShare Help Therapy Clinics with Medicare Caps - June 3, 2009
SourceMedical, a leading provider of outpatient information management solutions, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with VisionShare®, a leader in secure ehealth connectivity services. TherapySource, Source Medical's leading clinical documentation and administration system will work with VisionShare Secure Exchange Software so outpatient rehabilitation providers can access Medicare Part B cap information online from the Professional Provider Telecommunication Network (PPTN). PPTN is a view into the CMS Common Working File database to view beneficiary eligibility, claim status and more. ...

Aetna medical costs spike, shares tumble - June 3, 2009
Aetna Inc (AET.N: Quote, Profile, Research) reported higher-than-expected medical costs in its business serving employers on Wednesday, sending its shares down 9 percent and overshadowing quarterly profit that was slightly above expectations....

Insurance Drives Physical Therapists out of Business - May 29, 2009
Many Physical Therapy practices in New York, including Hands-On Care Physical Therapy and Physiocare Physical Therapy, resist major cuts in reimbursement for Physical Therapy announced by HIP/EMBLEM insurance. Hands-On and Physiocare spokesperson suggested that these rate cuts may threaten private practice Physical Therapy in New York state....

Patient sues chiropractor Eavenson over insurance billing - May 23, 2009
The patient of a chiropractor has filed suit against the doctor and his business, alleging she was forced to pay him extra money after he stopped billing her insurance company....

Doctors face risk of harsh penalties from new Medicare enrollment rules - May 23, 2009
Physician practices are anticipating major difficulties with Medicare enrollment rules that went into effect amid protests from doctors and practice managers. A wrong step by a practice could mean that it loses Medicare revenue or even gets kicked out of the program altogether....

Details now emerging about cuts to Medicare private plans - May 22, 2009
Anticipating reductions of more than 4% next year, Medicare Advantage plans say CMS is using unrealistic estimates....

Chiropractor employee sentenced in fraud - May 22, 2009
A woman who once worked for a Lower Burrell chiropractor and helped submit millions of dollars in false bills was sentenced to two years in prison this afternoon....

ZirMed Partners With Hands On Technology(TM), Offering Revenue Cycle Management Solutions to TheraOffice Users - May 21, 2009
Through the joint solution, Hands On Technology's physical therapy customers can improve workflows, reduce billing and clerical errors, and reduce accounts receivable days, among other benefits. ...

Future Health, Inc. Provides Chiropractors with Revenue-Building Videos - May 21, 2009
Future Health, Inc., a fully integrated chiropractic office management software system, has recently posted on YouTube.com several samples of their exclusive patient education videos....

Software Driven Documentation of Medical Necessity Alleviates Compensation and Compliance Issues for Chiropractors: ACOM Chief Software Engineer Vais - May 18, 2009
The ramifications of poorly coded documentation can be severe for any doctor and particularly for chiropractors, affecting their compensation for services and raising the potential for legal or regulatory issues. Even so, many practitioners considering the implementation of electronic medical billing and record keeping at their clinics remain unaware that software solutions with on-board coding and compliance protection currently exist....

Misinformation regarding chiropractic services and Medicare - May 14, 2009
This special edition article is being provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to correct misinformation in the chiropractic community relating to Medicare and its regulations as they relate to chiropractic services....

State Accuses Chiropractor of Fraud - May 8, 2009
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller has filed a lawsuit against a Noble County chiropractor for alleged Medicaid fraud. The suit accuses Dr. Michael Cox of accepting nearly $91,000 in reimbursements from Medicaid during a four-year time period when he did not have a valid license to practice chiropractic medicine....

Medical Billing Company Creates Billing & Collections Rescue Plan - May 6, 2009
Pinnacle Medical Billing, a new medical billing service provider, launched by one of the most recognized names in No-Fault and Worker's Comp. medical billing collections services on Long Island, offers relief to doctors practicing in the State of New York....

Palm Beach Physical Therapist arrested and charged with fraud - April 11, 2009
Arne Rabiner was arrested Wednesday for defrauding the Florida Medicaid program out of over $100,000. Rabiner is being charged with criminal grand theft, organized fraud and Medicaid fraud. He will also face a civil forfeiture lawsuit under Florida's False Claims Act....

Physician's conviction for defrauding Medicare and Medicaid affirmed - April 11, 2009
A physician's conviction of 21 counts of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid related to his false certifications that he provided or supervised physical therapy services to patients, and that patients needed motorized wheelchairs was affirmed....

Brooklyn Doc, Clinic Convicted Of Insurance Fraud - April 11, 2009
Prosecutors said patients received a standard protocol of testing including MRI's and neurodiagnostic treatments as well as multiple sets of costly medical supplies. In addition, they would often be referred for prolonged, unnecessary treatment including months of physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and x-rays. ...

Money Management Treatment Ensures Healthcare Practitioner Success - April 11, 2009
There is one area that most schools are not able to adequately prepare most future Doctors and Healthcare practitioners for - that is the realities of opening and running their own practice. Setting up accounts, purchasing supplies, running a staff, money management and financial planning are just a few of the very real pitfalls that can sabotage a practice....

Bill on copays may get hearing - April 11, 2009
The law, if it's put back on the books, would benefit chiropractors and their patients by preventing insurance companies from charging high copayments for visits to chiropractors....

Chiropractors accused in undercover kickback sting - April 11, 2009
The Orange County District Attorney's Office has filed criminal charges against eight chiropractors after conducting an undercover sting operation that targeted illegal patient referral and insurance overbilling schemes....

Lawmakers to examine chiropractor costs - April 11, 2009
State lawmakers are preparing to grapple with just how much North Carolina residents should pay out of pocket for a chiropractic visit....

Witnesses testify to chiropractor's Medicaid billing practices - April 11, 2009
Venia Minor testified today that chiropractor Douglas Dvorak told her he fraudulently billed Medicaid for 20 chiropractor treatments for her daughter, then asked her to tell the Federal Bureau of Investigation, if asked, that he actually treated her daughter....

Margaret Mary Community Hospital Implements Chart Links Rehabilitation Software for Therapists - April 6, 2009
Chart Links, LLC announces the implementation of its rehabilitation workflow management software by the Outpatient Rehabilitation Center of Margaret Mary Community Hospital, a not-for-profit critical access hospital located in Batesville, IN. The implementation includes functionality to manage therapy documentation, scheduling, referrals, insurance authorizations, charges, and more....

Medical facility settles health care fraud case - April 6, 2009
The physical therapy and physician's services "either were not medically necessary or were not provided as billed," the statement said....

Medical Billing Software MPMsoft Chosen by MedCrew as Its Medical Office Software - April 3, 2009
MPMsoft, a practice management and medical billing software that is used by thousands of healthcare practices nationwide to help manage their health insurance claims and medical billing has been chosen by MedCrew as its medical office software....

End Stage Renal Dialysis Services Strategies for Increasing Revenue and Efficeincies - March 31, 2009
Over 400,000 Americans suffer from kidney failure (End Stage Renal Disease, or ESRD) and require either kidney dialysis or a transplant to live. Since 1973, when Congress approved legislation for the Medicare ESRD program, the number of hospitals and clinics offering dialysis treatments increased substantially to accommodate the only federal program that finances a disease specific service for Americans on virtually a universal basis....

MedPAC discusses ESRD, Medicare reform
Commissioners voice concerns over bundling, pay-for-performance and payment - March 29, 2009
On Sept. 4, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission met to discuss the implications of the latest round of Medicare reforms that were passed through the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008....

Integrated Nephrology Network to Offer CallDoc24(TM) to 2,000+ Physicians - March 26, 2009
Call24 Technologies, Inc. announced today that Integrated Nephrology Network (INN), a part of AmerisourceBergen Corp., one of the world's largest pharmaceutical services companies, will offer the CallDoc24 Automated Answering Service to its 2,000+ members....

Dr. Michael Beck, D.C. Launches First Ever Online ChiroMarketing Academy - March 26, 2009
Despite this country's shrinking economy, Dr. Michael Beck, D.C.'s ChiroMarketing Academy is helping chiropractic offices more than stay afloat, his innovative course is fast-becoming a lifeline to long-term profitability....

Company's billing system destroyed, suit claims - March 26, 2009
A Missouri chiropractic and health services company has filed suit against a Madison County woman and an Orange County, Calif., woman, alleging the women caused the company to lose patients and money after they allegedly destroyed the company's billing system. ...

Medicare payment for chiropractic services increased for 2009 - March 26, 2009
In July, Congress passed the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA). This legislation staved off a 10.6 percent across-the-board cut facing all Medicare providers and provided for a 1.1 percent positive reimbursement update for providers in 2009....

Earn CE credits with FCER's online seminars - March 26, 2009
Doctors of chiropractic in 37 states may now earn continuing education credits (CEs) by enrolling in Web-based seminars offered through the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) at www.fcer.myicourse.com. ...

ACOM Healthcare Business Consulting Group to Deliver C.E.-Accredited Chiropractic Seminar October 30; Focuses on Proving Medical Necessity - March 24, 2009
The ACOM Chiropractic Consulting Group will deliver a one-day seminar for chiropractors entitled "Case Management that Proves Medical Necessity" in suburban Cleveland, Ohio on October 30, 2008, it was announced today by Senior Consultant Bharon Hoag....

MyoVision, Chiropractic Economics Team to Launch Diagnostic Tools Resource Center - March 24, 2009
Chiropractic Economics announced today that it has teamed with MyoVision, a provider of Surface EMG technology, to launch its sixteenth resource center: Diagnostic Tools, at www.ChiroEco.com/MyoVision....

CoxHealth ready to settle government investigation - March 18, 2009
An investigation into some of CoxHealth's billing practices has reached a tentative settlement, according to published reports....

Long-Term Care Industry Braces for Implementation of MDS 3.0: HCPro Responds with MDSonlineCentral.com - February 17, 2009
MDSCentral intends to help facilities prepare for current and impending changes related to the MDS 3.0 process. The planned changes and transition to MDS 3.0 impact every nursing facility business process and system from assessment to billing to payment to quality measurement to the 5-Star ratings....

SourceMedical, ZirMed Help Clinics Cure Tough Economic Times Through Improved Efficiency - February 9, 2009
Combined Business/Revenue Cycle Management Solutions Result in Quick Identification of Claims Errors, Faster Payments; One Rehab Clinic Sees Quick Savings of $1,500 per Month ...

Balance billing traps patients in fights between doctors, hospitals and insurers - February 8, 2009
The state Supreme Court is about to weigh in on the practice. It is expected to rule soon on a Southern California dispute between two medical groups that could partly answer, but hardly resolve, the question of whether balance billing is legal....

Medicare to Reimburse for the Bioness L300(TM) Foot Drop System for Spinal Cord Injury - January 13, 2009
Bioness Inc., a leading neuromodulation company, announced today that beginning January 1, 2009, the NESS L300 will be reimbursed by Medicare for incomplete spinal cord injury patients suffering from foot drop....

10 Steps to an Easier ICD-10 Transition - January 11, 2009
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....

California Superior Court Upholds Balance Billing Regulations-Decision Will Protect Patients from Unfair Medical Billing Practices - January 11, 2009
The California Superior Court today upheld regulations recently enacted state by the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) which protects patients from an unfair billing practice known as "balance billing."...

Medical-Billing.com to Revolutionize Electronic Medical Recordkeeping With National Patient Registry - January 11, 2009
Medical-Billing.com announces their plans for a National Patient Registry which will make patients' medical records more accessible without compromising privacy, which will benefit physicians, insurance providers, and patients alike....

White Paper is First of Many TriZetto Resources to Help Payer Organizations Adopt ICD-10 Diagnostic Coding System - January 10, 2009
The initiative is the transition by healthcare payer organizations to ICD-10 diagnosis codes and ANSI X12 version 5010 HIPAA transaction codes. A white paper released today by The TriZetto Group, Inc. is the first of several resources the company will offer health plans to help them adopt these new, more extensive codes successfully. ...

Port Arthur clinic, owner, doctor, manager indicted on billing fraud charges - January 8, 2009
A Port Arthur medical clinic and its owner, doctor and office manager were indicted Wednesday on at least 150 counts each of health care fraud for more than $10 million in phony bills....

New health insurance coding system has its benefits - and its headaches, experts say - December 31, 2008
The federal government is overhauling the coding system that doctors and hospitals use to bill insurers. The end result will be a system that has 10 times as many codes....

TherapySource Closes Deal for Multi Location Clinic - December 27, 2008
SourceMedical, a leading provider of outpatient information management solutions, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to install TherapySource, its leading clinical documentation system in all of Therapy Partners' Rehabilitation facilities. ...

Medical Billing Software .com Announces Release of Medisoft Medical Billing Software Version 14 Service Pack 1 - December 23, 2008
The service pack addresses over 75 fixes and enhancements designed to improve the popular medisoft billing software version 14 released earlier this year....

Why We Need 1,170 Codes for Angioplasty - December 20, 2008
Government regulators are expected soon to overhaul the aging coding system that doctors and hospitals use to bill insurers -- a switch that many in health care say is necessary, but that could initially cause headaches for consumers and their doctors....

Doctors fight balance-billing ban on out-of-network costs - December 5, 2008
California physicians and hospitals are fighting the state insurance regulators' new rules in court. Two other cases also address balance billing...

Capture Billing & Consulting Employees Provide Job Training for Medical Billers - December 4, 2008
Capture Billing employees help people who have been downsized or are reentering the workforce to obtain job training in the Medical Billing field at local colleges ...

Chart Links Offers Marketing and Therapy Web Design Services to Private Practices - December 1, 2008
Chart Links, a provider of outpatient rehabilitation software and services, will offer marketing and therapy web design services to physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and audiology clinics. The services will include marketing strategy, brand and identity development, advertising, therapy web design, search engine optimization, and communications management. The services will make therapy practices more profitable by helping them effectively attract and retain patients and referral sources....

MedLearn Launches New MedLearnDrugCodes.com - November 30, 2008
Medical Learning, Inc. (MedLearn) has signed a new contract with RJ Health Systems International, LLC, to launch the new web site www.MedLearnDrugCodes.com, with ancillary detail....

Ariz. backs insurers in most claim disputes - November 30, 2008
Fewer than one in five health-care appeals filed with the Arizona Department of Insurance have been successful for consumers over the past six years, an Arizona Republic analysis of the department's records shows....

Major No-Fault Insurance Fraud Ring Busted - November 30, 2008
Two corporations and 61 individuals have been charged with engaging in a widespread, multimillion dollar no-fault automobile insurance fraud scheme that sought to defraud insurance carriers by intentionally staging accidents, submitting false medical and bodily injury claims and arranging for unneeded treatment and costly and unwarranted medical tests....

Medical Billing Company Provides Job Training for Medical Billers at Local College - November 30, 2008
Capture Billing partners with local college to help people who have been downsized or are reentering the workforce to obtain job training in the medical billing field....

New Website Offers Amazing Medical Billing Information Helping Physicians Understand Medical Coding and Billing and Medical Office Billing Software fo - November 29, 2008
The website serves as a new online resource providing medical billing information for physician practices and healthcare clinics seeking medical billing collection....

Study Finds ICD-10 May Burden Health Care Providers - November 29, 2008
A controversial proposed rule from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requiring all physician practices and other providers to adopt a new coding set, the ICD-10, by 2011 would dramatically increase costs for physician practices and clinical laboratories, according to a new cost study initiated by a broad group of provider organizations and conducted by Nachimson Advisors....

Millin Associates Creates Cutting-Edge Software for Hospitals and Outpatient Clinics to Combat Medical Claim Denials - November 29, 2008
Millin Associates created an innovative, easy-to-use practice management billing system for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), primary care centers (Article 28), ambulatory surgery centers, mental health facilities (Article 31), substance abuse facilities (822), OMRDD facilities, and foster care agencies. ...

Health care has many facets
From home health to assisted living, it's more than hospitals - November 29, 2008
Midwest Regional Home Care employs 96 people - RNs, CNAs, LPNs, speech, physical and respiratory therapists as well as a social worker to help people remain in their homes when they might otherwise have to enter an institution....

Code-set upgrades will be costly, study finds - November 29, 2008
A study commissioned by nine associations of health care providers has found that the cost of implementing new ICD-10 code sets, as proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will be far higher than CMS has estimated....

Dolbey Sponsors The Coding Game at AHIMA Convention and Exhibit in Seattle - November 28, 2008
Dolbey will be promoting the unique, medical coding website known as The Coding Game(TM) at the 2008 American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Convention and Exhibit in Seattle, WA. The Coding Game is the product of the healthcare researchers and software developers at Artificial Medical Intelligence, Inc. and provides an Internet game experience for medical coders to collaborate in determining medical coding best practices....

CollaborateMD Hybrid SaaS Model Gaining Industry Momentum - November 28, 2008
CollaborateMD, a leading provider of Internet practice management and medical billing software for the healthcare industry, attributes 3rd quarter growth to their cost-effective hybrid Software as a Service (SaaS) model, which combines the convenience and flexibility characteristic of most browser-based applications with the speed and power found in many locally run Windows-based programs. ...

Computers Unlimited and A/R Allegiance Group™ Form a Strategic Partnership - November 28, 2008
Computers Unlimited and A/R Allegiance Group together announce plans to develop fully customizable integration between TIMS software and CollectPlus™. This programming would allow TIMS to automatically upload specified account information to CollectPlus for billing and collection services, and then enable CollectPlus to return updated information to TIMS throughout the entire billing and collection process....

Number 1 State in Chiropractic Billing Performance Index in June is Illinois - The Blues and Medicare Lead - October 26, 2008
In June, the Chiropractic Office Billing Precision Index (BPI) gained 4.2 points above its May mark - making up all of the lost ground in May and outperforming April. Overall, June BPI reached 17.6 outperforming the national average of 17.7 by 0.1, and 2.1 points away from its best record of 15.5 in March of 2008....

Medicare Getting Tougher on Fraud, Waste, Abuse and Will Ask for Help from Seniors - October 8, 2008
New contractors to review paid claims for all Medicare Part A and B providers to ensure claims meet statutory, regulatory and policy regulations....

PPJ Enterprise Announces the First Sale/Lease of Its Customized Billing Systems, AutoMed 5.0. (Automated Biller) - October 8, 2008
AutoMed 5.0, which drastically reduces processing time to code, data entry, file, follow-up and collect on current and past due insurance claims....

Computers Unlimited/ARTSCO Partnership Takes Business Operations to New Heights - October 7, 2008
Computers Unlimited announces TIMS Software integration with ARTSCO's Rehab Anywhere Data®. Now TIMS Software imports patient, physician and insurance information from Rehab Anywhere® to enhance business operation efficiency...

1450 Announces the Release of the Dragon® Medical Selection Assistant - October 7, 2008
1450 provides a variety of resources assisting physicians who wish to automate their office processes. They have produced the Dragon Medical Selection Assistant for physicians to determine the most appropriate Dragon Medical product for their medical practice. Nuance's Dragon Medical is appropriate for doctors in practices as small as solo practice all the way to entire hospital systems....

Physicians Practice, America's Leading Practice Management Journal, Announces the 5th Edition of Its Popular Resource, The Physicians Practice Buyers - October 7, 2008
A popular resource for physicians and their office staff, this vendor directory is published in three formats and aims to provide medical practices with one source they can turn to for all their purchasing needs....

Medicare Won't Pay for Medical Errors - September 30, 2008
On Wednesday, Medicare will start applying that logic to American medicine on a broad scale when it stops paying hospitals for the added cost of treating patients who are injured in their care....

MediConnect Offers to Donate Copies of Medical Records Lost During Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Gustav, and Tropical Storm Fay - September 30, 2008
MediConnect Global, Inc. today announced it will provide invaluable digital backup copies of archived medical records free of charge back to any patient or organization that has lost paper-based medical records as a result of Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Gustav or Tropical Storm Fay....

Occupational Therapy Gets People With Osteoarthritis Moving - September 30, 2008
In the pilot study, the researchers found that patients who engaged in activity strategy training along with regular exercise increased their physical activity, more so than those patients who only took part in exercise and health education sessions. Study results are now online and are set to appear in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism....

Conviction for nursing home theft - September 27, 2008
She caused the nursing home to pay the credit card statements for her personal purchases, as though they were legitimate nursing home purchases. ...

Medicaid targets fraud in Indiana - September 27, 2008
Indiana is proposing new limits on Medicaid coverage for people seeking nursing home care if they used their money to make a contribution to a charity or paid a family member who is caring for them without a formal contract....

Feds fine Brookfield clinic $1.88M - September 27, 2008
A Brookfield-based physical therapy chain under investigation for allegations it submitted false claims to various government health care programs has settled the case by paying a $1.88 million fine, federal authorities said Monday....

Miami Nurse Snares Medicare Defrauders - September 22, 2008
One-quarter of the Medicare fraud cases prosecuted in the country last year were in the Miami district, and one dedicated nurse is a driving force behind this fierce defense of our federal healthcare insurance program for retirees....

Selectica to Host Webinar with Famous Independent Research Analyst on Healthcare Contract Management and Stark Law Regulatory Compliance - September 22, 2008
Next week, Selectica will sponsor an informational webinar to help HMOs, hospitals, and other healthcare providers address the unique challenges of managing physician agreements and other contracts that relate to Stark Law regulatory compliance....

Therapy network reaches settlement with government - September 22, 2008
Federal prosecutors say a network of physical therapy facilities has agreed to pay $1.88 million to settle allegations that it submitted false claims to government health care programs....

Medicare to cut some reimbursements Oct. 1 - September 20, 2008
Under the new rules, Medicare will not pay for treatment of any of the conditions on the list unless the hospital can document that the patients had them when they were admitted. Hospitals will not be allowed to bill the patient instead if Medicare will not pay. ...

Practice Management Institute Announces the Debut of its Audio Learning Center - September 20, 2008
The pre-recorded audio sessions cover topics related to coding, billing, compliance and management for the medical office. Each session is taught by educators and professionals from all walks of practice management. Printable presentation slides accompany each audio download....

Medicare Strike Force Indicts 18 Los Angeles Area Residents For Health Care Related Fraud - September 20, 2008
Eighteen Los Angeles area residents have been charged in eight separate indictments for their roles in Medicare fraud schemes totaling more than $33 million, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Thomas P. O'Brien announced today....

Medicaid redesign may hit state's pocket hard
Service provider claims system isn't working for clients - September 20, 2008
A Medicaid redesign that was supposed to improve health care has created a major catch-22 for behavioral health care patients and providers, says Mike Mays, CEO of FMRS Health Systems Inc....

Evergreen Reduces Disputes, Improves Service w/ CallRex - September 16, 2008
Evergreen Professional Recoveries – a collection agency – is capitalizing on call recording technology from CallRex to remove "he said, she said" situations....

Health Care Compliance Strategies Releases Updated Online Healthcare Compliance Training Courses - September 13, 2008
HCCS (Health Care Compliance Strategies, Inc), the leading provider of online healthcare compliance and competency training, today announced the release of new updated versions of three online multimedia compliance courses....

Codes a complication for healthcare industry - September 13, 2008
Though all but invisible to patients, these billing codes have a profound effect on the business of healthcare. Every diagnosis, treatment, invoice and claim filed uses these codes in the United States and the rest of the developed world....

SearchMedica Launches Practice Management Search Engine for Medical Professionals - September 13, 2008
SearchMedica.com, the leading search engine for medical professionals, today unveiled a new search category -- Practice Management. The new category connects medical professionals with the best practice management resources available on the Web, including the financial, legal and administrative resources needed to effectively manage a medical practice....

Power Mobility Coalition Voices Concern Over Government Reports Outlining Lack of Oversight in the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment Benefit - September 13, 2008
The Power Mobility Coalition (PMC), an association of manufacturers and suppliers of power mobility devices, raised concerns today about recent findings that questioned whether the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) accurately reviewed durable medical equipment (DME) claims that suppliers submitted for reimbursements after providing medical equipment to Medicare beneficiaries....

Chart Links and RemitDATA to Offer Reimbursement Benchmark Data for Rehabilitation - September 4, 2008
Chart Links, a provider of rehabilitation workflow management software, and RemitDATA, a provider of reimbursement productivity tools and benchmarking reports, will partner to offer reimbursement benchmark data to physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and audiology clinics. The claims data will be aggregated and analyzed from a web-based suite of tools that the therapist will use alongside any existing practice management or billing system. The solution will make therapy practices more profitable and allow reimbursement comparison against national averages....

Physical therapist charged with stealing from Medicaid in Broward, Dade - August 28, 2008
A physical therapist working in Broward and Miami-Dade counties was arrested today on charges she stole more than $19,000 from Medicaid....

Excelerated Rehab offers intensive therapy to younger patients - August 28, 2008
During intensive neurological rehabilitation is just what the name implies. Patients go to the clinic for three hours every day for three weeks, where, with a therapist, they use a universal exercise system of weights, pulleys and cords to stretch, strengthen and build up targeted muscle groups....

Chart Links To Integrate Pistolstar's Authentication Security Solution with Therapy Software - August 22, 2008
Integration of Password Authentication and Security Solution with Outpatient Rehabilitation Software Will Allow Chart Links' Customers to Strengthen Authentication Processes by Providing Self-Service Password Management to End-Users and Functionality to Administrators Who Need to Meet Security Initiatives....

Sending sick undocumented immigrants back home - August 20, 2008
The Tribune also examined the topic in articles about a stroke survivor sent to the Philippines by a Des Plaines nursing home because he was uninsured. Orlando Lopez, an undocumented Filipino alien, was afraid he'd die after the Nov. 2005 transfer – and he did....

MedSynergies Surgical Division Selected to Provide Practice Management and Revenue Cycle Solutions for Three Texas - August 18, 2008
MedSynergies Surgical Division, formerly Practice Performance Inc., was selected by North Texas-based practices Texas Orthopaedic Associates, LLP, Peak Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center and Summit Therapeutic Concepts of Plano to provide practice management services and revenue cycle solutions in an effort to streamline operations, increase revenue and improve each practice's bottom line. ...

Missouri City Clinic Owner Gets 15-year Sentence For Medicare Billing Scam - August 14, 2008
A Missouri City therapist, who admitted cheating Medicaid and Medicare out of $225,000, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison....

Orion ICG, LLC Announces Acquisition of Therapy Staff, Incorporated - August 12, 2008
Orion ICG, LLC announced today that it has acquired the assets of Therapy Staff, Incorporated (TSI), a leading provider of physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists to hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes....

OSHA allies with American Physical Therapy Association in Midwest to keep health care employees safe - August 11, 2008
The alliance will operate in six Midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. He noted that the cooperative effort will focus on the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and the safe handling of patients....

Therapist, 45, sentenced in Medicaid fraud case - August 10, 2008
A Pulaski County Circuit judge fined a 45-year-old Conway speech therapist more than $200,000 and sentenced her to six years in prison Monday for stealing more than $68,000 from Medicaid....

Nursing home boss hit with charge - August 9, 2008
The operator of a troubled Bronx nursing home turned herself in Thursday to face a felony charge for failing to provide workers' compensation insurance for her employees for 13 months....

Emdeon Business Services Launches Automated Workers' Compensation and Auto Medical Processing - August 9, 2008
Emdeon Business Services, a leading provider of revenue cycle management and clinical communication solutions, announced today the launch of a new electronic solution for the filing of Workers' Compensation and Auto Medical bills and simultaneous electronic submission of required documentation....

FindACode.com Launches New Online Medical Coding Web Service at ACMCS Convention - August 9, 2008
Find A Code, LLC is introducing http://www.FindACode.com today at the American College of Medical Coding Specialists (ACMCS) Convention. FindACode.com is a revolutionary premium online service known as "The Complete Online Coding Resource."...

Physical therapist identifies future pain with new exam - August 9, 2008
Eric Browning, physical therapist at Keith Physical Therapy, 13301 N. Meridian, created the Musculoskeletal Exam to predict the likely places an individual might develop pain and identify muscles that already might be causing episodic pain....

APTA Applauds Introduction Of Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act - August 9, 2008
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) applauds the recent introduction of HR 6792 Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2008 by Representatives Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) and John Boozman (R-AR). This bill will improve the recruitment and retention of physical therapists in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)....

MedAvant files for bankruptcy protection, plans auction of assets - August 7, 2008
Faced with sagging stock prices and running out of assets to sell off, MedAvant Healthcare Solutions has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection....

American Physical Therapy Association Launches Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) - August 6, 2008
The Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) for prospective physical therapist (PT) students and professional education programs is now available from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)....

AIS Launches HIPAA Compliance Center - a Web-Based Service that Helps Organizations Safeguard Patient Privacy and Data - August 5, 2008
New HIPAA compliance portal helps providers reduce the chances of fines and penalties, private lawsuits and public relations nightmares, which many HIPAA covered entities are encountering...

RehabCare Reports Second Quarter 2008 Results - August 4, 2008
RehabCare Group, Inc. (NYSE:RHB) today reported financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2008. Comparative results for the quarter and six months follow....

11 Part B Billing Scenarios for PTs and OTs - July 31, 2008
This page is designed to clarify existing therapy policy and to provide guidance on current Part B billing issues relevant to physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and to the services they provide. Because we have received numerous requests to restore the previously published 11 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) resulting from the 9/13/02 Open Door Forum on Group Therapy, we have chosen to reformat these FAQs into "billing scenarios" to appear below. As a result, the 11 Part B Billing Scenarios are specific to PTs and OTs. We will update this Web Page to reflect changes in policy (for example, CCI edits, new codes, new coverage determinations) that impact therapy billing and/or to provide clarification on billing policy for PTs, OTs and/or SLPs....

Call24 Technologies, Inc. Announces Release of CallDoc24(TM) -- Fully Automated Answering Service for Physicians - July 29, 2008
CallDoc24 answers after-hours calls, records messages and contacts the physician on-call. In addition, CallDoc24 maintains an archive of every message, is cost-effective, HIPAA compliant, secure and easy to setup and use. CallDoc24 also mitigates risk by tracking the life cycle of a message - from the moment it was received thru the time the physician returned the call. ...

American Physical Therapy Association Applauds Sen Baucus For Standing Up Against Therapy Cap - July 28, 2008
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) applauds Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) for urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to maintain the exceptions process to Medicare Part B therapy caps in a letter sent yesterday to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Michael Leavitt. ...

U.S. House of Representatives Votes to Override President Bush's Veto of HR-6331 - July 28, 2008
"The American Physical Therapy Association praises the House of Representatives for recognizing the need to protect Medicare beneficiaries who need rehabilitation services the most - seniors and persons with disabilities - by voting today to override President Bush's veto of HR 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act....

Highmark collection system leads to feud with providers - July 22, 2008
A midstate chiropractor says he was forced to close his doors because of an ongoing financial feud with Highmark Inc., stemming from the health insurer's system for collecting money from doctors who, in Highmark's eyes, provide excessive or unwarranted care. ...

Healthcare Support Technologies, Inc. Introduces eCallections™, the Patient Payment Reminder Service - July 17, 2008
Healthcare Support Technologies, Inc., makers of DocOfficeRx; the leading online medical coding and practice management resource, today announced the launch of eCallections; the newest offering in a growing line of technology solutions that will increase collections and decrease costs for healthcare organizations nationwide....

Firm settles over data mishandling at Levelland clinic - July 17, 2008
Select Physical Therapy Texas Limited Partnership and parent company Select Medical Corp. will pay the state $990,000 - $890,000 of which will go to the general revenue fund to be used exclusively for the investigation and prosecution of identity theft cases....

Tx Xchange Launches Web-Based Solution for Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Providers to Address Demands of Healthcare Consumerism - July 17, 2008
According to Mark Barnes DPT, Founder & CEO of Tx Xchange, "The delivery and consumption of rehabilitative care has stagnated over the last 25 years and in today's consumer driven healthcare marketplace, rehab therapists need software solutions to provide better care and a more enjoyable patient experience."...

Healthcare Support Technologies, Inc. (HST) Acquires DocOfficeRx™, the Leading Suite of Online Coding and Practice Management Tools - July 13, 2008
Since 2005, DocOfficeRx has been a leader in providing online medical coding and practice management resources to medical coders, medical billers and other healthcare professionals nationwide. The subscription-based online resource delivers a full suite of medical coding tools, including fast, accurate and up-to-date access to CPT© Codes, ICD-9 codes, HCPCS Codes, LCD Data, CCI resources and much more....

Medicare Changes Could Cripple Physical Therapists - July 12, 2008
In Bakhshoudeh's case, he estimates he could lose over half his clients, which translates to more than 80 percent of his profits because Medicare reimburses him better than most insurers and HMOs. Calling the potential damage to his business "devastating," he estimated he could only afford to keep his doors open for another month or two if Washington does not act soon....

Hauser elected treasurer of national organization - July 12, 2008
Connie Hauser, CEO of Corbin-based PT Pros, has been elected treasurer of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)....

A Two-Pronged Approach to Better Medical Bill Collection - June 29, 2008
When executives at a critical care/pulmonary practice and an emergency medicine group realized that they had similar problems with their billing systems, they put their heads together and created ATD Resources to address their issues. Later, they turned to Navicure for its Web-based claims management solution....

ZipClaims.com and InstaMed® Enhance Medical Billing for Millions of Practitioners - June 26, 2008
ABC Coding Solutions, developer of ZipClaims.com, has selected the InstaMed healthcare payments network and platform for its ZipClaims.com medical billing solutions designed to serve a population of 2.5 million non-physician healthcare providers. ZipClaims.com gives these healthcare providers a unique way to get paid quickly while avoiding fraud. ZipClaims.com is an online insurance claims filing system specifically designed to address the billing challenges that affect millions of non-physician health professionals....

Nursing home operator's fraud sentencing put on hold - June 26, 2008
The federal court sentencing for the owner and operator of a Washington County nursing home who was convicted last year of $1.4 million in Medicaid fraud was postponed indefinitely on Tuesday after her attorneys asserted newly discovered evidence may have resulted in her acquittal....

Nationally Recognized Instructor Adds Live Audio Component to Expanding E-Library - June 18, 2008
This audio conference provided information for those seeking time sensitive information on preventing reimbursement denials using successful quality assurance tools, as well as an introduction to the ten-part mini-series Brewer will develop to add to Dynamic's extensive online library. Participating students were eligible to receive professional contact hours for continuing education....

AMA calls physician reimbursements flawed - - June 18, 2008
Failings by insurers and Medicare add more than $200 billion a year to the nation's healthcare tab, report says. Insurance companies often fail to properly reimburse doctors, needlessly adding more than $200 billion a year to the nation's healthcare tab, the American Medical Assn. said Monday. An analysis of 3 million medical claims over a six-month period beginning in October also found that doctors in the U.S. spend 14% of the fees they receive from insurers and Medicare on the process of collecting those fees, the AMA said in a report issued at its annual meeting in Chicago....

Nursing-home employee pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud - June 15, 2008
From 2004 through 2006, while managing the business office at the nursing home, Lane submitted travel vouchers claiming that she traveled an average of 596 miles a week to and from various Virginia social services agencies as part of Medicaid eligibility reviews, a prosecutor told the court Thursday....

Federal fraud probe targets artificial leg maker in Mansfield - June 11, 2008
U.S. District Court documents indicate a federal contractor conducting an audit of Mansfield Orthotic and Prosthetic Centers Inc., 240 Marion Ave., discovered the local business was billing the highest amount per Medicare beneficiary across seven states for lower limb prosthetics....

Americas Watchdog Seeks Financial Partners to Go After US Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Cases Involving Hospitals & Nursing Homes With the Potential for Lar - June 11, 2008
According to Americas Watchdog, "These are but a few of the issues that we intend to go after and expose. The great thing for an investor/partner in one of targeted cities is, we have experience doing every aspect of the investigation, we know exactly what we are looking for, and we have a great plan that should produce dramatic results for everyone involved."...

Home Alone-With Medicaid Fraudsters - June 7, 2008
New Yorkers have always excelled at finding new ways to make a buck-honestly and otherwise-and the profitable schemes that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is rooting out in the home health-care business are part of that ambitious tradition....

Postcards Help Physical Therapists Heal Practice - June 7, 2008
What's the difference between a thriving physical therapy practice and one that doesn't have enough patients? Advertising and promotion. Advertising and promotion, however, can be very expensive. For a physical therapist that doesn't want to hire an expensive marketing campaign, the solution may be direct mail postcards....

CMS REMINDS MEDICARE FEE-FOR-SERVICE PROVIDERS AND SUPPLIERS NPI DEADLINE IS MAY 23 - May 28, 2008
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reminds all Medicare providers and suppliers that beginning May 23, 2008, they are required to use only a National Provider Identifier (NPI) to identify health care providers in all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standard transactions used in the Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) program....

Health Care Fraud - FBI Report - May 28, 2008
The FBI investigated 2,493 cases of healthcare fraud in fiscal year 2007, leading to 635 convictions....

The National Rehabilitation Hospital Selects MediServe to Support Revenue Enhancements and Cost Reductions in Inpatient and Outpatient Rehab Services - May 27, 2008
The National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) in Washington, DC has contracted with MediServe for the implementation and support of the MediLinks solution for rehabilitative medicine. Through this agreement, the NRH anticipates recognizing revenue enhancements and cost reductions through implementation of MediServe's proprietary information system and consulting services. These services will be delivered in the NRH 137-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) and in its extensive outpatient rehab network....

Allscripts Ranked No. 1 in Electronic Prescribing for 2007 - May 11, 2008
Allscripts, the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare, announced today that it transmitted more electronic prescriptions in 2007 over the Pharmacy Health Information Exchange(TM) than any other e-prescribing vendor. Allscripts also had more electronic prescribers connected to the Exchange than any other company during 2007....

'This isn't your father's Oldsmobile'
Patients may be surprised at the cost of an ambulance ride - May 11, 2008
The Sauk Centre Ambulance recently increased their fees to a minimum of $700, whether the ride is 10 miles, two miles or two blocks. And that doesn't include the $10 per mile charge or the extra $100 charge for having a nurse on board....

Insurers Stop Paying for Care Linked to Errors - May 11, 2008
Health insurers are taking a new tack in a bid to improve patient safety and reduce health-care costs: refusing to pay -- or let their patients be billed -- for hospital errors....

Medicare to require physicians to use new ID numbers on March 1 - May 11, 2008
As of March 1, doctors who bill Medicare electronically must include their NPIs on all Medicare claims in addition to any older IDs they may have been using. For most of the past year, the program has been allowing physicians to use their older, "legacy" identifiers alone while they obtained new NPIs and made sure the personal information attached to all of the numbers was matching correctly....

Alliance to Provide Free Medical Care for Children is Advocated by Los Angeles Real Estate Lawyer - May 11, 2008
Real estate lawyer, Joel Ruben of Los Angeles advocates an alliance for the benefit of children's medical needs. Real estate lawyer, Joel Ruben of Los Angeles advocates an alliance for the benefit of children's medical needs....

CAGW Denounces Efforts to Scuttle Medicare Provider Audits - May 11, 2008
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today reiterated support for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) efforts to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in improper medical payments made to hospitals and healthcare providers using the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) Program. RACs, which are private sector auditing companies that specialize in uncovering improper payments to hospitals and healthcare providers, have offered a common-sense solution to the leakage of billions in overpayments and underpayments to healthcare contractors....

Mid-Atlantic Physician Consultancy Selects Intergy by Sage Physician Practice Management Solution - May 11, 2008
Sage Software Healthcare, Inc. has announced that D'Souza & Associates - a billing and collection service for more than 50 ambulatory practices throughout the Mid-Atlantic region - has selected Intergy by Sage for its customers' physician practice management system....

Loss of Mind and Money: Delirium and Its Costs - May 11, 2008
A Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) study found that total health care cost estimates attributable to delirium ranged from $16,303 to $64,421 per elderly patient. These estimates represent a national burden of delirium on the health care system extending from $38 to $152 billion each year, much more than previously thought. The spotlight on health care costs frequently rests on other medical conditions, like diabetes....

Accentia to raise funds at Singapore bourse - May 11, 2008
Thiruvananthapuram: Accentia Technologies, which has its corporate office at the Technopark campus here, has got a major boost with the Singapore Stock Exchange clearing a $15.75-million global depository receipt (GDR) issue....

Medical Records Need Improvement - May 11, 2008
Yes, it's the twenty-first century but why are our medical record keeping practices mired in the nineteenth century? It would appear that the major technology advances adopted by the medical industry are the photo copy machine and the telephone answering system....

How do you file medical claims once you're retired? - May 11, 2008
DEAR JUDY: I am covered by Medicare and can't understand how I should file claims. When I was working, the doctor bills and tests I had to have were filed by the doctor's billing people. Now that I am in Medicare I am not sure how I should file my claims. I am covered by Medicare's Part A and B, the regular plan. Thank you for any info you have....

Medical technology takes off
2 Monument companies are expanding, with high expectations for sector's future - May 11, 2008
Two Monument medical technology companies are expanding, adding to an already fast-growing biotechnology industry in the Colorado Springs area....

St. Francis looks to future
Hospital adding physicians to staff before it develops new health park - May 10, 2008
St. Francis Health Center is acquiring physician practices to secure its position in the marketplace before opening a health park in west Topeka. Since May 2006, the hospital has added nine operations with 20 professional staff members to its portfolio of services....

Health Care Fraud Defendant Gets 46 Months - May 10, 2008
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, and William W. Root, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Health and Human Services, announced that defendant Cesar Romero was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Seitz to forty-six months in jail and remanded into immediate custody for his role in a multi-million dollar Medicare billing fraud scheme on which Romero previously had pled guilty....

Healthcare Software Vendor Unveils New Intelligent Medical Software Product - May 10, 2008
MediPro, Inc., a leading vendor of healthcare software, unveiled Meditab's Intelligent Medical Software (IMS) this week as the latest product offered in its exclusive catalogue of software solutions. IMS is the first fully-integrated Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Practice Management System (PMS) software to be offered by the industry-recognized reseller....

Texas Workers' Compensation Commissioner Betts Signs Medical Fee Guideline and Hospital Fee - May 10, 2008
Commissioner of Workers' Compensation Albert Betts has signed rules to update a medical fee guideline for health care providers, to establish a hospital outpatient fee guideline and to update a hospital inpatient fee guideline for the Texas workers' compensation system....

Advanced Home Care Extends Its Use of Authentidate's Inscrybe(TM) Healthcare Platform - May 10, 2008
Authentidate Holding Corp. , a worldwide provider of secure workflow management software and web-based services, today announced that Advanced Home Care, a leading home medical and nursing care organization, is extending its use of the Inscrybe Healthcare platform to include the ePOC module....

Craneware Announces Release of Pharmacy ChargeLink™ - May 10, 2008
Craneware, Inc. today announced the general availability of Pharmacy ChargeLink, a software application that establishes and maintains a connection between a hospital's pharmaceutical purchase history and its charge description master (CDM). This connection ensures correct, current pricing and accurate coding so that hospitals can optimize reimbursement for facility administered medications....

Do the Rules Apply to Dr. Phil? - May 10, 2008
Most doctors and therapists won't disclose the names of their patients, let alone comment on their mental states. Federal and state licensing rules typically forbid it. But TV therapist Phil McGraw, who recently visited frazzled pop star Britney Spears at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, not only confirmed the meeting to Entertainment Tonight, but said the diva was "in dire need of medical and psychological intervention."...

MedLink Acquires 100% of Anywhere MD - May 10, 2008
MedLink International, Inc. (OTCBB: MLKNA) announced today that it has completed the full acquisition of all the outstanding assets and operations of Anywhere MD, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: ANWM), a leading provider of mobile EMR solutions to healthcare facilities in the chiropractic market....

Harbin Clinic Selects athenahealth; Joins Growing National Physician Network - May 10, 2008
athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of internet-based business services for physician practices, today announced that Harbin Clinic, Georgia's largest privately-owned, multi-specialty medical group with over 160 medical providers has selected athenahealth's centrally-hosted, on-demand practice management and billing service, athenaCollector(sm), in an effort to improve operational and financial results across its care delivery organization....

Nationwide Medical Billing Services - YourMedicalBiller.com Opens it's Doors! - May 10, 2008
Your Medical Biller offers a one-stop-shopping experience for medical administrative services. We are a medical reimbursement consulting firm dedicated to helping medical practices become more efficient and save money by allowing them to out-source their insurance processing and medical billing to an expert reimbursement service....

Arthrocare's Acquisition of Discocare: Trying Put the Genie Back in the Bottle - May 10, 2008
Last week, medical device maker Arthrocare (ARTC) purchased Discocare, an entity they refer to as a "third party billing company". While analysts superficially cheered the move, Citron has decided to look deeper into this unholy alliance with a most nefarious business partner. Management has attempted to spin the story as acquiring a third party biller that possesses a special "algorithm" to get insurance approvals. Citron believes that Arthrocare purchased Discocare to cover up a relationship that is predicated on fraud and deception....

LeonardoMD Collaborates with Collections Agency Transworld Systems to Provide Fully-Integrated Solution - May 10, 2008
Transworld Systems Inc., the industry leader in profit recovery, and LeonardoMD, Inc., a premier provider of web-native practice management and clinical software, recently collaborated to offer medical practices a completely integrated solution to streamline the collections process for slow-paying patient accounts and insurance resolution. LeonardoMD selected Transworld as the collection agency to offer its collections service, GreenFlag(SM) Profit Recovery, to all LeonardoMD clients at preferred pricing....

Nation's Third Largest Workers Compensation Insurer Focuses on Provider Selection as Key to Effectively Managing Total WC Medical Costs - May 10, 2008
Companies throughout California will be able to better control their workers compensation medical costs and injured workers will find it easier to get local care because of recent modifications to Liberty Mutual's Medical Provider Network (MPN)....

Case Study: Intelligent Process Improvement Helps Hospitals Work Smart - May 10, 2008
Inefficient manual tasks are being automated. However, it is now economically and technically possible to add a layer of business intelligence to this structure. Instead of simply automating tasks, organizations can monitor those processes intelligently to improve data reliability, gain greater business insight, as well as increase patient safety and reduce operating costs....

ArthroCare Acquires Reimbursement Service Provider, Reaffirms 2007 and 2008 Guidance - May 10, 2008
ArthroCare Corp. (Nasdaq:ARTC), a leader in developing state-of-the-art, minimally invasive surgical products, announced that it has acquired DiscoCare, Inc., a third-party billing and reimbursement service provider, for $25 million in cash plus potential future milestone payments. This acquisition will allow ArthroCare to significantly expand its internal reimbursement capability and to leverage these services across all divisions. ...

P2P Link and Payerpath Align to Facilitate Claims Processing Between Medical Providers and Workers' Compensation Payers through All-Inclusive Clearing - May 10, 2008
P2P Link, a business unit of Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) and Payerpath, Inc., part of Misys (FTSE: MSY.L), today announced an alliance to streamline the medical bill and reimbursement process between medical providers and workers' compensation payers. P2P Link has become widely recognized for secure, internetbased electronic medical bill processing for workers' compensation claims, building a network of workers compensation payer clients....

Invoice Issues
A national study shows the uninsured are charged more for hospital care, but Tucson hospitals say that's not happening here - May 10, 2008
Uninsured Americans are charged the highest rates for hospital care, according to a recent study. But officials in Tucson say that doesn't appear to be the case here....

Medicare Fee Cuts Could Devastate Rehabilitation Services, Physical Therapists Warn Congress - May 10, 2008
Pending cuts to the Medicare physician fee schedule could severely hamper the ability of physical therapists to serve the rehabilitation needs of seniors and people with disabilities -- driving up overall costs while decreasing quality of care, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and its Private Practice Section....

Strike Force Targets Medicare Fraud By Los Angeles Area Health Care Companies - May 10, 2008
Eleven people have been indicted in the second phase of a targeted criminal, civil and administrative effort against individuals and health care companies that fraudulently bill the Medicare program, Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Alice S. Fisher and U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Thomas P. O'Brien announced today....

LoBiondo receives medical/rehabilitation award - May 10, 2008
Representative Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) was awarded the 2008 Chairman's Award by the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA) during an awards ceremony last month in Washington, DC....

Cable Driven Robot Assists Patients with Neurological Disorders - May 7, 2008
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have developed a unique robotic device to assist with the physical rehabilitation process of patients suffering from neurological damages to their upper extremities such as those due to stroke or Parkinson's disease. This device is the first-known cable driven robot to utilize a barrier between the operator and the moving mechanisms of the system....

State charges Baldwin home care agency with fraud - May 4, 2008
The state attorney general's office yesterday announced criminal charges and a civil lawsuit against a nurse-staffing company with offices in Baldwin, saying the company sent more than 1,000 home health aides with little or no training to care for elderly clients in New York City and Long Island....

ResCare Acquires Texas Home Care Services - May 4, 2008
ResCare, Inc. (NASDAQ: RSCR) the nation's leading provider of residential, training, educational and support services for people with disabilities and special needs, today announced the acquisition of Select Health Care Services, a home health care agency located in Baytown, Texas, serving 30 counties in the Houston area....

Leading Provider United Seating & Mobility Implements Authentidate's Inscrybe Healthcare Platform to Standardize and Streamline Administrative Process - May 4, 2008
Authentidate Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: ADAT), a worldwide provider of secure workflow management software and web-based services, today announced that United Seating & Mobility, one of the nation's leading providers of comprehensive seating and mobility solutions for people with disabilities, will utilize the Inscrybe(TM) Healthcare platform from Authentidate(R) to facilitate its mobility provisioning process....

SourceMedical wins contract for Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Centers - May 4, 2008
SourceMedical, a leading provider of outpatient information management solutions, today announced it is providing its TherapySource solution to Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Centers, a new physical therapy and sports rehabilitation business operated by Falcons' owner Arthur Blank's management company....

Man accused of staging crashes and operating fraudulent clinics - May 4, 2008
A former Dorchester man has been indicted on federal charges that he staged multiple auto accidents and operated fraudulent physical therapy clinics in Boston and other cities that were used to treat people for what often turned out to be fake injuries....

Joplin River Of Life, Family Members Indicted For Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering - May 2, 2008
John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a nonprofit agency operating five long-term residential care facilities in southwest Missouri, along with three family members involved in the agency, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for health care fraud and money laundering....

Hospital cost crusader's case going to trial Judge denies motion to dismiss suit - April 20, 2008
Four times, retiree Roy J. Meidinger has sued hospitals claiming a long-standing billing system amounts to fraud because of the way the hospitals give secret "charge-offs" to insurance companies in exchange for delivering patients....

Practice Fusion expands, shows signs of rapid growth - April 20, 2008
Practice Fusion, a company that provides free online electronic health records to physicians, announced last week it will partner with Physician Services, Inc. (PSI) of California and Azalea Health Innovations, Inc. of Georgia to expand the types of services available to its clients....

DHSS adopts federal standards for reporting data - April 20, 2008
New Jersey has adopted a federal hospital data-reporting standard that gives policymakers important new information on the four million in-patient admissions and out-patient visits to general acute care hospitals each year, Health and Senior Services Commissioner Fred M. Jacobs, M.D., J.D., announced....

Comparing Physicians on Efficiency - April 20, 2008
Over the past decade, public reporting on health care performance has become increasingly common. But whereas most reporting has concentrated on the quality of care in health maintenance organizations, hospitals, or large medical practices, health care purchasers are now focusing on identifying which individual physicians deliver good care most efficiently....

Looming Medicare pay cut forces tough decisions on participation - April 20, 2008
With congressional debate on an upcoming 10.1% Medicare cut to physicians stretching into the final weeks of the year, physicians' decisions on whether to participate in the program in 2008 took on added degrees of importance and complexity....

GW Medical Faculty Associates Integrates InstaMed(R) Automated Eligibility - April 20, 2008
The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates (MFA) announces that it has integrated InstaMed Automated Eligibility with its patient accounting systems to support real-time and batch automated eligibility inquiries to InstaMed's Network. InstaMed currently supports real-time eligibility to over 430 health plans, including all national health plans, blues plans and Medicare plans for all 50 states....

Paradigm Selects Jopari to Provide E-Billing Gateway for Customers - April 20, 2008
Paradigm Management Services, LLC ("Paradigm") the nation's leader in providing catastrophic and complex medical management services has entered an agreement with Jopari Solutions, Inc. ("Jopari") to launch an online Electronic Billing and Remittance Gateway solution simplifying workers' compensation bill remittance and payment workflows for its customers and providers....

CMS Publishes Medicare Part D Reference Guide For Pharmacists - April 20, 2008
A handy guide to the deadlines, billing systems and formularies involved in the complex world of Medicare Part D is available to help pharmacists better counsel their patients....

Advantedge Healthcare Solutions (AHS) Announces Reasons for Outsourcing Medical Billing, Improving Billing Processes and Increasing Productivity; Atte - April 20, 2008
Advantedge Healthcare Solutions, a medical billing and medical billing software company announces reasons for outsourcing medical billing, improving billing processes and increasing productivity....

AMPM Expands Into Houston Market With Complete Mobile Billing Solution - April 20, 2008
AMPM, an Austin-headquartered medical billing and practice management leader, announced today its expansion into the Houston market with the addition of Total Inpatient Services (TIPS) and Bon-Med Hyperbaric & Wound Care Associates to its client list....

Accuracy and Integrity in Medical Bills - April 20, 2008
This article is not meant to be an attack on medical billing facilities as this function is important in keeping the records of payments both from insurance companies and the insured. Accurate records are necessary to assure that facilities or doctors receive their payments for services rendered. We as individuals must pay those bills that are our responsibility but the bills we receive should be accurate, reliable and complete. This article is about the content of medical bills we receive and the information contained within them....

Greene Memorial Hospital Services, Inc. Chooses AdvancedMD for Comprehensive Revenue Cycle Management Solution - April 20, 2008
AdvancedMD, a leading provider of physician billing and practice management software, today announced that Advanced Medical Group, a subsidiary of Greene Memorial Hospital, has selected award-winning AdvancedMD to provide an enterprise class revenue cycle management solution helping manage 25 hospital employed physicians....

Texas Radiology Associates Selects Zotec Partners as New Billing Services Provider - April 20, 2008
Zotec Partners, a solutions firm providing state-of-the art proprietary medical billing services and licensed software to hospital-based physician specialty practices across the U.S., is announcing today that Texas Radiology Associates (TRA) in Plano, Texas, has selected the company as their exclusive billing services provider....

UnitedHealth billing flaws persisted as company grew - April 20, 2008
Since 2000, the Minnetonka-based company, an insurer of 70 million Americans, has been sanctioned in nine states for paying claims slowly, shortchanging doctors, hospitals or patients or poorly handling their complaints and appeals, according to a Star Tribune review of regulatory records....

UMC builds basic billing program, increases revenue
Program to be fully integrated in five year - April 20, 2008
It's a quick, breezy world out there - fast electronic paychecks, phone and utility bills paid online. The entire universe seems geared toward expediency. The ability to pay bills online is a snap for the average Internet-literate University Medical Center patient....

Brian Gustin, CP Joins BridgePoint Medical, LLC Executive Team - April 20, 2008
BridgePoint Medical, LLC announced today that Brian Gustin, CP has joined the company's executive team and will assume the responsibility of Chief Clinical Officer over all of the company's orthotic and prosthetic facilities....

Cuts in Medicare reimbursement to doctors may limit access to health care for seniors - April 20, 2008
Without congressional action, reimbursement from Medicare to physicians nationwide will be reduced by 10 percent in January, with cuts predicted to rise to 40 percent by 2016. While that's not good news for physicians, it may be even worse news for seniors and the disabled, whose access to Medicare treatment stands to be curtailed as physicians refuse to accept new patients....

Bronx County Medical Society Endorses MedLink - April 20, 2008
MedLink International, Inc. (OTCBB: MLKNA) announced today that the Bronx County Medical Society ("BCMS") has officially endorsed MedLink International and its products and services, including MedLink TV. More than 800 physician members of BCMS will be offered MedLink TV as a benefit of membership with the New York County Medical Society....

PEROT SYSTEMS TEAMS WITH AAPC FOR EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATION IN S INDIA - April 20, 2008
Perot Systems Corporation (NYSE:PER) today announced that the company has been selected by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) to represent AAPC in South India, including Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad....

AMA meeting: AMA to renew fight for Medicare balance billing - April 20, 2008
Frustrated by Medicare pay cuts, representatives to the AMA House of Delegates directed the American Medical Association to call for national legislation to allow physicians to bill patients for costs Medicare doesn't cover....

Potential Medicare reimbursement cuts worry doctors - April 20, 2008
December has rolled around and doctors nationwide are in limbo, as they have been this time of year for the past six years. They are left to speculate whether Congress will act in time, before the year's end, to halt Medicare reimbursement cuts slated to take effect Jan. 1. For the most part, Congress has done last-minute reprieves and frozen cuts in prior years....

Therapists Arrested For Medicaid Fraud Now Charged With Bribing a Witness - April 20, 2008
Attorney General Jack Conway announced that two Kentucky therapists from Letcher County have been arrested for allegedly bribing a witness. Agents monitored a transaction in which Rouse and Fields allegedly gave money to a prosecution witness in Perry County and instructed the witness as to how to testify....

AG Cuomo Subpoenas Home Health Care Companies - April 20, 2008
State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says subpoenas have been issued to five Rochester-area home health care companies as a Medicaid Fraud probe expands statewide....

Physical therapists sue Anthem - April 17, 2008
At least a hundred Maine physical therapists have joined forces in a class-action lawsuit against the state's largest health insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine, according to the plaintiffs' attorney. The suit alleges that Anthem violated state antitrust laws by abruptly decreasing its payments to physical therapists, using its market-dominating status to pressure the providers into accepting the lower reimbursements....

Class Action Brought by Duane Morris on Behalf of Licensed Physical Therapists in the State of Maine Participating in Anthem's Networks Survives Antit - April 17, 2008
Chief Judge Humphrey of the Maine Business and Consumer Court recently allowed a class action filed on behalf of all licensed physical therapists who are participating providers with Anthem Health Plans of Maine to go forward against Anthem for allegations of violations of the Maine Antitrust Act, which carries the possibility of an award of multiple damages and attorneys fees, as well as a claim of breach of contract. ...

Founder of Rehab Center Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Medicaid - April 17, 2008
The former president and primary stockholder of McAllen-based Just for Kids rehabilitation center pleaded guilty Monday to defrauding the Medicaid program. According to authorities, Eliseo Sandoval filed inflationary cost reports to the taxpayer-funded program in order to obtain reimbursements to support a lavish lifestyle and personal business ventures, including real estate and sporting goods enterprises....

Bush administration issues veto threat on Medicaid bill - April 17, 2008
School officials say another rule, which prevents them from billing for transporting children from home to school and back, would make it harder for them to pay for ensuring that children get proper medical care. Such care frequently includes speech and physical therapy....

New charges against owner of Mo. group home that burned - April 17, 2008
The owner of a group home where 11 people died in a 2006 fire was charged with money laundering, conspiracy and health care fraud in an indictment that also names his wife and daughter....

U.Va. Doctor Streamlines Medical Billing, Improves Patient Care - April 15, 2008
University of Virginia family physician Scott Strayer and his company, PocketMed, have just released updated software that further streamlines medical billing, allowing physicians to capture lost revenue while keeping their focus on patient care....

5 Ways to Lower Your Medical Bills - April 15, 2008
Sanjiv Luthra of Los Altos, Calif., suffered from the pain and fatigue of rapid-onset arthritis so severe that he couldn't walk 10 feet until he underwent double knee replacement surgery last year. Almost two years later, he can walk and run but still suffers the fallout from another ailment: medical bills....

American National Billing Company Hires New Medical Biller - April 15, 2008
American National Billing Company, the premier outsource medical billing company based in Scottsdale, Arizona has hired CT Reatherford to meet the growing demands of the business....

SUNY Downstate Medical Center Reduces Coding Backlog by 80% with the T SystemEV® Version 2.6 - April 15, 2008
SUNY Downstate Medical Center believes that efficiency directly translates to quality of patient care. Considering that the center-the only academic medical center in Brooklyn-serves a borough of 2.6 million people, the drive for efficiency is at the top of the hospital's priorities....

Verastream Streamlines Host Access for Hospital Billing Specialist - April 15, 2008
Collecting insurance payment information from hospital computer systems was often a tedious and time-consuming process for Medical Reimbursements of America (MRA). When the company could convince the hospital's IT staff to run some reports, things went smoothly. But in many cases, MRA representatives sitting behind terminal emulators had to navigate through hundreds or thousands of screens to gather the necessary information. That began to change 11 months ago, when MRA installed the Verastream Host Integration product from Attachmate, which automated much of this work....

Midland Pathologists, P. A. and DX, Inc. Select Zotec Partners as Exclusive Billing Services Provider - April 15, 2008
Zotec Partners, a solutions firm providing state-of-the art proprietary medical billing services and licensed software to hospital-based physician specialty practices across the U.S., is announcing today Midland Pathologists, P. A. and DX, Inc. of Midland, Texas, selected Zotec Partners as their exclusive billing services provider....

Physicians Accounting, Ltd Selects Orion Health's Rhapsody Integration Engine to Maximize Accurate, Effective Medical Billing - April 15, 2008
Orion Health, a leading provider of clinical workflow and integration technology for the healthcare sector, announces that Physicians Accounting, Ltd. has selected its Rhapsody™ Integration Engine to serve as a platform to maximize the rate and efficiency of message exchange between its medical facilities and its billing and administrative offices. By using Rhapsody's off the shelf engine for their billing services, Physician's Accounting, Ltd. will be able to process more claims and ensure a higher rate of accuracy and reliability....

Hays Medical Obtains Operational Efficiencies Using Boston WorkStation - April 15, 2008
When Bill Overbey added the title of CIO to his already full plate as CFO at Hays Medical in Hays, Kan., he was charged with not only locating ways the hospital can be more efficient, but also for implementing methods and technologies to supply those efficiencies....

Integrated Software Solutions from 3M Support Medical Necessity Compliance - April 15, 2008
New software enhancements from 3M Health Information Systems promote medical necessity compliance across the outpatient revenue cycle. 3M™ Medical Necessity Online used for pre-service medical necessity validation, now integrates with 3M™ Ambulatory Revenue Management Software to provide comprehensive access to all pre-service medical necessity data....

California Medical Business Services, Inc. Licenses Zotec Partners' Electronic Billing Center Suite - April 15, 2008
Zotec Partners, LLC, a solutions firm providing state-of-the art proprietary medical billing services and licensed software to hospital-based physician specialty practices across the U.S., is announcing today that California Medical Business Services, Inc. (CMBS) of Arcadia, CA, has licensed the Electronic Billing Center and Radiology Information System software from Zotec Partners....

SynerMed Insurance Services Expands to Offer Additional Benefits, Enhanced Customer Service Throughout Southern California and Georgia - April 15, 2008
SynerMed, Inc., the largest Medicaid managed service organization (MSO) in the state of California, today announced the availability of its insurance offering, SynerMed Insurance Services, for new and existing customers throughout several counties in SOUTHERN California and Georgia. The announcement is particularly timely as the 2008 Medicare open enrollment period began Nov. 15, 2007....

ACS Awarded $35 Million Contract Extension for EMS Billing Services With City of Houston - April 15, 2008
Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. today announced a seven-year, $35 million extension to its existing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) billing contract with the City of Houston....

AAPC Joins With CodeRyte, Inc. to Provide Computer-Assisted Coding for AAPC Member Training and Education - April 15, 2008
AAPC announces today that it has joined with CodeRyte, Inc. to bring computer-assisted coding technology to AAPC's membership for training and education. AAPC is the first professional coding organization to team with a company to create a platform for computer-assisted coding for PMCC instructors, students and coders. CodeRyte's platform will provide instructors with the ability to use real-world computer-assisted coding technology to teach coding principles. Later phases will make computer-assisted coding available as a practical application for learning both in and out of the classroom....

Dr Speak(TM) Telephone Medical Billing Software Receives Endorsement Letter from National Healthcare Management Company - April 15, 2008
Physicians Remote Solutions (OTCBB:PHYU) today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary VoxTech Products, Inc., a software company with a telephone-based medical billing SOFTWARE system called Dr Speak (www.drspeak.com), received an endorsement letter from Michael Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Interplan Health Group (IHG), Midwest, said company President Chris LaRose....

Medical Billing Software Business Awarded at Conference - April 15, 2008
In an annual business partners conference in Las Vegas, MediNotes Corporation, makers of MediNotes e Electronic Medical Records Software announced that MediPro, Inc. has won awards for Best Individual Partner in a Sales Role and President's Club. These awards were presented to MediPro, Inc. for achieving the highest standard in sales and customer service for MediNotes e in the last year....

Latest DocuSys Technology Addresses P4P, National Quality Measures - April 15, 2008
DocuSys, a leading anesthesia information management system (AIMS) and medication management system provider, has announced solutions in the latest version of its software (Version 6.0) that facilitate a healthcare provider's ability to comply with national quality measures such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and pay-for- performance (P4P) programs....

The Health Care Billing Nightmare - April 15, 2008
About three months after my father passed away, my mother presented me with a box of medical bills. "You're the expert," she said. "You figure this out." As if the ordeal of losing her life partner of 65 years weren't bad enough, she now had to deal with a bewildering array of bills, letters, explanations of benefits, "this is not a bill" bills and dunning notices....

CHS Expands HybridHealthSM and Primary Care Teams with Strategic New Hires - April 15, 2008
Comprehensive Health Services (CHS), a nationwide workforce health management company, today announced that Arun Villivalam, M.D., and Drew Di Giovanni, MPH, both experts in areas of physician practice management and clinical quality, have joined CHS' HybridHealthSM and its primary care services onsite management team. Led by Corporate Medical Director Dr. William Wanago, CHS' extensive team of clinicians provide a wide range of specialized expertise in the occupational health and primary care arenas of the workforce health industry....

GHN-Online Working to Advance Texas eBill Success - April 15, 2008
GHN-Online, the healthcare industry's leading provider of real-time revenue cycle management, today announced it is joining forces with the Texas Workers' Compensation Stakeholder Collaborative. The Collaborative has been formed to ensure that by January 1, 2008 the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) electronic billing requirements....

Grady's crisis is America's crisis - April 15, 2008
There are so many patients in Grady Hospital's emergency department that residents making their rounds on a Monday afternoon in late October sometimes have to turn sideways and squeeze between the beds that cram the hallways. Diaz Clark, clinical manager for the E.R., says there are only 112 patients today. He's seen worse. In fact, he's seen 400 patients piled into Grady's emergency area at once. ...

Telemedicine publication expands coverage - April 15, 2008
Telemedicine and e-Health, a publication available in print and on-line by Mary Ann Liebert Inc., publishers (www.liebertpub.com) will greatly expand its content and frequency beginning in 2008; a new section, MEDICAL CONNECTIVITY will make its debut in the March issue....

Revenue Cycle Inc. to Team with Global Leader in Oncology Information Technology - April 15, 2008
Austin-based Revenue Cycle Inc., a national oncology-specific consulting company specializing in the delivery of expert business-side solutions for progressive oncology practice groups, clinics and hospitals, has entered a co-marketing partnership with IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc. (http://www.impac.com/), an Elekta company (http://www.elekta.com/). IMPAC is a global leader in oncology information technology solutions....

Alternate Access Selected by Management Services On-Call for TeleVantage IP-PBX phone system - April 15, 2008
Alternate Access, a leading provider of converged communications solutions, has signed a contract with Management Services On-Call to provide personalized billing services, according to a PRLeap news report. By virtue of the contract, Alternate Access will develop and install an IP-PBX phone system that will also enhance the management reporting capabilities and call control of the company....

Sepracor Inc. Announces the Establishment of a Unique Product-Specific Billing Code (or J-Code) for BROVANA® - April 15, 2008
Sepracor Inc. (Nasdaq: SEPR) today announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has established a product-specific billing code, or J-code, for BROVANA® (arformoterol tartrate) Inhalation Solution under the Medicare Part B benefit. The J-code becomes effective on January 1, 2008. BROVANA is a long-term, twice-daily (morning and evening), maintenance treatment of bronchoconstriction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. BROVANA is for use by nebulization only....

New System May Simplify Cook County Patient Billing - April 15, 2008
Designers and researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are producing an information system to explain medical bills and financial assistance programs to patients of the Cook County Bureau of Health Services....

CollaborateMD Becomes Florida SHOTS Certified Software Provider - April 15, 2008
CollaborateMD, a leading provider of Internet-based medical billing and practice management software for physician offices and medical billing services, announced today they are a certified software partner with the Florida Department of Health?s Statewide Online Tracking System (SHOTS)....

Medical Errors, Skipped Care More Common in U.S. - April 15, 2008
A new Commonwealth Fund survey finds that, compared with adults in six other countries, U.S. adults are most likely to go without health care because of the cost and more likely to say that the health care system needs to be rebuilt completely. In addition to cost concerns, the survey analysis, by Fund Senior Vice President Cathy Schoen and colleagues, finds the U.S. has multiple symptoms of less-efficient care....

Jopari Anticipates eBill Success in Texas Through Industry Cooperation, Coordination and Coalition Building - April 15, 2008
Jopari Solutions, Inc., the leading supplier of bill cycle automation services to property and casualty industry payers, states many key factors to the success of Texas eBill regulations going into effect January 2008 requires broad cooperation, coordination and coalition building among eBill Processing Agents and other third party EDI services providers. The Texas eBill regulations mandate conversion to electronic submission of medical bills by workers' compensation health care providers, and return of electronic explanation of reimbursements by insurance carriers....

Advanced Data Processing, Inc. Announces the Acquisition of Revenue Rescue, LLC - April 15, 2008
Advanced Data Processing, Inc. ("ADPI") announced today the acquisition of Revenue Rescue, LLC, a leading fire department incident billing services provider to more than 500 fire departments....

Alternate Access® personalizes billing services for Management Services On-Call - April 15, 2008
Alternate Access, a leading provider of converged communications solutions, was selected by Management Services On-Call to create and install an IP-PBX phone system to personalize its billing services, as well as improve management reporting capabilities and call control....

Medical Billing Companies Key to Microsoft Health Vault's Success - April 15, 2008
Among the Internet's many promises of a brave new world, a centralized database full of every American's private medical data is the latest innovation to be pursued by Microsoft's ambitious team of programmers and dreamers. The health database known as Health Vault launched at www.healthvault.com will store all of a customer's health related information including, but not limited to, blood sugar, weight, blood pressure, lab results and x-rays....

Acclamation Systems, Inc. Renews Partnership with Coalition America - April 15, 2008
Acclamation Systems, Inc. (ASI), a leading provider of automated benefits management software for the healthcare industry has renewed its partnership with Coalition America, Inc. (CAI) to offer a state-of-the-art repricing and adjudication solution for its clients. ASI made enhancements to its software to allow clients to electronically transmit in-network and out-of-network medical bills to CAI for repricing. The bills are quickly returned electronically to the client for auto- adjudication. The process can occur on either a pre- or post-adjudication basis to meet varying client needs....

Microsoft to Acquire Innovative Healthcare Technology and Assets From Global Care Solutions - April 15, 2008
Building on a worldwide commitment to improving health through software technology, Microsoft Corp. has agreed to acquire software, intellectual property and other assets from Global Care Solutions (GCS), a privately held company based in Bangkok, Thailand, that develops enterprise-class health information systems. The acquisition complements Microsoft's already strong portfolio of health solutions and will provide hospitals across international markets with a new alternative to achieve improved workflow and patient safety through information technology. GCS employees will join Microsoft's Health Solutions Group, which will manage product development and delivery. Financial terms were not disclosed....

IMPAC Medical Systems to Offer Revenue Cycle Inc.'s Array of Oncology Products and Services to Customers - April 15, 2008
IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc., an Elekta company, and global leader in oncology information technology solutions, and Revenue Cycle Inc., a comprehensive business-side evaluation, analysis and solutions provider for the oncology market, today announced an agreement under which Revenue Cycle Inc. will offer IMPAC customers oncology specific reimbursement, billing, and coding consulting, as well as auditing and on-site training services. The announcement was made at the 49th Annual Meeting of The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), held October 28 -- November 1 at the Los Angeles Convention Center....

athenahealth and Physicians Practice to Host PayerView Panel At The Medical Group Management Association Annual Conference - April 15, 2008
athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of internet-based business services for physician practices, and Physicians Practice(r), America's leading practice management journal for physicians, today announced that they will be hosting a industry-unique healthcare Payer Performance Panel to discuss the 2007 PayerView(sm) Rankings at The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) Annual Conference being held in Philadelphia on October 28th-30th, 2007....

CBIZ Acquires $30 Million Emergency Medicine Billing Firm Healthcare Business Resources, Inc. - April 15, 2008
CBIZ, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Healthcare Business Resources, Inc. ("HBR"), a prominent emergency medicine billing company located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, effective November 1, 2007....

MediSolution Announces the Release of Virtuo Revenue Cycle Management 3.0 for Laboratories - April 15, 2008
MediSolution Ltd (TSX:MSH) today announced the release of Virtuo(R) Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) 3.0 for Laboratories, a robust solution specifically designed for laboratories wishing to streamline their billing process and improve their cash flow. The company also announced that Sterling Reference Laboratories, a full-service, nationwide toxicology laboratory based in Tacoma, Washington, has selected the new Virtuo RCM 3.0 solution as their billing solution. The contract will be implemented over the next 6 months....

Virtual visits: the new ATMs? - April 15, 2008
Minnesota might be the epicenter of e-visit reimbursement. At Fairview Health Services, a Minneapolis-based integrated health system, 34,000 people-or roughly 5% of the Fairview patient population-signed up since July to use MyChart, its secure portal for e-visits offered by Epic Systems Corp., according to Barry Bershow, Fairview's medical director of quality and informatics....

Accentia Tech acquires 3 US BPOs for Rs 80 crore - April 15, 2008
Mumbai-Based business process outsourcing company Accentia Technologies has acquired three US-based healthcare BPO companies for about Rs 80 crore, sources close to the deal said. It bought Florida-based GSR Physician Billing Inc and GSR Systems Inc and Oregon-based medical transcription services provider DenMed Inc, in cash-cum-stock deals....

The Hughston Clinic to Deploy athenahealth's On-Demand EMR Service, athenaClinicals, for Georgia and Alabama Facilities - April 15, 2008
athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of Internet-based business services to physician practices, today announced that The Hughston Clinic, P.C., one of the nation's leading orthopedic surgery groups, has selected athenahealth's on-demand EMR service, athenaClinicals(sm), for its nine locations throughout Georgia and Alabama. The clinic is also utilizing athenaCollector(sm), athenahealth's physician billing and practice management service, which is fully integrated with athenaClinicals(sm) and is designed to optimize clinical and operational workflows across all practice locations....

Sticker shock - April 15, 2008
When you need an ambulance, you're not just being charged for the time paramedics spend responding to your call. You're also contributing to the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week coverage being offered in your community....

Consultation in Primary Care - April 15, 2008
Office consultations are often mistakenly considered to be for the exclusive use of specialists. This is not a correct assumption, however. There are circumstances when primary care provider patient encounters qualify for the use of outpatient consultation codes (99241 through 99245) on their own patients....

You Can't Afford Not To Care About Coding - April 15, 2008
"Well, they just couldn't care less." Wow, what a response. I was totally amazed as I stood at the front counter of a multi-provider clinic. I had been next door speaking with a family practice physician who had been trying to improve evaluation and management (E&M) coding in his practice. On my way out, I thought I'd drop off a flyer about one of my upcoming MPECS Practice Profitability Workshops to see whether the providers in that office might be interested in attending. ...

Former Outside Counsel Goes In-House to Build Legal Department - April 15, 2008
As a partner at Reed Smith, Bob Gallo managed multiple deals, each worth tens of millions of dollars, while at the same time juggling numerous clients, conference calls and deal closings, and directing the many associates under his management....

Beyond Billing: Attentiveness Pays - April 15, 2008
Few things I can think of are more challenging than managing a medical practice. The nature of the practice usually has some influence on the way the office functions from day to day, but the goal is the same: providing quality health care to every patient....

Consistent Coding Among Colleagues Is Crucial - April 15, 2008
Several years ago, while starting at a new practice, I had an interesting experience involving billing and coding practices. I'd like to share it with you. I wanted to make a good impression on my new boss and, of course, on my patients. I certainly wanted my employer to know that I was a good investment and not a burden on the practice or his pocketbook. I meticulously documented my office visits and patient care....

Want to Avoid Audits? Code Correctly! - April 15, 2008
Some time ago, I received a call from a former student of mine from the University of Utah Physician Assistant Program asking for some help. He had taken a position as a PA at a vascular surgery practice. After a few months, he was frustrated. The office policy, as he reported it to me, was that all established patient visits were to be coded as a Level 3 visit (99213) or lower. All new patient visits were to be coded at Level 2 (99202) or lower. They weren't even using consultation codes. No variance was allowed from this policy....

Report ranks hospitals with most accurate Medicare billing - April 15, 2008
Ingenix, a healthcare IT company based in Eden Prairie, Minn. , today released its fourth annual report on the "Top 200 Coding Hospitals in the U.S." The report ranks hospitals by the completeness and accuracy of their medical coding practices used to bill Medicare for inpatient medical services....

Baird Capital Partners Invests in MedData - April 15, 2008
Baird Capital Partners (BCP), the U.S.-based buyout fund of Baird Private Equity, announced today it has acquired Seattle-based MedData. MedData, a premier medical billing, coding, and data management company, has provided services exclusively to hospital emergency departments nationwide since 1980....

Medical Center Radiologists Selects Zotec Partners to Provide Full Billing Services to Reduce Cost of Collections - April 15, 2008
Zotec Partners, a solutions firm providing state-of-the art proprietary medical billing services and licensed software to hospital-based physician specialty practices across the U.S., is announcing today that Medical Center Radiologists (MCR) of Norfolk, VA, has selected them as their exclusive billing services provider....

ER Urgent Care Centers Signs National Billing Expert - April 15, 2008
ER Urgent Care Centers has signed one of the nation's leading experts in medical billing. Joanne Waters is now part of the ERUC team. Mrs. Waters just completed writing a manuscript being published by the American Medical Association for physicians entitled "Mastering the Reimbursement Process." Her most recent position was with the Department of Defense at Mac Dill Air force Base in medical billing and accounting. She has been a senior director for Consulting Solutions with over $4,000,000 in healthcare contracts. A Graduate of University of South Florida and Georgia State University, her degrees include Accounting and Finance. "We are very proud to bring onboard such a noteworthy individual in the Healthcare industry," said Jerry Miller ERUC Founder....

Take Care Health Systems Unveils Aggressive Expansion Plans - April 15, 2008
Take Care Health Systems, one of the largest managers of convenient care clinics and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG), is opening clinics in nine new markets this fall, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Nashville, Tenn., Orlando, Fla., Tampa, Fla. and Tucson, Ariz. Combined with expansion in its existing markets of Chicago, Kansas City, Milwaukee and St. Louis, up to 100 new Take Care Health Clinics are planned to open by the end of calendar 2007. This announcement marks the first expansion of the Take Care Health Systems business since Walgreens acquired the company in May 2007....

US Attorney Reports Florida Pharmacy & Medicare Equipment Company Owner Sentenced To 12 Years' Prison - April 15, 2008
The owner and operator of a Florida pharmacy and Durable Medicare Equipment (DME) company has been sentenced to 151 months in prison for Medicare fraud, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta of the Southern District of Florida announced today....

Ambulance-billing plan causes tiff in Canal Fulton - April 15, 2008
The city intends to start billing Lawrence Township residents for ambulance service. Township officials say they're not going to take that sitting down. And the fire chief for both entities wants no part of the political struggle....

Texas Mutual Selects Jopari Solutions For Electronic Billing Compliance Services - April 15, 2008
Texas Mutual Insurance Company will begin enterprise wide electronic medical bill processing as of January 2008 to comply with workers' compensation electronic billing requirements mandated by the Texas Department of Insurance. Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state's leading workers' compensation carrier, is deploying an integrated Medical EDI Gateway supplied by Jopari Solutions to assure compliance with jurisdictional electronic billing formats, provider communications, and processing requirements....

MedAvant and StrataCare Announce Strategic Workers' Compensation eBilling Partnership - April 15, 2008
MedAvant Healthcare Solutions (MedAvant) (Nasdaq:PILL), a leader in healthcare technology and transaction services, and StrataCare, the premier national bill review software and services company, today announced their partnership for the delivery of StrataCare's workers' compensation eBilling Enterprise Solution. This comprehensive solution meets all the requirements of the Texas e-billing mandate....

How to Start a Medical Claims Processing Business - April 15, 2008
A medical billing service is a doctor's key to getting paid. Despite the fact that the health-care industry is alive and well in America, most doctors and other health-care providers have no idea how to get themselves paid quickly and efficiently, if at all, by either insurers or patients who are also waiting for that check to arrive in the mail. Private and government-administered insurance companies, HMOs, PPOs and a host of other mysteriously initialed plans have conspired to make physician reimbursements as elusive as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Doctors, once the lords of the health-care world, are fast becoming the underdogs....

CollaborateMD Surpasses $1 Billion in Claims Annually - April 15, 2008
CollaborateMD (formerly ClaimGear), a leading provider of Internet-based medical billing and practice management solutions for physician offices and medical billing services, announced today that it now provides medical billing software to 2,500 providers who collectively process more than $1 billion in claims annually....

Athenahealth stock soars - April 15, 2008
Athenahealth Inc. took Wall Street by storm in its first day of trading yesterday. The Watertown medical services company's saw its stock soar 97.22 percent following an initial public offering Wednesday that raised $113.2 million....

Phoenix Children's Medical Group Selects MPV to Track Payor Contract Performance - April 15, 2008
Medical Present Value, Inc. (MPV) today announced a new contract with Phoenix Children's Medical Group, a pediatric practice owned by Phoenix Children's Hospital and based in Phoenix, Ariz. MPV, a provider of financial tools and expert services to manage payor contracts and audit reimbursement, will help the group to detect payment errors and optimize revenue....

nTelagent, Inc. Signs Healthcare Customers LifePoint Hospitals, Psychiatric Solutions, Iasis Healthcare, NES Healthcare, The Schumacher Group, e+Healt - April 14, 2008
Several of the nation's leading health care providers and outsourced partners have recently selected nTelagent, Inc.'s Self-Pay Management System to improve the handling of financial accounts for both the healthcare providers and their patients....

A-Life Medical Introduces Actus 6.0 With Automated Procedure Mapping - April 14, 2008
A-Life Medical, Inc., the leading provider of Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology and enabling technologies for the healthcare industry, today announced the release of Actus® 6.0, the newest version of their automated coding software application, with patent-pending Automated Procedure Mapping (APM) technology. A-Life Medical, a certified Microsoft partner, is the leading provider of Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology and enabling technologies for the healthcare industry....

How SOA hits home: Five ways SOA makes a difference - April 14, 2008
One of the most valuable and often overlooked benefits of an Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) strategy is the impact it has on the general population. From helping reduce home energy bills, to saving money on car insurance, to safeguarding your retirement investments, SOA is quickly becoming a critical (albeit invisible) ally for today's consumers....

A-Life Medical Announces MedLearn Partnership - April 14, 2008
A-Life Medical, Inc., the leading provider of Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology and enabling technologies for the healthcare industry, today announced that the company has formed a strategic partnership with Medical Learning, Inc. (MedLearn)....

Princeton Radiology Selects Zotec Partners' Full Suite of Billing and RIS Software - April 14, 2008
Zotec Partners, a solutions firm providing state-of-the-art proprietary medical billing services and licensed software to hospital-based physician specialty practices across the U.S., is pleased to announce that Princeton Radiology of Princeton, NJ, has purchased the company's full suite of products: Electronic Billing Center (EBC), EBC Decision Support, EZ Med Portal and Radiology Information Services (RIS) software for their private outpatient imaging centers....

Better billing yields more dollars - April 14, 2008
Reimbursements for medical services for special needs students more than doubled for School District 2142, which switched vendors and took a more proactive role in third-party billings. The district received $67,262 in 2007, compared to an average of about $25,000 annually in the previous four years. Business manager Kim Johnson said she anticipates reimbursements will be even greater in 2008. ...

Radiology Associates cutting 22 billing jobs - April 14, 2008
Radiology Associates of New Hartford's outsourcing of its billing department functions Dec. 1 will affect about half of its employees. Based on Genesee Street in Utica, the medical practice has 47 staff members, 22 of whom will be affected by the outsourcing, said Joe Falvey, administrative officer at Radiology Associates of New Hartford....

AMR's on hot seat over its charges
WINhealth says AMR has overcharged its partners more than $35,000 since 1998 - April 14, 2008
CHEYENNE - Local ambulance provider American Medical Response has overcharged WINhealth Partners for its services by more than $35,000 since 1998, the health insurance firm says....

A Physical Fit: Group opens up sports to people with disabilities - April 13, 2008
Twelve years ago, Sue Gotts was a busy recreational therapist helping clients adjust to life with a new disability. It was when these clients began asking how they could stay active once they finished therapy that Gotts came up with an idea....

Private Practice Physical Therapists Succeeding with Consulting - April 13, 2008
More and more private practice physical therapists are availing themselves of private consulting services. They are getting help with topics like practice building, maximizing the reimbursements they receive for their services, overall management skills, and being able to exercise more power of choice over the direction of their practices....

River Valley Physical Therapy clinic opens - April 13, 2008
Together, Gerard Breuker and Carla Schimmelpfennig have 35 years' experience treating patients in hospitals, rehab units, nursing homes and through home health care. Now they've combined forces and opened River Valley Physical Therapy Spine and Joint Center at 595 E. North St., Bradley....

Officials Mark Physical Therapy Month - April 2, 2008
4/2/2008 - A factory worker with a broken ankle, a grandmother suffering from arthritis, or even a receptionist with carpal tunnel. All are examples of people suffering from ailments that hinder them from performing everyday tasks. For each, occupational therapy could mean a world of difference....

VA finds new ways to treat this generation of injured U.S. veterans - March 30, 2008
In treating veterans of all wars, the center's staff sees about 500 outpatients a day in Saginaw and at clinics in Gaylord, Oscoda and Traverse City. The center opened in 1950 was named in 1990 to honor Lt. Aleda E. Lutz, a U.S. Army flight nurse from Freeland who died in 1944 when a hospital plane evacuating wounded soldiers from Italy crashed. She earned six battle stars and was the first military woman to die in a combat zone in World War II. The center is the first VA facility named for a military woman....

More than just a nursing home
Steuben County Health Care Facility will offer comforts, advanced treatments - March 30, 2008
It's the 2008 version of a nursing home -- the new $19 million Steuben County Health Care Facility at 7002 Mount Washington Road in Bath. Instead of stressing skilled nursing exclusively, the new facility has branched out into rehabilitation -- for both residents and the public....

Medical Practice 101 Automated Medical Office Receptionist Is Everyone s Good Friend - March 29, 2008
There are automated medical receptionists such as ANGELA that require no hardware or software be installed in your office. You pay monthly fees to have all of your appointment problems handled offline, and you can save a fortune by slashing no show costs. Not only that but language is not a problem: reminder calls can be made in one of a number of different languages chosen by the software based on the profile of your patient....

Find Out Why Using Billing Software Is Right For You - March 29, 2008
Billing software extends the transparency in your business operation and your accounting transactions. This increases the efficiency of your company and also facilitates increase in your profitability. You will be in a better position to manage your business, and the strategic planning that you have for your company....

Arcadia's Physical Therapy Program Moves Up to 7th in Nation in U.S. News
Evidence-Based Research and Pro Bono Work Around the Globe Help Distingu - March 28, 2008
GLENSIDE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. News & World Report today ranked Arcadia University's (www.arcadia.edu) Physical Therapy program 7th in the nation among the more than 200 graduate PT programs....

Aquatic therapy service helps patients heal faster - March 27, 2008
Aquatic therapy is not necessarily a new type of physical therapy, but it is becoming more popular for several reasons. It is less painful than traditional physical therapy, or land therapy. Insurance health care managers like it because therapy can begin earlier in the healing process, and patients are likely to have fewer therapy sessions....

Less Waiting, Frustration for Orthopedic Patients - New Neighbor, Partner Provides Physical Therapy for Children's Bone & Spine Surgery - March 26, 2008
Las Vegas, NV, March 26, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Full recovery of pediatric bone and spine injuries or conditions require a total care approach. Apart from the initial treatments of possible bracing or surgery, patients generally undergo months of rigorous physical therapy in order to achieve the best results. For patients of Children's Bone and Spine Surgery, this type of care is not only routine – it's hassle-free....

Medical Accounts Receivable Financing-Stat! - March 23, 2008
Medical Accounts Receivable Financing-Stat! explores the unique issues presented to lenders and B2B medical businesses in order to successfully factor medical receivables....

Potomac Valley therapist knows his function - March 23, 2008
KEYSER - Physical therapy is available at the Potomac Valley Hospital without a physician's referral but insurance companies sometimes balk at paying without a referral....

CollaborateMD Offers Upgrade Program to Competitors' Users
Current Medisoft™, Lytec®, AltaPoint, Medical Manager and Misys Customers Get Discount - March 20, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CollaborateMD, a leading provider of Internet practice management and medical billing software for the health care industry, announced today an upgrade program for existing users of Medisoft, Lytec, AltaPoint, Medical Manager and Misys. The program is offered to help medical offices and medical billing services lower costs and have more freedom and flexibility by utilizing an on-demand, online practice management software program. The program is available through April 30. ...

Physical Therapists Offer Low-Cost Solution To Increasing Health Costs - March 19, 2008
Health care expenditures for patients with spinal conditions are rising without an associated increase in health status, according to a February, 2008 research report appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study suggests Americans may be wasting their money for treatments as the overall proportion of people with impaired function increased from 1997-2005, despite a 65% increase in expenditures to treat spine conditions. Physical therapists offering spinal mobilization, exercise, and advice can provide an effective alternative for patients with back and neck problems, often at a lower cost....

Medical Billing Software Medisoft Announces The New Version 14 of Its Popular Medical Billing Software Designed for Single Provider and Small Group Me - March 16, 2008
http://www.medicalbillingsoftware.com announces the United States release of the Easy To Use Medisoft Medical Billing Software Version 14. The new version assists to increase efficiency and productivity in single and small doctor offices because it simplifies the the entry of billing data, and the management of patient paperwork. Now, Medisoft medical billing software version 14 is filled with many options and features that ensure your precious time can be invested on the patient rather than on paperwork....

New elder care center to open in Lynchburg - March 15, 2008
PACE bundles concepts like adult day care, home health, physical and occupational therapy and dietary assistance in an intensive setting. The program expects to enroll about 125 people, most age 55 and older and recipients of both Medicare and Medicaid....

Life Policies Bill OK'd
Autism-Therapy Plan Also Advances - March 13, 2008
A Connecticut legislative panel approved bills Tuesday meant to crack down on a life insurance scam and require health insurers to pay for therapies for people with autism disorders. Group or individual health insurance policies would have to cover physical, speech and occupational therapy for treatment of autism, to the extent the policy covers those services for other diseases and conditions....

U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group Announces the Acquisition of Medical Emergency Treatment (MET) in East Windsor, New Jersey - March 7, 2008
VALENCIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group added to its network of occupational and urgent care centers with the acquisition of Medical Emergency Treatment (MET), 441 Route 30, East Windsor, New Jersey. U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group is the second largest operator of occupational healthcare centers in the nation....

RehabCare Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2007 Results - March 5, 2008
ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RehabCare Group, Inc. (NYSE:RHB) today reported financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2007. Comparative results for the quarter and year follow....

Seniors, Disabled Residents Push State Leaders For Expanded Home Care Option - March 4, 2008
The stroke left Bob Veillette with locked-in syndrome, a condition in which his mind is working but everything but his eyes are frozen. He can communicate only by moving his eyes up or down for yes and no. After waiting a year, the family was recently accepted into a state program that helps pay for personal care assistants, but it does not cover the cost of all of his care....

PMC to eliminate its outpatient physical therapy - March 4, 2008
The East Stroudsburg hospital will end outpatient physical therapy, based at the Stroud Building on Route 611, on April 4. Four physical therapists will be transferred inside the hospital to work with the inpatients. But the program's only occupational therapist - Christine Hoban - will lose her job....

Area Schools Set To Lose Millions Under Medicaid Policy Changes - March 3, 2008
Educators nationwide are protesting a Bush administration move to curtail hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicaid funding for disabled students that could force some schools already in budget straits to trim health services or cut back instructional programs....

Preparing for Those Who Follow Business Proverbs - March 3, 2008
One reality we all face is that the day will come when we will die, become ill, retire, or otherwise not be able to continue in our business. We are all stewards of our businesses, and as stewards we have a responsibility to prepare the way for others to follow us in the future....

Schools will lose funds - March 3, 2008
MONMOUTH - Between $10 million and $15 million will be lost annually in reimbursement claims for administrative costs that identify and enroll Medicaid-eligible students and the cost to transport them to speech and physical therapy for schools across a third of Illinois....

Laurel Crest to learn status
Survey results will determine if center gets full or second provisional license - March 3, 2008
EBENSBURG - Cambria County commissioners are waiting for results on a state survey that will determine if Laurel Crest Rehabilitation and Special Care Center will get back its full license....

Help feels more like harassment to rehab patients - March 3, 2008
SPRINGFIELD - Some local cardiac rehab patients are about to have a coronary over unwelcome calls from a medical billing assistance company....

A vote for healthcare as a critical issue facing Nevada - March 3, 2008
Affordable healthcare is one of the major issues facing political candidates in this year's election. Billions of dollars are spent on the healthcare industry, a system that is largely out of control, leaving individuals and their families without adequate healthcare coverage and, in many cases, without any coverage at all. According to the 2005 U. S. Census Bureau Report, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States, 46.6 million people were without health insurance coverage in 2005, up from 45.3 million people in 2004....

Butler Health System Selects ProVation Software for Gastroenterology Procedure Documentation and Coding - March 3, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS--(Business Wire)--ProVation(R) Medical, part of Wolters Kluwer Health, and Butler Health System announced today that Butler Health System has selected ProVation(R) MD software for Gastroenterology documentation and coding. The software will be implemented at Butler Ambulatory Surgery Center and Butler Memorial Hospital....

Allscripts Acquires Extended Care Information Network - March 3, 2008
CHICAGO, Jan. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allscripts, the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare, announced today it has acquired all of the outstanding stock of Extended Care Information Network (ECIN), a leading provider of hospital care management and discharge planning software, for approximately $90 million in cash....

Fair Isaac's new score: Hospital bill-paying - March 3, 2008
DALLAS - Mortgage lenders aren't the only ones showing more interest in your credit score these days -- the health industry is creating its own score to judge your ability to pay. The new MedFICO score, being designed with the help of Minneapolis-based credit industry giant Fair Isaac Corp., could debut as early as this summer in some hospitals....

Massage, Just What The Doctor Ordered? - March 3, 2008
CAMDEN (Dec 15): In a perfect world, traditional medicine would be able to focus on preventative health care rather than treating illness and injury. Insurance would happily cover therapies prescribed by a physician promoting physical and emotional well being instead of having to treat patients for all the preventable troubles that seem to plague us these days. It's hard to deny the fact that therapeutic massage is the number one way to defuse stress, a leading cause of most visits to our primary care physician....

Start-up puts wheels under massages - March 3, 2008
Greg Jack, a Gilbert-based health care consultant, is going into the mobile therapeutic massage business. Jack bought the first, and so far only, Valley franchise for a new Scottsdale company N8 Touch and is gearing up to roll his massage chairs into special events like 10-K runs, fairs and the Gilbert Days celebration....

Former physical therapist admits fraud - March 3, 2008
A former Richmond Hill physical therapist pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to scheming to commit health care fraud. Scott Thomas Bowlin, 44, of Rochester, N.Y., admitted to his role in defrauding Medicare and Georgia Medicaid out of more than $700,000 over a seven-month period....

New Ventures Help Fight the Frustrations of Fighting Breast Cancer - March 3, 2008
Rachel Troxell and Kristin Dudley joined an unlikely sorority when they started a company called Lymphedivas to sell fashionable compression sleeves for women suffering from lymphedema - businesses that owe their inspiration to a brush with breast cancer....

Man pleads guilty to felony Medicaid fraud - March 3, 2008
A Howard County man pleaded guilty Thursday in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City to two counts of Medicaid fraud for his role in a $4 million billing scheme....

City man in alleged insurance scheme arrested
Rickey Weir may have been trying to flee to Africa - March 3, 2008
When Rickey Weir traveled from Springfield to Africa later this month, he wanted his newly purchased Nissan Murano to be there, federal authorities said Wednesday. But arrangements to ship the sport utility vehicle tipped the feds off to Weir's alleged plans to flee the country after he was indicted earlier this month for defrauding patients and their insurance out of hundreds of thousands of dollars while working for his wife's medical practice. ...

Higher Medicare Reimbursement for Freedom60(R) Syringe Infusion Pump - March 3, 2008
CHESTER, N.Y., June 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Users of the Freedom60 infusion pump from Repro-Med Systems, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: REPR.OB) DBA RMS Medical Products are now entitled to receive 20 times the Medicare reimbursement previously offered. That's the substance of notification received from CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) that the Freedom60 has been re-reviewed for Medicare billing. It was the determination that the Medicare HCPCS code to bill the four Durable Medical Regional Carries (DMERCs) should be: E0779 Ambulatory infusion pump, mechanical, reusable, for infusion 8 hours or greater....

Major Medicare Fraud Detected in Florida - March 3, 2008
Dozens of south Floridans are being charged with ripping off the state treasury of millions of dollars paid for medical services and equipment not needed....

Billing Crisis Continues - March 3, 2008
WINTHROP -- When a therapist works with a child from a qualifying lower-income family, a state agency is supposed to pay for treatment. MaineCare Services, an arm of the Department of Health and Human Services, is that agency....

Weston Distance Learning, a Leader in Distance Education Launches McKinley College - March 3, 2008
FORT COLLINS, Colo., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Weston Distance Learning announced the launch of its third school, McKinley College. Based in Colorado, McKinley College offers Associate Degree programs to adults on a national basis via the parent company's proven distance education model. Health Information Management (HIM) and Accounting and Business Management (ABM) Associate Degrees are now offered. Additional Associate Degree programs are nearing completion....

Therap Services Announces Release 7.2 for the Developmental Disability Community - March 2, 2008
WATERBURY, Conn., March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Therap Services announces the release of version 7.2 of its integrated suite of documentation, communication and reporting applications. Therap version 7.2 will feature new forms such as the Immunization Form and Consultation Form in the Health Tracking module and the Emergency Medical/Behavior Intervention Strategies (EMBIS) form in the GER module....

Vital Health Technologies, Inc. / Caribbean American Health Resorts Inc. Acquires Momentum Medical Group, Inc. - March 2, 2008
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vital Health Technologies, Inc. / Caribbean American Health Resorts, Inc. (Pink Sheets: CAHR) of Beverly Hills, California, today announced the acquisition of Momentum Medical Group, Inc. in a stock and corporate note deal valued at approximately $8 million....

Nightingale Informatix Divests Therapist Helper Business - March 1, 2008
Nightingale Informatix Corporation (TSX-V: NGH), a provider of healthcare software and services, announced today that it has sold its Therapist Helper business to Netsmart Technologies, Inc. of Great River, New York. ...

Evidence in Motion Acquires Fit for Work - February 26, 2008
Louisville, KY (February 25, 2008) – Evidence in Motion, LLC, and Fit for Work, LP, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement whereby Fit for Work will sell a majority stake in its business to Evidence in Motion for an undisclosed sum....

Patients have direct access to physical therapy - February 25, 2008
In 2002, Pennsylvania reacted to this type of frustration and became the 35th state to allow direct access to physical therapy. Under the provisions of the law, physical therapists who meet certain criteria are able to apply for a direct access certificate of authorization, and certificate holders are able to evaluate and treat patients without a physician referral....

Physical therapists move through 1st year in business - February 25, 2008
Simard and her business partner, Diane Levasseur, share more than their leftovers. Their joint venture, Cornerstone Physical Therapy LLC, recently completed its first year in the Riverbend Marketplace, on Route 102. The firm began as banter between two longtime co-workers, and it continues to grow....

Christ Hospital leaves alliance
Departure from Health Alliance will cost millions, at first - February 23, 2008
MOUNT AUBURN - Christ Hospital will become independent this year, but it will spend tens of millions of dollars on the transition and on renovations. Starting next month, Christ will start paying its own employees. In April, it will start billing for its services and in May it will unveil a new patient-information system....

Sevocity Adds Practice Management Software to EHR Solution Suite - February 22, 2008
SAN ANTONIO - (Business Wire) Sevocity, a division of Conceptual MindWorks, Inc. (CMI), today introduced Sevocity PM™, an internet-based practice management system that fully integrates with Sevocity EHR™, electronic health record solution. Developed in partnership with CollaborateMD, Sevocity PM offers robust practice management and billing solutions....

FileVision Helps Outpatient Therapy Clinic Increase Front Office Productivity, Expedite Billing Process - February 21, 2008
Atlanta - FileVision announced today that Hand & Therapy Specialists, Inc., an outpatient occupational and physical therapy clinic, will implement the new hosted version of FileVision's solution to improve front office productivity, reduce billing cycles and ultimately raise business profits....

Kirkus Review of Practicing Profitability - Billing Network Effect - February 20, 2008
Lirov offers physicians and those involved in the field of medical billing reliable advice for improving their businesses and growing revenue....

Physical therapists feeling squeezed - February 20, 2008
At least 10 outpatient physical therapy clinics across Southwest Florida have closed since midsummer as a trio of trends has sapped the businesses' income....

Therapeutic Associates Selects athenahealth Services for Clinics in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho - February 19, 2008
PORTLAND, Ore. and WATERTOWN, Mass., Feb. 19, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of internet-based business services for physician practices, today announced that Therapeutic Associates, Inc. (TAI) will deploy athenahealth's on-demand practice management and billing service at its outpatient facilities in the Pacific Northwest as it looks to enhance operational workflow, financial performance and provider connectivity across its care delivery organization....

Increase In-House Nursing Homes Collections - February 15, 2008
The following nursing home collections report outlines 11 guidelines you can follow to increase the amount of in-house long term care collections your facility collects....

A Review of Medical Billing Software Products - February 15, 2008
Medical billing software reviews are one of the easiest ways to find out important facts regarding the function and use of certain types of medical billing software, as well as their limitations....

Intelligent Electronic Medical Billing and SOAP Notes Software Requirements - February 15, 2008
Doctors and therapists must produce clinical documentation in ever increasing volumes and detail to ensure best healthcare, get medical claims paid in full and on time, and protect the practice from post-payment audits and unfair litigation....

Appointment Reminders for Medical Billing Revenue Protection and Patient Relationship Management - February 15, 2008
When patients miss appointments, they interrupt the flow of patient care, impede clinic productivity, and signal an eroding patient loyalty. The rate of no-shows runs at thirty percent for the average family practice. A missed appointment amounts to missed billing revenue. Worse, if the clinicians are part-time or full-time staff rather than contracted, they sit idle on the company clock, losing money with each passing minute. Finally, a missed appointment could be a symptom of a deserting patient, signaling a potential loss of long-term billing revenue....

Electronic Medical Billing Dashboard Software - 9 Performance Indicators For Service Outsourcing - February 15, 2008
Arcane terminology and complex rules for payer- and time-dependent claim validity and pricing interpretation plague medical billing industry, resulting in massive payments of invalid or ineligible claims and denials of error-free claims. The amount and complexity of billing information make it very difficult for the doctor to maintain compliance and identify and resolve errors and underpayments....

Chiropractic Office Billing Quality - Comparative Analysis Using Performance Index - February 15, 2008
It's good to have choices. And if you're a provider staring at a list of accounts receivable that are creeping up on 120 days, those choices become meaningful. The way that's done is by utilizing the power of indexing to compare payment performance among insurance companies on a level playing field, which ranks payers according to selected criteria....

Medical Billing - Oxygen - February 15, 2008
Before we get into the record specifications for billing oxygen claims, we're going to briefly discuss what is involved with oxygen billing and what it covers. In spite of what a lot of people think, it's more than just the oxygen itself. Oxygen billing, as a part of medical billing itself, is one of the most widely billed items....

Outsourced Chiropractic Billing Service Performance Benchmark - September 2006 - February 15, 2008
September Billing Performance Index (BPI) underperformed August value by 5.6%, replacing five participants in the list of top ten performers and dropping the index from 16.3 down to 21.9. This article describes a fourth iteration of a prototype for a rule-based chiropractic billing index, including its coverage definition, update cycle, volume weighting, and provided information....

Electronic Medical Billing Software and Service Compliance in Chiropractic Office - February 15, 2008
Over the course of the past two decades, federal and state enforcement agencies have investigated medical billing incidents and brought multiple enforcement actions against healthcare practices. The list of agencies tasked with billing compliance enforcement includes federal Department of Justice, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the Department of Health and Human Service, state Medicaid fraud control units, and others....

All About Medical Billing, Coding & Claims Modifiers - February 15, 2008
Importance of Using Proper Modifiers: 1. The physician performed multiple procedures 2. The procedure performed was bilateral...

Physical Therapy Billing - Shared Knowledge Base For Improved Control and Compliance - February 15, 2008
A new industry of high-technology rehab and physical therapy billing has mushroomed under the auspices of its promise to streamline the collections process and leave doctors with more time to care for their patients. Though many high-quality services and systems exist, an overwhelming variety of options and attractive (yet unsubstantiated) performance claims from some providers have charmed busy doctors into making poor strategic decisions for their practices....

Physical Therapy Billing - ROI and Price-Performance Calculation for Solving Outsourcing Dilemma - February 15, 2008
Internet-based technology has been applied effectively to reduce physical therapy and rehab practice billing costs, especially at the stages of claims validity tests (scrubbing) and electronic submission. The decision about the scope of of automation depends on the total cost of ownership, which is often difficult to compute. Quantification of billing quality and its inclusion into price-performance equation of billing service yields more comprehensive financial picture and better decisions about billing service outsourcing and management. It is effective, however, only subject to controlled billing performance levels and process transparency....

Physical Therapy Billing - February 15, 2008
Physical therapy billing is often misunderstood and taken for granted by most private practices which result in thousands of dollars lost each month, if not more. Proper PT billing and CPT coding can make or break a practice. Those who know rehab billing secrets and techniques and do it well are more successful overall. Those who do not fully understand billing for physical therapy don't do as well....

Rehab Billing Service Outsourcing - Zero-Sum Argument and Cost-Benefit Analysis - February 15, 2008
Over 17 percent of accounts receivable for an average physical therapy practice are beyond 120 days since the date of service. Although this may not seem to be a problem, as it would be expected that the money will come eventually, in fact an unpaid claim that is 180 days overdue has less than 1% chance of ever being paid. In other words, the average rehab practice delivers almost one fifth of its services for free. Would billing outsourcing be an appropriate solution for this problem?...

Falling into medical debt - February 15, 2008
Russ Shaheen didn't plan to fall off a ladder. After he did, the Peoria resident certainly didn't plan on $100,000 in medical bills....

Health care collections cause swelling of bills - February 15, 2008
The politicians have it all wrong, J.R. Thomas says. The biggest problem facing the health care industry isn't the quality or availability of treatment, he says. The real danger to our national medical system is the soaring cost of getting the bills collected....

Some hospitals won't bill you if they cause your death - February 15, 2008
AUGUSTA (Feb 6): A group of Maine hospitals have agreed to a voluntary policy of not charging patients or insurers for serious medical mistakes they could have prevented - including operating on the wrong body part or administering the wrong drug with fatal consequences - but at least one legislator wants the policy written into state law....

A path to better health - February 15, 2008
While state and federal elected officials are planning major surgery on the nation's health-care system, a local group is starting with a shrewder approach: taking the patient's temperature....

CMS agrees to keep Medicare for Northwoods - February 15, 2008
ALBANY - The federal government last month started to shut four Northwoods Rehabilitation and Extended Care facilities out of the Medicare program, potentially throwing the care of 400 patients into even greater uncertainty....

Physical Therapy Billing - Will Outsourcing End in 2008? - January 6, 2008
The dramatic economic growth of India has created some negative implications for offshore Business Process Outsourcing organizations (BPO). Some of these implications can be directly attributed to the devaluation of the USD in comparison to the rupee. If this trend persists, and the USD continues to lose its value in comparison to the rupee, only the most efficient BPO's in India will be able to continue to make a profit....

MEDHOST Partners With Nicka & Associates to Enhance Coding and Provide Auditing Services - January 4, 2008
ADDISON, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 06/19/2006 -- MEDHOST, the leading provider of Emergency Department Information Systems (EDIS), today announced a partnership with Nicka & Associates, nationally recognized experts in emergency department (ED) practice management, documentation, coding, billing, reimbursement and compliance. Nicka & Associates will help MEDHOST ensure that its system's medical coding meets or exceeds new industry standards....

LighthouseMD Partners with Medi-Span - January 4, 2008
PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 22, 2006 - LighthouseMD, a leading provider of revenue cycle management, practice management and clinical workflow solutions to medical groups, today announced a new partnership agreement with Medi-Span, a leading provider of fully integrated electronic drug data and clinical information to healthcare professionals worldwide....

Memorial Hospital of Adel Selects LYNX Medical Systems Emergency Department Outpatient Facility Charging System - January 4, 2008
BELLEVUE, Wash., July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- LYNX Medical Systems (LYNX), a leading provider of emergency medicine documentation and revenue management solutions, today announced that an agreement had been reached with Memorial Hospital of Adel in Georgia. Through the agreement, LYNX will implement its E/Point Online outpatient facility charging software application to better align Memorial Hospital's facility resource utilization with patient acuity in the Emergency Department (ED). Currently, LYNX serves more than 300 healthcare organizations nationwide representing more than 12 million annual encounters....

The Sullivan Group Announces Contract With Wood County Hospital Pioneering Solution Supports Systematic Approach to Risk and Safety - January 4, 2008
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill., July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sullivan Group (TSG), a leading provider of risk management solutions for medical professionals, announced today the signing of Wood County Hospital, Bowling Green, Ohio to its Emergency Medicine Risk Initiative (EMRI). EMRI has been proven to improve patient safety and reduce medical errors in the practice of emergency medicine....

Picis Names Mount Sinai Medical Center and Southern New Hampshire Medical Center Users of the Year - January 4, 2008
WAKEFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 26, 2006--Picis, Inc., the leading provider of high-acuity care automation and best practices software for hospitals, presented its 2006 User-of-the-Year awards at the annual Picis Exchange User Group Symposium, held in Palm Beach, Fla. In the emergency department (ED) excellence category, Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City was awarded the ED PulseCheck User of the Year for improving nursing and physician documentation and overall processes, which led to a $7.5 million increase in revenue and a 50 percent decrease in the average patient's length of stay. Perioperative suite user Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, the 2006 CareSuite(TM) User of the Year, was honored for advancing patient care through improved perioperative processes. This led to better patient flow, and enhanced data retrieval with simplified documentation. The Picis users were recognized for their broad use of product features and quantitative benefits realized while...

Gov. Blagojevich Announces Sweeping Reforms To Improve Patient Safety Reduce Costly Medical Errors, USA - January 4, 2008
In an effort to reduce the number of medical errors that claim the lives of more than 4,000 Illinoisans and nearly 100,000 Americans each year, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today proposed sweeping and comprehensive changes to cut down on errors and improve patient safety. Medical errors cost $1.5 billion a year - in Illinois alone - contributing to higher insurance premiums, higher costs for hospital visits and treatments, higher co-pays, higher insurance rates for doctors and higher costs of prescription drugs. At Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, the Governor today proposed that all providers use "e-prescribing" to reduce errors and save time and money by eliminating paperwork. E-prescribing, or computerizing prescriptions, would mean doctors could easily see what other medications the patient is taking so there are no allergic reactions or other interactions, and then send the prescription to the patient's pharmacy electronically to avoid mix ups....

Plaza Selects ProVation® Software to Streamline Business Processes in Gastroenterological Lab Application Replaces Manual Documentation and Coding of - January 4, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Plaza Medical Center took an important step today toward full implementation of its new gastroenterological laboratory, installing software from Minneapolis, Minn.-based ProVation® Medical, part of Wolters Kluwer Health, to manage the documentation, coding and billing of the procedures performed in the lab....

Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Directive to Protect Patients from Disputed Out-of-Pocket Emergency Medical Costs - January 4, 2008
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed Executive Order S-13-06 to protect insured Californians from being charged for medical expenses that they do not owe. The executive order guards against "balance billing," a practice that makes patients - not providers or health plans - responsible for paying the disputed difference between their provider's bill and their health plan's coverage. In most cases, this dispute arises when a patient receives emergency care from a provider that does not have an agreement with the patient's health plan....

El Centro Regional Medical Center to Implement MEDHOST's Emergency Department Technology - January 4, 2008
ADDISON, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 05/11/2006 -- El Centro Regional Medical Center, located in El Centro, Calif., today announced that it will implement MEDHOST's Emergency Department Information System (EDIS). MEDHOST's EDIS supplements hospital emergency departments (ED) with an easy-to-use and proficient technology platform that is proven to drastically improve charge capture, helps increase patient safety and reduces individual wait times. Accompanying its EDIS technologies, MEDHOST will provide El Centro Regional Medical Center with a full suite of consulting, support and training initiatives....

Myth Busting the Medical Billing and Coding Field - January 4, 2008
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) August 21, 2007 -- Leading health education directory has launched a 20-page career guide on becoming a medical billing and coding specialist....

Medical billing woes persist - January 4, 2008
A Waterville clinical psychologist and an Augusta podiatrist continue to have trouble with the state's Medicaid billing system, more than two years after it was launched....

WAL-MART, BANK BACK INCUBATOR - January 4, 2008
Simmons First National Bank and Wal-Mart have pledged support to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's business support incubator....

TA Associates and Twin Med Management Complete a $102.5 Million Recapitalization of Twin Med, LLC - January 4, 2008
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TA Associates, a leading growth private equity and buyout firm, today announced that it has teamed with Twin Med founders Steve and Shlomo Rechnitz in a $102.5 million recapitalization of Twin Med, LLC. Twin Med is a leading medical supplies distributor serving long-term care facilities throughout the United States....

IntelliDose(R) Unveils IntelliCharge - January 4, 2008
WALTHAM, Mass., June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- IntrinsiQ, LLC, a leader in medical oncology care software, unveiled its IntelliCharge module for IntelliDose(R), the oncology clinical information solution developed to automate the complex process of chemotherapy care. The announcement was made in conjunction with the opening of the 43rd annual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting today in Chicago, IL. IntelliCharge improves control and billing of costly chemotherapy drugs through automatic and precise calculation of chemotherapy encounter charges, all taken directly from detailed nursing notes. Drug and professional services codes are seamlessly passed to the billing system via an HL7 interface. Based on feedback from thousands of oncology practices, of all types and sizes, the newest enhancements to IntelliDose continue to provide the highest level of efficiency, safety, and integration to meet the diverse needs of the oncology market. By linking IntelliDose to a Practice Ma...

Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates Selects ProVation® Software for Procedure Documentation and Coding - January 4, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ProVation Medical, part of Wolters Kluwer Health, announced today that Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, LLC (AGA) has selected its ProVation® MD software for gastroenterology documentation and coding, as well as its ProVation® MultiCaregiver software for perioperative documentation. The software will be implemented at seven locations throughout Atlanta and North Georgia, and will replace AGA's current procedure documentation software....

SA lawyer warns of healthcare fraud - January 4, 2008
An Adelaide lawyer has warned of a new wave of healthcare fraud that could cost Australian taxpayers billions of dollars each year....

'Incident to' rules violation results in false claims allegation against physician - January 4, 2008
A Massachusetts physician has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle allegations that he submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for office and nursing home visits performed by employed nurse practitioners and physician assistants without appropriate supervision. It is believed to be the first case of its kind to focus exclusively on violations of the 'incident to' rules....

Aged, Frail and Denied Care by Their Insurers - January 4, 2008
CONRAD, Mont. - Mary Rose Derks was a 65-year-old widow in 1990, when she began preparing for the day she could no longer care for herself. Every month, out of her grocery fund, she scrimped together about $100 for an insurance policy that promised to pay eventually for a room in an assisted living home....

HCPro Launches Coding Manuals for 2008 ICD-9-CM and HCPCS Codes - January 4, 2008
MARBLEHEAD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HCPro Inc., a leading publisher of coding education and training products for health information management (HIM) professionals, announces the development of coding manuals for 2008 ICD-9-CM and HCPCS codes....

MedAptus' Facility Charge Capture Solution Deployed at Lahey Clinic Medical Center - January 4, 2008
BOSTON, June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- MedAptus(R) today announced that the newest offering in its suite of revenue cycle solutions, Facility Charge Capture, is now live and in the process of enterprise-wide deployment at the world-class Lahey Clinic Medical Center....

National Health Law Group of Ober|Kaler Welcomes Four New Attorneys to Washington Office - January 4, 2008
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Adding still more depth to one of the region's powerhouses in health care law, Ober|Kaler has hired four new attorneys in its Washington, D.C. office, including lawyers whose legal victories include the largest single health care settlement ever and favorable Supreme Court rulings....

Biden Outlines Health Care Plan For All Americans - January 4, 2008
Des Moines, IA (October 23, 2007) - Today Sen. Joe Biden announced his health care plan for all Americans....

Heal Thyself - January 4, 2008
The power of mind over biology is a mystery that science has just begun to understand, but healers from the the Eastern world did not wait for science to break the mind-body code. Elaborate systems of curing and preventing disease have been developed by trial and error, and applied by faith in an invisible energy called "qi."...

Two or Three Components? - January 4, 2008
Let's face it, evaluation and management (E&M) coding is confusing. So I'd like to review some basic concepts....

Quick Study
Private Schools Offer Fast Track for Career Training - January 4, 2008
The first step into many careers is through the door of a training facility. And when it comes to gaining the credentials you need to be hired in the shortest possible time, there is no better entry point than a private vocational school....

Outsourcing is 'In' - January 4, 2008
A couple of months back, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai took the strategic decision to outsource its payroll activity to Mafoi, a leader in handling HR solutions for a range of industries. The key decision has saved manpower and time for the Hospital as the central HR team at Bangalore can collate the data and send it for further processing to the vendor company (Mafoi). The result is that the HR team is able to concentrate on other important aspects....

Ohio Hospitals Select Allscripts for Emergency Department Automation and Information Sharing - January 4, 2008
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 30, 2006--Allscripts (Nasdaq:MDRX), the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare, today announced that Ohio's Fisher-Titus Medical Center (FTMC) and Magruder Hospital will both implement the HealthMatics(R) ED Emergency Department Information System from Allscripts to automate the more than 41,000 emergency room visits annually at the two organizations....

Doctors Improve Patient Care with Affinity Billing
Integrated Workflow Helps Manage Growing Patient Volume, Regulatory Compliance, and Profitabili - January 4, 2008
Dr. Gamil Makar, Family Medicine, St. Joseph's Health System in New Jersey, has seen his appointment frequency grow by 24% since engaging Affinity Billing. Integrated practice workflow ties together patient scheduling, SOAP notes, and revenue cycle management....

Nursing Home Industry - Breeding Ground For Whistleblowers - January 4, 2008
One of the most effective weapons the government has for unearthing fraud against Medicare and Medicaid in the nursing home industry is the False Claims Act. The fraud is so rampant in that industry that it should be officially designated as a breeding ground for whistleblowers....

Three Rochester health care workers charged with false billing for phantom work - January 4, 2008
Albany -- Attorney General Andrew Cuomo Monday announced the arrests of two Rochester area health care workers who stole from taxpayers by submitting false timesheets for work they never performed. A third health care worker who was paid over $12,000 by a nursing home for hours she did not work was also charged....

Smyrna nursing home pays $550K to settle Medicaid fraud case - January 4, 2008
State and federal officials announced today a $550,000 settlement in a fraudulent medical billing case against Green Valley Pavilion of Smyrna....

MedSynergies and Practice Performance Inc. Merge to Offer Complete Solutions Portfolio for Optimizing Physician Practice Operations - December 29, 2007
DALLAS, Sept. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- MedSynergies Inc., a leading provider of healthcare revenue cycle services and technology that includes advanced analytics and reporting platforms, announced it has completed a merger with Dallas-based healthcare management and technology company Practice Performance Inc. (PPI), effective August 31....

How healthy is your medical credit score?
System being designed to help hospitals figure out whether you'll pay them - December 29, 2007
Mortgage lenders aren't the only ones showing more interest in your credit score these days – the health industry is creating its own score to judge your ability to pay....

North St. Louis County nursing home among the nation's worst - December 29, 2007
A north St. Louis County nursing home is among the worst of more than 16,000 in the nation and could be forced to close unless it improves, a federal agency said Thursday....

Sybase iAnywhere Helps Healthcare Industry Revolutionize and Improve Patient Care - December 29, 2007
DUBLIN, Calif., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sybase iAnywhere today announced continuing momentum for the adoption of its leading technologies to power innovative healthcare applications developed by organizations such as Peoplefirst Rehabilitation, Per-Se Technologies, STI Computing, and IDEXX. Sybase iAnywhere helps vendors deliver powerful, flexible, and cost-effective human and animal healthcare solutions that enable organizations of any size to deliver timely access to critical patient information, streamline business processes and reduce administrative costs....

Highline Medical Center Selects Patient Communication Services from Per-Se Technologies Quality Assurance, Ease of Use with Patient Accounting System - December 29, 2007
ALPHARETTA, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 13, 2006--Highline Medical Center has selected Per-Se Technologies (Nasdaq: PSTI), the leader in Connective Healthcare solutions that help physicians, pharmacies and hospitals realize their financial goals, to generate, print and mail patient communication. Highline Medical Center will also make available a patient self-service portal, PerYourHealth.com(R), powered by Per-Se....

Campbell Clinic Selects athenahealth's On-Demand Practice Management Service for Greater Financial and Operational Outcomes - December 29, 2007
GERMANTOWN, Tenn. and WATERTOWN, Mass., Oct. 29, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- pic For Immediate Release athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of Internet-based business services for physician practices, today announced at the Medical Group Management Association's (MGMA) national convention in Philadelphia, that the Campbell Clinic, one of the world's premier orthopaedic centers, has selected athenahealth's on-demand practice management and billing service, athenaCollector(SM), for its four facilities throughout the state of Tennessee....

Medicare bill summary - December 29, 2007
Here's a summary of the proposed Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 as released by the Senate Finance Committee....

New York Doctor Pleads Guilty to Health Care Claims Fraud
Doctor Stole Over $2 Million from Insurance Companies - December 29, 2007
May 24, 2007 -- TRENTON - New Jersey Attorney General Stuart Rabner and Division of Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that a New York physician pleaded guilty today to defrauding insurance companies by submitting numerous false Personal Injury Protection (PIP) auto insurance claims....

Oswego Hospital Goes Live with Web-Based Clinical Suite from IntraNexus
Community Hospital is an Early Adopter for Highly Versatile Sapphire(TM) - December 29, 2007
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 28, 2006--IntraNexus Inc., an innovator in healthcare information systems, announced today that Oswego Hospital in Oswego, NY, has successfully launched Sapphire, their Web-based, comprehensive healthcare information system. Sapphire provides clinicians with an all-inclusive electronic medical record (EMR), including CPOE, results reporting, and a clinical data repository. Sapphire also enables clinicians to remotely access secure, any-time/anywhere patient information using any device with Web access....

Nightingale signs US$3.1 million enterprise agreement with Baltimore hospital - December 29, 2007
MARKHAM, Ontario, Dec 20, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nightingale Informatix Corporation ("Nightingale") (TSX VENTURE: NGH), one of North America's fastest growing healthcare software and services providers, today announced that it has signed a three-year $3.1 million revenue cycle management contract with Baltimore, Maryland-based Harbor Hospital, a 203-bed hospital with 52 employed physicians and an affiliated network of more than 200 active physicians. All financial terms are in U.S. dollars....

Lack of medical bills dogs prisons
Officials catching heat for their accounting of costly inmate care - December 29, 2007
Not reviewing itemized bills for tens of millions of taxpayer dollars spent annually on inmate medical care didn't make sense to state Sen. John A. Carey Jr....

athenahealth Helps Physicians Maximize Revenue Under New National Medicare Pay-for-Performance Program - December 29, 2007
WATERTOWN, Mass., March 23, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) (PRIMEZONE) -- athenahealth, Inc., the premier provider of web-based services, knowledge, and software for medical practices, today announced that its web-based athenaNet(r) practice management system now includes new physician quality measures and coding rules for its entire national client base as part of the new Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA) that was signed into law in December 2006....

QuadraMed Converts Enterprise Scheduling Clients To Advanced Access Management Solution - December 29, 2007
RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--QuadraMed® Corporation (Amex: QD) today announced the company has completed migration of all U.S. clients from its QuadraMed Encompass scheduling product to QuadraMed Enterprise Scheduling for Access Management. QuadraMed Enterprise Scheduling features more than 100 software enhancements, including a leading-edge rehab scheduler and a comprehensive audit log. A real time Web-based Physician Web Scheduling module along with medical necessity and automated call-back reminder products are power add-ons to improve revenue....

Audit: DOH Overpaid Medical Providers $25 Million - December 29, 2007
ALBANY---The New York State Department of Health overpaid medical providers $25.7 million for clinic services for hospitalized Medicaid recipients because controls within DOH's eMedNY claims processing system designed to prevent double payments for services were not being used and the clinics were not following Medicaid billing guidelines, according to an audit released Friday by the state Comptroller's office....

Coffee Health Group Earns User Excellence Award for Innovative Use of Technology
Boston WorkStation Scripting Helps Improve Efficiency - December 29, 2007
SHERBORN, MA--(Marketwire - June 12, 2007) - Boston Software Systems™, the leader in workflow automation technology to the healthcare market, today named Coffee Health Group as the winner of the first annual Boston WorkStation™ User Excellence Award. This honor recognizes Coffee Health Group for its successful business office application, which is generating an estimated $30,000 per month increase in revenues....

National Medical Imaging Installs SourceRad Throughout Its 21 Facilities - December 29, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SourceMedical, a leader in information management solutions for outpatient and diagnostic imaging centers, today added 21 new SourceRad integrated RIS/PACS/Billing solution installations to its customer base. National Medical Imaging (NMI), a national provider of diagnostic imaging services, has signed up to install SourceRad in all of its facilities....

Tech-Savvy Gulf Coast Chiropractor Cures Practice Headaches with RAPID Chiropractic Software from ACOM's Healthcare Business Division - December 29, 2007
Florida chiropractor Dr. Joseph Ferrantelli enhanced the efficiency and productivity of his practice as well as his relationships with referral sources with the implementation of RAPID chiropractic software from the ACOM Healthcare Business Division....

AlphaQuest and Care2Learn Launch E-learning Solution for Billing, Coding and Compliance Professionals - December 29, 2007
Care2Learn and AlphaQuest, LLC announce a new E-learning solution for billing, coding and compliance professionals. The customized online learning management system, known as AlphaQuest University ("AQU"), http://www.alphaquestllc.com; or www.codingacademy.com;, was developed to serve the greater than 100,000 certified billing, coding and compliance professionals in the healthcare industry....

Langer, Inc. Signs Preferred Provider Agreement With Genesis Rehabilitation Services - December 29, 2007
DEER PARK, N.Y., June 29, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Langer, Inc. (Nasdaq:GAIT) "Langer" or the "Company") today announced the signing of a two year agreement with Genesis Rehabilitation Services ("GRS"), a subsidiary of Genesis HealthCare Corporation, designating Regal Medical, Inc. ("Regal"), a subsidiary of Langer, as a preferred provider of contracture management products and services to patients in long-term care facilities where GRS provides rehabilitation services....

Physical therapist teaches board new exercises - December 29, 2007
Before getting down to business matters, the Teton County Hospital District Board, meeting Sept. 24, learned about a new exercise program, "Beyond Kegels," that Teton Medical Center physical therapists are promoting to strengthen pelvic floor muscles....

Triangle Orthopaedic Associates Selects athenahealth's Web-Based Practice Management Service - December 29, 2007
WATERTOWN, Mass. & DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--athenahealth, Inc., the premier provider of web-based services, knowledge, and software for medical practices, today announced that Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, P.A., a leading orthopaedic surgical group with over 60 providers and nine locations, has selected athenahealth's athenaNet® practice management system to bolster its financial and operational performance....

Misys EMR(R)'s Flexible Products Strengthen Business Performance at Tidewater Physical Therapy - December 29, 2007
RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 30, 2006--Misys Healthcare Systems, a market leader in healthcare IT, today announced that Tidewater Physical Therapy, Inc. (TPTI) has selected Misys EMR(R) to clinically automate the 20-location, 50-therapist practice in Virginia and North Carolina, freeing the clinicians to devote more time to patient care. TPTI considered a range of solutions before concluding that Misys EMR, a flexible electronic medical record solution, will best meet the specific needs of their large, multi-site physical therapy practice....

Medical Transcription Industry Moving to Make the Philippines a Major Global Player - December 29, 2007
(PRWEB) September 6, 2006 -- A significant growth is being envisioned for the Philippine business processing industry in the near future; much of this growth is centered in medical transcription....

FONAR Announces Fiscal 2006 Year-End Financial Results - December 29, 2007
MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 15, 2006--FONAR Corporation (NASDAQ:FONR), The Inventor of MR Scanning(TM), today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2006, which ended June 30, 2006....

Wyoming Hospital Selects Medsphere OpenVista® Electronic Health Record - December 29, 2007
NEW ORLEANS -- Third Adoption in a Month for Commercial VistA-Based System HIMSS 2007 Annual Conference. Medsphere Systems Corporation, the leading provider of professional open source-based electronic health record (EHR) systems and services, today announced a five-year agreement to deploy its OpenVista® EHR platform at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County (MHSC) in Rock Springs, Wyoming. The 99-bed not-for-profit facility is the third community hospital to adopt OpenVista's paperless system in the last month....

Des Moines University Clinic Selects InteGreat's IC-Chart EHR
Clinic and Medical School to Benefit From Electronic Patient Records - December 29, 2007
SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- October 09, 2006 -- Des Moines University Clinic, a multi-specialty medical clinic affiliated with Des Moines University in Des Moines, Iowa, has selected InteGreat's IC-Chart® as its electronic health records (EHR) system based on its ease of use, reporting functions and ability to interface with Groupcast®, its new IDX®-based software billing system, which currently is in the installation stage. IC-Chart implementation is tentatively scheduled for spring 2007....

MDwerks Signs Marketing Agreement with Thera-Med - December 29, 2007
DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MDwerks, Inc. (OTCBB:MDWK), a provider of innovative Web-based, electronic claims management and funding solutions for healthcare professionals, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Thera-Med Systems, LLC to provide various marketing, telemarketing and other performance-based sales services to the Company....

American Consumer Council Criticizes Cigna and Healthcare System in Death of Teenager - December 29, 2007
The American Consumer Council criticized health insurance giant Cigna Corp for denying approval for a liver transplant operation that led to the death of 17-year old Nataline Sarkisyan....

Qui Tam/Whistleblower Case Histories In The Healthcare Industry - December 29, 2007
Here are some examples of recent Qui Tam cases from all over the United States. Approximately one of every three dollars recovered through false claims cases relate to healthcare fraud....

GORILLABILL.COM HELPS CONSUMERS DIAGNOSE MEDICAL BILLS - December 29, 2007
(openPR) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Gone are the days of letting your insurance company handle your health care expenses. For many Americans, out-of-pocket medical expenses have soared because of higher insurance premiums, larger deductibles and an increasing number of medical services that are excluded from coverage. More individuals are managing their own expenses and utilizing Heath care Savings Accounts, while the number of uninsured individuals continues to grow....

Rush-Copley Medical Group Selects athenahealth for Improved Financial and Clinical Outcomes - December 28, 2007
AURORA, Ill. and WATERTOWN, Mass., Sept. 12, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- athenahealth, Inc., a provider of internet-based business services to physician practices, today announced that Rush-Copley Medical Group, which is part of Rush-Copley Medical Center, a 183-bed hospital with over 1,500 employees and 500 physicians on staff, has selected athenahealth's practice management service, athenaCollector(sm), for its physician organization. Rush-Copley will also be using Eclipsys Corporation's(r) (Nasdaq:ECLP) Sunrise Ambulatory Care(tm) offering as part of a new integrated clinical and financial ambulatory care solution....

MediSys Corporation Finalizes Multi-Million Dollar Distribution Agreement With Georgia Based Medical Practice Management Firm - December 28, 2007
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., July 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MediSys Corporation (Pink Sheets: MDYS - News) announced it has executed a definitive Distribution Agreement with Innovative Practice Solutions, Inc., a Georgia based Medical Practice Management firm. Innovative Practice Solutions (IPS) will represent MediSys Corporation as an exclusive distributor of the MaxLife Center for Men(TM) in Georgia....

Pair operates international business in their basement - December 28, 2007
Nicole and Mike Robeck have teamed up to make their Black Hills Medical Billing Service the 2007 Small Business Association South Dakota Home-Based Business of the Year. They work together in their basement along with Lucy, their new Labradoodle, a Labrador and poodle mix. (Steve McEnroe/Journal staff)...

Newington therapist allegedly got paid for work he never provided - December 28, 2007
NEWINGTON - A local physical therapist was arrested Thursday on suspicions that he billed the state's Medicaid program for services that he never provided to the residents of a Newington group home....

HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) Reports Criminal Enforcement Actions for Healthcare Fraud - December 28, 2007
In Tennessee, the owner of a physical therapy company pled guilty to violating the anti-kickback statute and was sentenced to 4 months in prison and ordered to pay $173,000 in restitution. The woman paid kickbacks to doctors based on the percentage of her profits for the patients referred to her company for physical therapy services. During the investigation, it was also revealed that the woman employed unlicensed physical therapists, billed for more therapy than was provided, and prepared fraudulent medical records for a Medicare audit. ...

FBI: Detroit-area Medicare Fraud "out of control - December 28, 2007
DETROIT -- A web of low-income residents, doctors and sham physical therapy centers here is costing millions of dollars in bogus Medicare claims, making the region one of the nation's worst for fraud in the federal program, the FBI said....

FBI zeros in on Medicare fraud Metro Detroit
Agent: Schemes problem in area - December 28, 2007
Medicare is being bilked out of millions of dollars in metro Detroit, which the FBI on Thursday called one of the nation's worst areas for such fraud....

Doctor indicted in Verizon health plan billing scam - December 28, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) _ A physician whose wife vanished and was later found dead in the East River was arraigned Thursday on charges of running a "medical mill" that cheated the Verizon Communications Inc. health plan by fraudulent billing....

Patterson Cos. buys software firm - December 28, 2007
Patterson Cos. Inc. said Monday it has bought Advanced Practice Systems, a California firm that makes software used by physical therapy practices. ...

ACOM Healthcare Business Division Introduces RAPID Complete - Enterprise Edition for Chiropractic-driven Multi-Specialty Pain Management Practices - December 28, 2007
Recognizing a strong trend toward the establishment of chiropractic-centric, multi-specialty, multi-location pain management clinics, the ACOM Healthcare Business Division has introduced RAPID Complete - Enterprise Edition, as a comprehensive office management solution that supports the billing, reporting and office management requirements of all of the specialties involved....

Southwestern Medical Clinic Selects Allscripts to Automate Clinical and Back-Office Operations - December 28, 2007
CHICAGO, and BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich., Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Allscripts , the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare, today announced that Southwestern Medical Clinic has selected Allscripts as their provider of an integrated Electronic Health Record and Practice Management solution to automate clinical and financial operations for the group's nearly 70 healthcare providers....

Siemens Soarian Health Information Management is Widely Adopted by Leading Healthcare Institutions in 2007
Leading Healthcare Institutions Embrace - December 28, 2007
MALVERN, Pa., Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Siemens Medical Solutions (http://www.usa.siemens.com/healthcareit) is fulfilling the demand for a workflow-oriented, patient-centric approach to healthcare with its Enterprise Document Management (EDM) and Soarian(R) Healthcare Information Management (HIM) solutions, which are helping healthcare institutions enhance patient care, improve patient safety initiatives, and reduce healthcare costs. Leading healthcare organizations, like many of those which will be participating in this year's 79th Annual American Health and Information Management Association (AHIMA) Convention and Exhibit, have adopted these solutions as a means to assist in streamlining patient data and making information readily available to those in the organizations who need it most....

Nightingale signs $1.6 million software license agreement with Center for Disability Services of Albany New York - December 27, 2007
MARKHAM, ON, Jan. 2 /CNW/ - Nightingale Informatix Corporation ("Nightingale"), (TSX-V: NGH), one of North America's fastest growing healthcare providers of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Practice Management solutions, announces a $1.6 million contract to provide its enterprise EMR application to the Center for Disability Services (CFDS), based in Albany, New York. CFDS is an existing customer utilizing Nightingale's Entity Practice Management solution and will acquire Nightingale's EMR solution in order to better track clinical information on patients and improve operational efficiency....

Update on the alleged loss of a CD containing member data - December 26, 2007
Update on the alleged loss of a CD containing member personal health and identity information: Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield was just informed that Magellan Behavioral Health Services has located the CD sent via UPS by Health Data Management Solutions (HDMS), a third party vendor to Magellan, an Empire benefit program administrator, that included some members' personal health information. The CD was lost in transit and was located this afternoon. ...

Critical Access Hospitals Purchase Chargemaster Toolkit – CAH - December 25, 2007
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) June 21, 2006 -- Craneware, Inc., a leading supplier of chargemaster management and revenue cycle software solutions, today announced that Blowing Rock Hospital in Blowing Rock, North Carolina; Skyline Hospital in White Salmon, Washington; and Bayside Community Hospital and Clinic in Anahuac, Texas, have joined the growing number of critical access hospitals and small rural facilities using Chargemaster Toolkit – CAH™, the first revenue cycle solution designed for specific billing, coding, revenue capture and reporting needs of critical access hospitals....

American Consumer Council Criticizes Cigna and Healthcare System in Death of Teenager - December 24, 2007
The American Consumer Council criticized health insurance giant Cigna Corp for denying approval for a liver transplant operation that led to the death of 17-year old Nataline Sarkisyan. Thomas Hinton, president of the 82,000 member non-profit American Consumer Council (ACC), said, “Health insurance companies like Cigna continue to put their financial interest ahead of patient survival and urgent treatment when medical procedures such as liver transplants are deemed too costly. Ms. Sarkisyan and her family suffered needlessly because of Cigna’s flip-flopping and delay tactics.�...

14 Step Selection of Outsourced Billing Software and Service for a Physical Therapy Practice - December 24, 2007
Over four thousand vendors of medical billing services offer solutions to Physical Therapy and Rehab practices nationwide in response to poor in-house billing performance and increasing regulatory scrutiny of billing processes. On one hand, such a large number of outsourced billing solutions ensure continued competitiveness in terms of both service quality and pricing. On the other hand, the lack of uniform service standards and metrics among the vendors, combined with their large numbers, makes the process of vendor selection difficult and error-prone....

Physical Therapy Billing Software and Service Performance Metrics - December 4, 2007
Billing performance measurement is an integral part of physical therapy practice billing process and a prerequisite to effective rehab practice management. Systematic measurement becomes mission-critical with growth of billing complexity or outsourcing of the billing function. Traditional billing metrics are limited in scope and focus on claim submission process, ignoring process imperfections on the insurance (payer) side. Modern computer technologies allow both productive measurement and effective action by the disciplined billing office to improve claim submission and payment processes....

Siemens Soarian Health Information Management is Widely Adopted by Leading Healthcare Institutions in 2007 - December 3, 2007
Leading Healthcare Institutions Embrace Technology That Enables Free Flow of Patient Documentation Throughout the Enterprise Siemens Medical Solutions is fulfilling the demand for a workflow-oriented, patient-centric approach to healthcare with its Enterprise Document Management (EDM) and Soarian(R) Healthcare Information Management (HIM) solutions, which are helping healthcare institutions enhance patient care, improve patient safety initiatives, and reduce healthcare costs....

GeBBS secures a contract to provide RCM services in the Rehabilitation Segment - November 24, 2007
GeBBS Healthcare Solutions, one of India's leading healthcare BPO providers, today announced a deal to deliver value-added and exclusive ARM services in the Rehabilitation arena. This further augments GeBBS' position in the RCM outsourcing space....

Guidelines for the New Graduate: Easing into the World of Therapy - November 24, 2007
New graduates have succeeded in our work environment. We pride ourselves on providing training, clinical education and a continuous support network. Browse through some examples from Yaffa Liebermann's up coming book entitled: "Guidelines for the New Graduate: Easing into the World of Therapy."...

Medicare Continues to Reduce Improper Claims Payments - November 24, 2007
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that aggressive oversight efforts have resulted in a further reduction of the number of improper Medicare claims payments, which declined from 14.2 percent in 1996, to 4.4 percent in 2006, to 3.9 percent in 2007....

Physical therapist pleads to fraud scam - His seven-month scheme stole more than $700,000 - November 23, 2007
A physical therapist has admitted scheming with his wife, a Wayne County doctor and the doctor's wife to steal more than $700,000 in government health-care reimbursements over a seven-month period....

Billing for services of physical therapists - November 23, 2007
Given today's health care climate, physicians welcome the opportunity to generate additional income within their practices. In searching for ways to generate income, physicians often look to sources of revenue generated from the provision of services ancillary to their own, since most physicians cannot pack any more patient care hours into the day than they already provide now....

Rehab Billing Service Outsourcing Dilemma - November 22, 2007
Can an outsourced medical billing service improve or expedite payments and reduce costs? This article revisits key arguments for and against billing outsourcing in light of increasing complexity and regulatory scrutiny of billing processes....

Physical Therapy Billing Software, HIPAA Compliance, and Role Based Access Control - November 21, 2007
HIPAA compliance requires special focus. A rehab practice with multiple separate systems for patient scheduling, electronic medical records, and billing, requires multiple separate HIPAA management efforts. This article presents an integrated approach to HIPAA compliance and outlines HIPAA terminology, principles, and requirements to help the physical therapy practice owner to ensure HIPAA compliance by medical billing service and software vendors....

Rehab Practice Billing Control with Computer Aided Coding Software - November 21, 2007
The average rehab practice submits half of its codes wrong, while some practices rarely exceed more than one code right out of every five codes. Computer aided coding with integrated superbill places the physical therapist in control and enables dynamic, precise, reliable, consistent, defensive, and inexpensive coding process. ...

Boston Area Medical Providers Named In Multimillion Dollar Healthcare Fraud Scheme - November 20, 2007
Owners and employees of Boston Regional Physical Therapy, Inc., and its sister corporation, Central Metropolitan Billing Services, Inc., have been named as defendants in a multi-million dollar lawsuit....

Are You a Good Rehab Practice for an Outsourced Billing Service Vendor? - November 20, 2007
Dr. John Doe woke up at two AM and was unable to fall asleep again. He went to his desk, logged onto his computer and looked for the termination clause in the Agreement with his billing service. ...