Avoiding the most common mistakes: coping with payment reform

New rules governing Medicare claims require that physicians use evaluation-and-management codes, and the correct modifiers must be attached when special circumstances occur. The proper documentation must also be attached. Many problems exist with coding, and some feel that the system is confusing and that physicians have not received adequate instructions. The new system of coding is in no way related to the old system, and doctors who try to employ old methods will have their claims rejected.
The tangle of old and new rules is confusing. But with Uncle Sam cracking down on rule-breakers, ignorance can be costly. A physician called Asheville, N.C. practice management consultant John [...]