Five of the seven Medicare Carriers around the country have adopted a multijurisdictional new LCD for SI Joint Injections (“SIJIs”). The...

Many of you have inquired about using STIMWAVE (“SW”) stimulator products and whether Medicare would pay for them. The DOJ just issued a...

1. Question. Can 93312 be used for a TEE performed in connection with a TAVR (or other transcatheter or intracardiac or great vessel...

Over the past several years, multiple pain physicians have been found guilty of illegally prescribing opioids in violation of the...

1. Types of Blocks Addressed. The AMA has issued new guidance regarding the billing of plane (a/k/a"planar") blocks, including PECS I,...

The 2023 ASA RVG (Relative Value Guide) confirms that for 2023 there are no new anesthesia codes, no deleted anesthesia codes, no changed...

REIMBURSEMENT REDUCTIONS Conversion Factors. Non-Anesthesia: The CF for non-anesthesia services (i.e., chronic pain injections, E/M...

REIMBURSEMENT REDUCTIONS. Conversion Factors. Anesthesia: The CF for anesthesia is decreasing from $21.5623 to $20.6097. Non-Anesthesia:...

Yesterday, the OCR released a 13-page HIPAA bulletin warning about online tracking vendors that use patients’ PHI to track patient...

1. AMA Bundles U/S. I have just received the 2023 CPT Code. As recommended by Medicare in its Proposed Rule, the AMA has bundled...

A client recently requested me to write its Medicare carrier, Novitas, the following question regarding teaching CRNAs. Question. Can a...

1. New Final Rule. On August 19, 2022, DHHS released a Final Rule under the No Surprises Act (“NSA”), which is limited in scope since it...

A disturbing trend is occurring in UDT (urine drug tests) audits. Based on recent OIG audits in which I am involved, auditors are...

HHS has extended the Public Health Emergency for another 90 days (until October 13, 2022). Moreover, if HHS decides to terminate the PHE...

1. Projected AMA Bundling. The 2023 Medicare Proposed Rule for the Physicians Fee Schedule states that the AMA is going to revise the...

We have attended several educational telephone calls with Noridian Medicare regarding its nationwide facet audits. If you are audited by...

This week one of my clients sent me an audit by UHC which denied the client’s central line placement. UHC’s auditors took the position...

1. Scope of This Article. The purpose of this article is to differentiate between the required federal level of CRNA supervision in the...

The Office of Civil Rights ("OCR") has published 4 recent enforcement actions for alleged HIPAA breaches, as follows: 1. Copies of...

Overview. Would you like to have the OIG's playbook on how it will audit your facet blocks and RF procedures? We have it. The OIG is...

New Coverage Memorandum. On March 25, 2022, CMS issued a Memorandum (“TDL-220299”), revoking prior instructions, and providing new...

On February 23, 2022, a federal district court in Texas held that the IDR (Independent Dispute Resolution) process in the NSA (No...

On January 27, 2022, a federal district court in Utah ruled that a vascular surgeon’s False Claims Act case against an anesthesia group...

If you are wondering what verbiage to use for your Disclosure Notice and your Notice and Consent forms required under the Surprise...