When providing Durable Medical Equipment (DME) to Medicare Part B beneficiaries, there are certain situations where an Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) may be required. An ABN should be issued to the patient before they receive DME that is usually covered by insurance but is not in this particular case. Issuing the ABN prior to delivery […]
Last month, I had the opportunity to work with more than 100 doctors while conducting a 14-day practice reinvention challenge. Every day, the participants were asked to watch a short video and perform a challenge that would help them work on their practice and themselves. For many of the participants, it was just the motivation […]
Dispensing compression systems from my office is extremely rewarding. Patients enjoy being handed the product they need, rather than having to hunt for it in their community. Specifically, patients in need of compression therapy find that not all compression garments are right for them. Oftentimes, these patients enjoy the ease of application and adjustment that […]
When dispensing surgical dressings, the dressing size should be selected based on the size of the ulcer being treated. From a clinical standpoint, the dressing should cover the entire ulcer. From a compliance and payment standpoint, it is not appropriate to use a large dressing size when a smaller size was available that could have […]
As of January 1, 2020, the DMEMAC requirement for a “Detailed Written Order” when ordering surgical dressings has changed to the requirement for a “Standard Written Order”. The required elements of a Standard Written Order are almost the same as those of the Detailed Written Order. The required elements of the Standard Written Order include: […]
When dispensing surgical dressings, it is important that the dressing size is selected appropriately based on the size of the ulcer being treated. The dressing should be large enough to cover the entire ulcer. However, you cannot expect reimbursement for a dressing when a smaller size is available that could have covered the same ulcer.
AMERX Health Care provides you with extensive resources that include everything you need for perfect documentation to ensure compliance when dispensing surgical dressings. The majority of this guidance comes from the DMEMAC Surgical Dressings LCD and the DMEMAC Surgical Dressing Policy Article. On December 3, 2019, the DMEMACs released some additional guidance in the form […]
In last month’s post, we provided the information needed to access the current durable medical equipment (DME) and / or prosthetics (DMEPOS) fee schedule. When opening the file for the current fee schedule, the HCPCS codes are listed from top to bottom in column A. The reimbursement dollar value is listed for each state from […]
In my previous blog, I discussed knowing your numbers to maintain a robust bottom line. Here are other practice management tips that can dramatically increase your bottom line. You must see patients. I am all for vacations and time off to recharge, but I find that some doctors take too many days off or reduce […]
Surgical dressings can be used for all types of qualifying ulcers. This includes arterial ulcers, venous ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and pressure ulcers. It is important to use the correct diagnosis codes for each of these ulcer types. Diabetic foot ulcer codes should start with L97-. Stasis ulcer codes begin with I83-. L89- codes are […]