Can we dispense surgical dressings to patients who have medical insurance that is not Medicare Part B? Yes! Many non-Medicare third-party payers provide coverage for surgical dressings. Some non-Medicare third-party payers that provide coverage for surgical dressings for their beneficiaries have their own surgical dressing policy. Similar to the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractor […]
When dispensing surgical dressings and submitting a claim for payment, it is important to adhere to compliance guidelines. When dispensing surgical dressings to Medicare beneficiaries, these guidelines are clearly listed in the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractor (DMEMAC), Surgical Dressings Local Coverage Determination (L33831), and Local Coverage Article (A54563). The above-referenced policies inform providers […]
Documenting an adequate description of an ulcer being treated is essential when dispensing surgical dressings. Providers know the elements that are necessary to thoroughly document a wound. These elements are taught in school. However, this list of elements may not satisfy the requirements of a third-party payer. From a payment perspective, the required elements of […]
Accurate diagnosis coding is essential when providing wound care. This can include primary, secondary, and sometimes even tertiary diagnoses. When a comorbid condition contributes to the care of a wound care patient, it may be appropriate to list the ICD-10 code representing that comorbid condition on the claim form. There are major changes this year […]
Dispensing surgical dressings in your office can improve outcomes, patient satisfaction, and can result in tremendous profits. The main surgical dressings that can be dispensed include: Collagen Foam Calcium Alginate Hydrogel Gauze Hydrocolloid Compression Garments With many options, it can be difficult to select the best option. In last week’s blog, we looked closely at AMERIGEL® […]
Dispensing surgical dressings in your office can improve outcomes, patient satisfaction, and can result in tremendous profits. The main surgical dressings that can be dispensed include: Collagen Foam Calcium Alginate Hydrogel Gauze Hydrocolloid Compression Garments With many options, it can be difficult to select the best option. In last month’s blog, we looked closely at […]
One of the most common errors I see when auditing wound care and DME billing is found in box 17 on the CMS 1500 form. This is the box that lists the referring, supervising or prescribing physician. Many electronic health record (EHR) programs automatically fill in this information with the referring physician (aka the primary […]
Last week, the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DMEMACs) made a change to their joint Surgical Dressing Local Coverage Article (LCA) that states calcium alginate can serve as either a primary dressing or a secondary dressing. Prior to this change calcium alginate could only serve as a primary dressing. This change is effective now.
Many physicians took out loans using the CMS Advance Payment Program during Covid-19. In the coming months, this money will begin to be deducted from your reimbursements. Originally, this was supposed to be repaid as a 100% deduction but, due to new regulations, this has been reduced to 25%. 25% is still a large amount […]
Dispensing surgical dressings in your office improves outcomes, improves patient satisfaction, and can result in tremendous profits. The main surgical dressings that can be dispensed include: Collagen Foam Calcium Alginate Hydrogel Gauze Hydrocolloid Compression Garments With so many to choose from, it can be difficult to select the best option. In last month’s blog, we looked at Foam […]