Though it seems complicated at first, it’s not rocket surgery! De-mystifying the process by which charges are established for anesthesia services is a worthwhile exercise for everyone involved in the billing process. Surgery is not a yard sale where patients pay what they think is appropriate for services, or anesthesiologists bill what they think they’re […]
BCBS of Alabama Mid-Year Update: Are you aware of the changes to the BCBSAL Anesthesia Fee Schedule Attention! If you are an anesthesia provider or coder and like increasing your bottom line, this is vital information for you. There are important Blue Cross Blue Shield anesthesia conversion factor increases that begin on July 1st, 2019 […]
In an ideal world, all patients would be easy to sedate - flat on their backs, in a controlled environment, with no adverse reactions. Of course, this is never the case, so there are a thousand different ways in which anesthesia is administered and monitored. A tiny divergence in procedure can sometimes mean life and […]
Medical Business Management would like to join with the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) in honoring Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists during National CRNA week. The week of January 22-26 has been set aside to show appreciation for CRNAs and to raise awareness for the important work that they do. CRNAs and Patients CRNAs represent […]
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has selected Palmetto GBA as the Medicare Administrative Contractor for Jurisdiction J. This jurisdiction, covering Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee represents 7% of the national Part A/Part B claim-volume workload. This change is having a dramatic impact on anesthesia practices across this 3 state regions. These practices […]
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, commonly known as MACRA is bringing dramatic changes for Medicare beneficiaries and the providers that serve them. MACRA is bringing big changes for anesthesiologists and CRNA’s. Could these changes result in rejected claims and unpaid charges? The answer is YES! We are watching this transition closely […]
It’s essential to stay vigilant when it comes to calculating anesthesia time units. Not properly doing so can result in delayed or denied claims, decreased revenue, and audits – which can have a negative impact on your practice’s reputation. Take a moment to look over this guide on the basics of calculating anesthesia time units […]
Accuracy is essential when it comes to physical status modifiers in the anesthesiology field, and as of January 2016, the ASA Physical Status Classification System (modifiers P1-P6) includes examples to assist in choosing the appropriate modifier. The original version was published in 1941 by Meyer Saklad, and then by ASA in a booklet for the […]
You may have heard about MAC anesthesia, or maybe you know someone who experienced this type of sedation during surgery – but what exactly is it, and how does it differ from general anesthesia? These are great questions, and they concern a lot of people – especially those who claim they’ve been awake during surgery. […]
Because of the complexity of medical procedures and services, additional information is often necessary when coding. This information typically comes in the form of what’s called a CPT modifier, which describes how many procedures were performed, why they were necessary, where they were performed on the body, how many surgeons were involved in the operation, […]
