Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions with Full Rationale Answers

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Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions and answers with full rationale

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CPC Practice Exam and Study Guide Package

Practice Exam

What makes a good CPC Practice Exam? Questions and Answers with Full Rationale

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Laureen shows you her proprietary “Bubbling and Highlighting Technique”

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Practice Exam

2018 CPC Practice Exam Answer Key 150 Questions With Full Rationale (HCPCS, ICD-9-CM, ICD-10, CPT Codes) Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions with Full Rationale Answers

Practice Exam

Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions and answers with full rationale

New vs Established E/M and Patients Following Physicians to New Business Location

Our question is regarding the E/M codes 99201-99215, Preventive 99381-99397, and assignment of New versus Established patient; specifically for patients following a physician from one local private practice to another local FQHC Clinic within the 3yr period (same rendering physician NPI# but different Business Group Tax ID numbers). Would these patients be considered "new" or "established" ?

As a Federally Qualified Health Center the mass majority of our patients are Medicare and/or Medicaid; and need supporting documentation from CMS.

Any help on this question is greatly appreciated.

Charlene
[email protected]

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Aetna Sues Business Associate Over HIV Breach

Here’s a stark reminder of the responsibilities  – and risks – of being a business associate: Aetna is suing the company that mailed 12,000 envelopes last summer revealing the recipients had HIV for $ 20 million and more. Aetna hired claims administrator Kurtzman Carson Consultants (KCC) to send letters notifying Aetna members of a settlement the […]
AAPC Knowledge Center

Healthcare Business Monthly Article from Feb 2018

Hello,

I need help understanding the article titled "2018 OPPS Payments" on page 38. In particular the paragraph “Packaging Expansion Continues” in the article it states, “Physician offices are not eligible for the payment of a visit if drug administration services are provided.” I take this to mean that Medicare will no longer pay IM administration code 96372 with an E/M code.

The CMS NCCI edits effective Jan 1, 2018 do not reflect this edit. I also have not seen an email from Medicare confirming this packaging of services.

Can anybody clarify or confirm this?

Thank-You,
Nancy Jensen, CPC

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Risk Adjustment Calculations in the Commercial Line of Business

Small group and individual markets have unique strategic opportunities for coding and operational processes. Risk adjustment is predictive modeling that assesses members’ risk for incurring medical expenses above or below the average during a defined time. Demographics and health status are used to determine health plan payments, which also can assist with care management needs. […]
AAPC Knowledge Center

Purchasing Used Medical Equipment – A Wise Business Decision

So, what is the purpose of purchasing pre-owned Medical Equipment and what should I look for in a dealer?

These may be the first questions that come to mind and let us explain…

Many upcoming hospitals or diagnostic centers show the tendency of purchasing used medical equipment and this practice is good for many reasons.

Foremost, brand new equipments are very costly and most hospitals are not in a position to spend large amounts of their budget on brand new equipment.

Running a private hospital or a diagnostic center anywhere in the world is a matter of saving costs when at all possible… and to improve profits, an excellent practice is to always purchase pre-owned or used medical equipments. This must be accepted as a wise business decision.

As far as buying new machines is concerned, underfunded or upcoming centers are encouraged to buy new equipment only after establishing a solid source of revenue and profitability.

Take note of the following points before you finalize the purchase:

– Decide which machines/ equipments you need most.
– Find a genuine supplier of used medical equipment who can deliver you the equipments you require.
– Make sure that the equipments, though used, should be in sound condition.
– Try to have an experienced technician examine them who has the considerable work experience with these machines.
– Go for the deal only when the dealer assures a timely servicing of the machines and equipment.
– Try to ensure that the delivery of the equipments be made in very good and undamaged packaging.
– Before finalizing the payment, try to see the equipment in full function. This is very important to ensure that the machine is fully functional.
– You should ask for a contract with the dealer and during this contract period, the dealer would have full responsibility towards any dysfunction of the equipment.
– Before you finalize the deal you should ensure the credibility of the dealer company. Speak with some of their existing clients and find out about their after sales service.

When you buy used medical equipment, you must always take precautions following the points described. We hope this helps.

Pacific Medical LLC, is a CA, USA based dealer of medical equipments (both new and used). If you run a hospital and are looking to buy used medical equipment like patient monitors, central stations, O2 Blenders, or SpO2 Modules, please contact Pacific Medical LLC now.

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Hiring Excluded Healthcare Professionals Is Risky Business

Before your healthcare organization hires on new staff, check the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE). It’s also a good idea to verify your current employees, as well. Not checking it could put you at risk for civil monetary penalties (CMPs). Government Protecting Tax Dollars If a provider or healthcare worker or entity is […]
AAPC Knowledge Center

How To Start A Medical Distributor Business

The medical device distribution business is one of the most exciting and dynamic businesses to be involved in. The reason for this is the fact that it is a business environment that is always constantly changing. Thus there is always new products and exciting opportunities that can be utilized in order to make money. The question always comes up as to how to start such a company and also which portion of the medical device market to get involved in. The medical device market is very big and it can become very confusing and daunting when trying to decide how to enter it and also which products to start selling. One of the best places to start is actually to attend health conventions where many different manufacturers are showcasing their best products.

To attend one of these health conventions is to truly walk into the center of the medical device market. You will see first hand some of the most latest advancements of medical device products in the market. Most of these manufacturers have prepared for months to be able to manufacture and create the best products on the market and thus to try to persuade you to utilize them. As such, that is why I always recommend attending these shows as you can have a good glimpse at the medical device market and how you can actually get involved. Once you see all these products the next step is to actually decide which ones you want to sell. I always recommend selling products that you can understand and ones you believe base don your past experience will do well in the marketplace. You should always do your scope of the market in order to get a sense of what products will be successful and then after you do your initial market research you will be able to make an educated decision as to what to sell. The other part that can become difficult is actually the ability to negotiate with these manufacturers in order get the right product at the right price. The biggest hurdle is the fact that you will probably need to make a rather large purchase in order to be taken seriously by these manufacturers and thus your initial investment will have to be slightly high. However, manufacturers do differ and as such their terms will also differ. You will have to try to deal with different types of manufacturers in order to see which ones are the most willing to do business with you and are willing to give you the best terms and pricing. There is never a guarantee that these companies will be trustworthy or effective but you must truly try to deal with the ones that you feel confident with. I also suggest that you always deal with two manufacturers in order to ensure that you always have a good backup manufacturer in the event that one no longer is in business for any reason and thus you would have protected yourself.

The highest quality pulse oximeter products can be found at http://www.pulseoximetersupply.com.

Business card for Vino C. Mody Jr., M.D.

Business Card
Vino C. Mody Jr.
Health Information Support Staff and Medical coding Expert
Mesa Hills Specialty Hospital
El Paso, Texas
Home Office: www.medpracticeprocess.com
6154 Black Mallard Place Work email:
El Paso, Texas 79932 [email protected]
(678) 427-6511; Personal email:
(915) 642-4269 [email protected]
Areas of Expertise and Qualifications on back side
————————————————————————————————-
• Internal healthcare administrative process audit and audit reviews (AAPC Certificate in CPMA)
• Physician practice management process (AAPC Certificate in CPPM)
• Medical coding, medical billing, case Management, insurance dispute resolution
• Clinical research, Statistical analysis, Quality process management (Six Sigma Black Belt)
• Anesthesiology and euthanasia in guinea pigs
• Experience in basic science research, clinical research, and medical training at Karolinska (Sweden), Brown University, Yale University, and Emory University
• Training and Teaching at Healthcare Institutes and Professional Societies
M.D., Lic., Ph.D., COC, CPC, CCS-P, CANPC, CCVTC, CICP, CNPR, CRMC

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Medical Billing Software – How to Be Sure You Are Getting the Right Option For Your Business

When you are looking for the right medical billing insurance software package that will be perfect for you, you have a relatively daunting task ahead. There are many things to take into consideration when contemplating a purchase of this type of software. There are hundreds of different packages available with many features that can make your purchase confusing.

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) guidelines ensure that patients rights must be protected. You must find software that will allow that to happen. Making the right choice can be a huge factor in the success of your business and how efficient your business is.

Many times, there are significant hidden costs to consider when looking at medical billing software. Some of these hidden costs can be:

Managing Databases
Frequent Software Crashes
Software Backups
Upgrades

You must keep these costs in mind when you are looking for the right software.

Price, ease of use and dependability of the software are a few other things you should consider when looking to make this purchase. Do some research and make sure the software is up to date. Make sure it is going to fit the needs of your particular situation.

In the past, many medical billing software programs ran on a client/server based system. What this means is the system was “in house” on the client’s server. Now, many of the options available are internet based applications.

Client / Server based applications appear to be more secure, thus insure privacy and security, however, this can be costly when you add in the fact that anyone working on the software must be present where the server is. The internet based systems are more portable, thus allowing your work force to basically work anywhere outside the confines of a physical location. When considering an internet based solution, you must be sure that the security is present in that type of software. Otherwise, you could be in violation of the HIPPA laws. These laws were enacted for a reason and are taken very seriously.

Bottom line, finding the right medical billing software program is a key aspect to having a successful business in this field. This is not a decision to be made lightly. Weigh the cost of the software program against the revenue that you will make by using it over time. Be sure to deduct any upkeep, upgrade and repair costs. You will need to do your research and find the best fit for you.

George Edmondson is an accomplished writer on Medical Billing Software. For more information on Medical Billing Software please visit http://www.thebillingsystems.com

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