THE CHALLENGE Many hospitals and health systems have been forced to navigate a new payer tactic that does not result in a formal denial of inpatient (IP) level of care (LOC). Instead, the payer affirms that IP admission was medically necessary, but reimbursement is reduced due to a perceived lack of severity for the billed […]
Case Study: Inpatient Level of Care Payment Review Reversed After Peer-to-Peer Read More »
THE CHALLENGE Hospitals continue to face payer denials throughout the revenue cycle, including technical and administrative denials, as well as coding denials where Diagnostic Related Group (DRG) downgrades are a major pain point. Clinical denials are also rampant, whereby the payers are challenging the clinical judgement of providers despite clear evidence that, for example, inpatient
Case Study: Formal Appeal Overturns Upheld Peer-to-Peer Read More »
CLINICAL SUMMARY: A 76-year-old female arrived at the emergency department critically ill, experiencing palpitations and shortness of breath. The patient had a complex medical history including ovarian and thyroid cancers, chronic heart failure (CHF) with reduced ejection fraction (EF 20%), stage 3b chronic kidney disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (A-fib) on anticoagulation, type 2
Case Study: Challenging MA Denial Overturned Despite One-Midnight Stay Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began dismantling the Inpatient Only (IPO) list on January 1, 2026, by removing 285 musculoskeletal, orthopedic and spine procedures. This phasing out process will happen over the next three years1, allowing more procedures to be performed on an outpatient basis, which CMS believes will result in a
CLINICAL SUMMARY: A newborn infant, just over one-month-old, arrived at the Emergency Department (ED) under the direction of a pediatrician, who was concerned about lack of weight gain since birth. The infant was born weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces and weighed 8 pounds, 5.5 ounces one month and five days after birth. The patient’s weight
Case Study: Infant Failure to Thrive Inpatient Denial Overturned Read More »
Hospitals and health systems across the country are preparing for a significant shift in how Aetna reimburses certain inpatient stays. Aetna’s Level of Severity Inpatient Payment Policy, which went into effect January 1, 2026, (updated from the original effective date of November 15, 2025) introduced a new framework for evaluating and reimbursing urgent or emerging
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CLINICAL SUMMARY: A 70-year-old patient arrived in the Emergency Department (ED) from an assisted living facility (ALF) as his renal function deteriorated, and he slipped into a severely depressive state. The patient appeared pale and withdrawn, and the ALF staff reported that the patient did not eat or drink for approximately three weeks. Additionally, the
Case Study: Unlinking a Readmission Hospitalization During a Peer-to-Peer Payer Review Read More »
CLINICAL SUMMARY: A 35-year-old patient arrived in the Emergency Department suffering from a painful abscess and swelling on the left buttock. The patient, whose medical history includes hidradenitis suppurativa, bipolar 1 disorder and asthma, described the pain as an excruciating stabbing sensation rated at a level 10. Furthermore, the patient reported shortness out of breath
Case Study: Secondary Review Recommendation Holds in Cellulitis Hospitalization Read More »
Exploring effective denial management strategies makes a significant difference for a hospital’s bottom line. One key component that hospitals and health systems should no longer be overlooking is specialized physician advisors who can transform revenue cycles and ensure higher quality care while safeguarding revenue streams. The latest and best solutions for improving revenue cycle and
CLINICAL SUMMARY: A 34-year-old patient arrived in the emergency department (ED) experiencing complications from alcohol withdrawal, which began while staying at a sober living home. He began experiencing lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting and epigastric pain in addition to developing a bilateral rash to his upper extremities and was transported to the ED. The patient reported drinking
Case Study: New DRG Key to Overturning MCO Denial Read More »