As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare claims management widens, the importance of careful oversight is needed. Any use of automation for claim denials should be scrutinized by providers to ensure the denial is appropriate. A recent Healthleaders report asked a key question all revenue cycle managers must consider: What is the balance […]
Payers, Artificial Intelligence and Revenue Cycle Read More »
AppriseMD hospital utilization review data for the first two months of 2024 shows that Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) are denying claims that would have been approved under Traditional Medicare. BACKGROUND MAOs must adhere to the same guidelines as Traditional Medicare as per the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) 2024 rule 4201-F. MAOs can
Medicare Advantage Organization Non-Compliance with The Two-Midnight Rule Findings Read More »
Arising from concerns that the Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) were delaying and denying services and reimbursement, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented 4201-F at the beginning of 2024. This rule was initiated after the publication of a report in April 2022 by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), a division of
The Impetus Behind the 2024 CMS Final Rule Read More »
In a report released March 2 by OIG, investigators found “that most 2019 MA (Medicare Advantage) encounter records contained at least one adjustment code and 55 million of these records contained codes that may indicate the denial of payments by MAOs Medicare Advantage Organizations).” The report’s key take away was that while most of the
HHS OIG Report Shows Code Adjustments May Indicate Denials Read More »
CMS proposed rule impacts how hospitals determine LOS for MA patients The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed rule changes (CMS-4201) that could have a significant impact on how hospital utilization management determines level of care for Medicare Advantage patients. The proposed rule1 reflects the agency’s focus on increasing transparency, improving health
CMS Proposed Rule Changes for MA Patients Read More »
Both national evidence-based guidelines and insurance company guidelines factor into level of care determination. When it comes to determining a patient’s level of care for a short hospital stay, observation services are generally used for short-term monitoring, testing and evaluation to establish a treatment plan, and to give the treatment team time to see
Which Guidelines Should Hospitals Follow for an Observation Stay? Read More »
The United States Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit earlier this year aiming to stop UnitedHealth Group from acquiring Change Healthcare.1 Hospital CFOs and utilization review managers have much to watch in this case related to how it could not only impact competition in the markets but how it could impact the guidelines used
The American Hospital Association (AHA) updated rural hospital leaders regarding its 2022 Rural Advocacy Agenda during the recent AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference in Phoenix, AZ, attended by AppriseMD CEO Franklin E Baumann, MD. “The 2022 Rural Advocacy Agenda focuses on broader, forward-looking legislative and regulatory priorities that are not necessarily connected to the
AHA’s Advocacy of Rural Hospital Issues is Needed Read More »
For a traditional Medicare patient admitted for observation, it is not uncommon to remain in the hospital longer than two midnights due to non-medical reasons including waiting for a transfer to another facility or family situations. In these cases, the reason the patient remains hospitalized is the lack of a safe discharge plan. Should such
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ decision to not eliminate the inpatient only list (IPO) was due to the numerous comments and feedback it received from the medical community, the COVID-19 public health emergency and the fact that the change “transpired quickly,” according to the final rule (CMS-1753FC) issued in December.1 Heading into 2022,
CMS to Keep the Inpatient Only List Read More »