Beginning of JUNE Newsletters 2012

Beginning  of JUNE Newsletters

(Sent out June 4th, 12th and 18^th)

Chiropractic Medicare

Sent June 4^th, 2012

Dear Doctors and staff,

Those using our recommendations in doing Medicare are having great success when addressing pre and post payment reviews and audits.  I do not know another Chiropractic Medicare training program that uses the "documentation" we suggest.  The documentation used with our program is Federal Documentation and supports the Chiropractic truths in caring for seniors.  Once you see and understand our presentation you will realize its the truth and the way it is with seniors.

Until you understand how Chiropractic works with Medicare, several items on your claims will indicate to the Medicare carrier you do not have it together, which usually brings on reviews and audits.  We chiropractors do not "treat" patient symptoms.  Our only job is to locate and correct vertebral subluxations.  The lack of documentation (and documentation is not S.O.A.P. notes), date of current over 60 days old and/or a diagnosis that does not support the care rendered and this claim will "pop" out of the carrier's computer for review.

If the review reveals the doctor does not know how to document and/or has a patient on a program of care for a condition that is over 60 days old or more than 12 visits, the carrier will now ask for more records as they now believe they can get some money recovery from this doctor.

It is critical to understand the "philosophy" of Chiropractic Medicare, to deal with Medicare like a Chiropractor and "STOP" treating patients in regards to their symptoms.  Revisit your thinking when doing Medicare.  Evaluate your Medicare patients as a Chiropractor.  Nearly all your Medicare patients do not have new conditions and new diagnosis.  They have exacerbations in direct relation to chronic predisposed arthritic subluxations.

Hardly ever do you see a new condition with a senior patient.  That should spark your thinking.  Once you understand chiropractically how Medicare works, learn the correct way to "document", understanding the honest "diagnosis", you will find Medicare an excellent Chiropractic program.

With an understanding of the correct way to do Chiropractic Medicare, now you can use your energy in becoming Medicare Compliant by the end of 2012.

      

Spring 2012 Seminar Schedule:

*Thursday, June 21, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm at Comfort Inn & Suites, Mount Laurel, NJ

*Thursday, June 21, 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm at Holiday Inn, Saddle Brook, NJ

*Saturday, June 23, 8:00 am -12:00 pm at Holiday Inn Express University, Albany, NY

*Thursday, June 28, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm at Holiday Inn Express, Mishawaka, IN

  (4 hrs. Risk Management Continued Education - add $35.00 to registration)

  Have questions? Give Dr. Street a call today at (618) 395-3800.

Sent June 12^th, 2012

“ABN Option #2 - Covered and Non-Covered Service”

Albany, New York, Mount Laurel and Saddle Brook, New Jersey and Mishawaka, Indiana are upcoming Chiropractic Medicare Seminars for the month of June.  In those seminars I will cover the "Basics" Chiropractic Medicare information and review the steps on becoming Medicare Compliant.  If you have not attended one of our presentations, please call and register.  I promise you will receive information you will be happy to have… plus have fun.

ABN Option #2

For the Chiropractors that are "treating" patient symptoms, Option #2 on the ABN is dangerous.  Many Chiropractors "believe" when a patient has no symptoms, just call the Chiropractic adjustment "Wellness Care" or "Maintenance Care" and that way they "believe" they do not have to bill Medicare for the Chiropractic adjustment.

The patient signs Option #2 on the ABN and the doctor believe the adjustment is now a "non-covered service" in Medicare.  So not only does the doctor NOT bill Medicare for the Chiropractic adjustment. the doctor also collects from the patient at time of service for the Chiropractic adjustment, even though the doctor is a participating provider.

As a Participating Provider, your Federal Contract says that you can NEVER collect the 80% of the set Medicare fee for the adjustment at time of visit. You must ALWAYS accept assignment on a Medicare patient.  The Chiropractic adjustment is ALWAYS a covered service by Federal Law.  It may not be payable, however, by Federal Law, it is the only covered services for we Chiropractors.

Option #2 is for ONLY a non-covered service.  Simply, the Chiropractic adjustment must always be billed to the Medicare Carrier and Option #2 has nothing to do with a covered service. 

Remember: the fines are up to $10 thousand dollars per incident when not billing a covered service.

Sent June 18^th, 2012

“Audits, Appeals and Record Requests”

All Chiropractors and staff first must know the correct way to do Chiropractic Medicare.  When done correctly, your Medicare Carrier will recognize you are doing it correctly on your claim form and will stop asking for your records.

As far as I know, our Chiropractic Medicare Program is the only one presenting "documentation" by federal standards.  That information is entered in Item #19 on the initial claim, so the Medicare Carrier recognizes you have the "Documentation."  This information will cut most of the records requests.

The Appeals Process is fair; however, the first two steps of the Appeals Process (Request for Redetermination and Reconsideration) are still with the Medicare Carrier.  Due to the hassle and time frame dealing with Step 1 and Step 2, most Chiropractors either have done Chiropractic Medicare wrong or simply "give up"!

The third step in the Appeals Process (Request for Administrative Law Judge Hearing) is outside your carrier. If you have "documented by Federal Standards" you will be successful.

  Have questions? Give Dr. Street a call today at (618) 395-3800.