"The Medicare Claim Tells the Story" ~Newsletter 8/20/12

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Newsletter
August 20, 2012
Chiropractic Medicare
"The Medicare Claim Tells the Story"

 

 Most of my fellow Chiropractors, when they call about an audit or pre-pay request for records, ask why they received the record request.  Most of the time they have a request for records because the items on the claim do not match.

 

 An example:  A claim with an acute diagnosis indicating an acute condition or an exacerbation may have in item #14, Date of Current, a date over 60 days.  This tells the carrier the condition is chronic so the doctor receives a request for records to verify the true story on the patient. 

Date of Current on an active patient should NEVER be over 60 days if your are expecting Medicare reimbursement.

 

 Or...the diagnosis only consists of a subluxation with maybe arthritis.  The carrier knows this patient can be adjusted twice a day for 6 months and an x-ray indicated a subluxation and arthritis.  No improvement and no reimbursement.  The diagnosis should have three parts to it.  An example: subluxation, arthritis and sprain/strain if there has been an exacerbation.

 

 If item #19 does not have both date of x-ray(less than one year) or P.A.R.T., the claim may not be payable.  The carrier may ask for patient records to verify if the doctor proved a subluxation by either an x-ray less than one year or a P.A.R.T. form for each visit.  X-rays are mandated each year, if the doctor proves subluxation by way of x-ray. A P.A.R.T. form is mandated each visit if the doctor does not use x-rays to prove the subluxation.

 

Some carriers ask for office patient records periodically to verify if the doctor has a treatment plan with the three key components.  The "documentation" provided by our program consists of both "Federal Documentation" and also a treatment plan meeting all three components.

 

Many times the carrier will ask for patient S.O.A.P. notes to verify the doctor did in fact adjust vertebrae is specific regions in which they billed Medicare. If you adjust 4 regions on your patient for example, your billing will match the S.O.A.P. notes as to the number of regions you adjusted and billed to Medicare.

 

 Generally the information on each claim should all match.....diagnosis supports the care rendered, Item #14, date of current, is less than 60 days old, Item #19 contains date of x-ray or P.A.R.T., and specific terminology indicating any exacerbation and the "documentation" has been produced.

 

 Once the correct way to do Medicare is understood, you are half the way. 

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.

MAY Newsletters 2012

MAY Newsletters

(Sent out May 7th, 14th, 21st and 30^th)

Chiropractic Medicare

Sent May 7^th, 2012

"Some Medicare Carriers have limited Chiropractic!"

Dear Doctors and Staff,

The Medicare Carrier of Tennessee has posted their draft indicating "Chiropractic limitations" as 25 chiropractic visits per year.  The Medicare Carrier in "New Jersey" posted guidelines limiting chiropractic visits to 30 per year.  I am sure other carriers have created "in house" chiropractic limits that I am not aware of presently.

However, to my knowledge, CMS has issued NO limits on Chiropractic Care as long as the adjustments are medically necessary.  That simply means the state Medicare Carriers have posted limitation on Chiropractic illegally.  Who's to stop them?  CMS does not seem to care that the Medicare Carriers are breaching Federal law by these limitations.

In each state, when the Medicare Carrier creates Chiropractic limitations, the State Chiropractic Associations and Societies should file complaints with their Congressmen and Senators to get it stopped. IT MUST BE STOPPED NOW!!!

Even if there WERE TO BE limitations of 25 or 30 visits per year, we still must know the correct way to do Medicare and we still must become compliant in Medicare by the end of 2012.  Because the error rate on Chiropractic billing and documentation has been in the 60% to 99%, those reports were issued by the Inspector General to Congress.  If we are to stay in Medicare and also in the new insurance program (Obama Care), we have to prove we are smart enough to be part of the program.

Most Chiropractors and staff believe they are doing Medicare correctly, however, statistics indicate most are not.  If you think you are doing Medicare correctly, however, not sure, give me a call and we will talk about it! With 34 years of Chiropractic Medicare experience, those that have learned to do Medicare correctly are having very little trouble with getting paid and are also being successful with audits.

My recommendation is simple....beg, borrow, steal or purchase "The Basics" Chiropractic Medicare DVD and booklet so you know how Medicare works and so you know how to "document" the Chiropractic necessity of care.

If you are going to stay in practice after 2013, you also must become compliant in Medicare.  You may wish to consider the Medicare Compliance book and CD. It's ready to start you and your staff on the way to becoming compliant.  Sooner or later you have to do this. May as well make it sooner and save the trouble and heartache.

Consider "The Basics" Chiropractic Medicare DVD and booklet.  And since we also must become Medicare compliant by the end of 2012, consider our bundle which includes the Chiropractic Medicare Compliance CD and booklet.  Protect yourself....it's up to you to do it correctly. Don't fool around or procrastinate!!!!  Get this information TODAY!!

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

Post Script NOTE: (Illinois Chiropractors) WPS has lost it's Medicare Carrier contract. The new Medicare Carrier in Illinois is CIGNA. Each will be notified.

      

Spring 2012 Seminar Schedule:

*Thursday, May 17, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm at Hampton Inn-Downtown, Indianapolis, IN

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

*Thursday, May 24, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm at King Oscar Hotel, Pacific, WA

*Thursday, May 24, 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm at Staybridge Suites, Mukilteo, WA

*Saturday, May 26, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm at Quality Inn Oakwood, Spokane, WA

*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)

Sent May 14^th, 2012

Dear Doctors and Staff,

This week, Thursday, we will be in Indianapolis, IN, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm for a four hour Continued Education credited Chiropractic Medicare presentation.  Those attending will receive 4 hours CE credits certificate, examples in our Seminar booklet and Chiropractic Compliance Guidelines booklet.

Next week we will be in the State of Washington at Pacific and Everett on May 24th and Spokane on May 26th.  All three are sponsored by South King County Chiropractic Society and WCA with 4 CE credits.

These presentations are important.  Those attending get the idea of the correct way to do Chiropractic Medicare.  They return to their offices, correct errors, implement what they learn, and are successful with Medicare....plus sleeping good at night.

To my knowledge, I have not yet met the Chiropractor or staff that was already aware of the "documentation" used successfully in Medicare before attending our presentation or studying or DVD.  So when my fellow Chiropractors tell me they are doing Chiropractic Medicare correctly and talk about their S.O.A.P. note documentation....it becomes obvious there is a problem!

After last weeks Medicare article, we received several emails indicating several other state Medicare Carriers have placed limitations on the chiropractic adjustments. That guideline change limiting chiropractic coverage has not officially been adopted by CMS.

The biggest problem is that Chiropractors believe they are doing Medicare right because they are getting paid.  (As long as you bill a "clean claim" most Medicare Carriers pay that claim and audit later by request of patient records.) So now many chiropractors are not interested until they have a Medicare audit and fail. (Remember...the Chiropractic Medicare error rate is 67% to 97% of ALL claims.) Now the STAFF is under pressure to make thing happen in Medicare since claims are not being paid and the office has to send patient records to the carrier.

Also, filed claims are denied by the carrier.  Even if the claim is billed correctly...some are denied, even first visit.  The appeals process should be used.  However, the majority of our profession has no idea about the five levels of Appeal and they give up after the first one or two levels are denied by the carrier.

Procrastination is dangerous when dealing with a federal program.  You must do it correctly or you either pay back money or lose the program.

Sent May 21^st, 2012

"Getting It Right!"

Dear Doctors and Staff,

We are very happy to receive reports back from our fellow Chiropractors in regards to the success with audits and reviews.  Those Chiropractors and Staff that have our information, by either attending seminars or the purchase of our DVD and booklet, are very successful.  The reason being they are doing Medicare correctly.

Medicare carriers in each state are implementing visit restrictions for chiropractic care. The Federal Law indicates there are NO limits in Medicare for the chiropractic adjustment as long as it is Medically necessary. Since very few chiropractors know the correct way to "Document the Chiropractic Necessity of Care", we are now facing those limits by default. Nobody is challenging the Medicare carriers and they are getting away with unlawful limits.

However, sometimes even if you do Medicare correctly you may receive denials from your Medicare Carrier. When that happens, review your claims for any errors and file an appeal.

Remember, the first two (2) steps of the appeals process is still with your Medicare Carrier. The third step requires a review by an administrative law judge OUTSIDE your Medicare Carrier. Nearly always you will be successful... especially if you have our material since our documentation has been approved by the administrative law judges.

Sent May 30^th, 2012

"Do It Correctly - or Lose!"

Dear Doctors and Staff,

The Medicare Carriers that have placed limits on the number of Chiropractic adjustments per patient per year have demanded we Chiropractors do it right....or we lose.

There are NO limits for the Chiropractic adjustments in the Medicare program.  However, each Medicare Carrier may establish in-house limits that we can exceed if we do Chiropractic Medicare correctly and challenge the carrier through the Appeals Process.

If you are actually doing Chiropractic Medicare correctly and wade through the Appeals Process to the Administrative Law Judge Appeals level, you should win each challenge.

(The problem with the Appeals process is that the first two stages are still with the Medicare carrier and usually denied. Most chiropractors give up before it goes to the third step with the Administrative Law Judge.)  If you are NOT doing Medicare correctly, you will lose in the Appeals, even through the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).

If you still believe your S.O.A.P. notes are “documentation” in Medicare, then you will learn the hard way which will cost you some big bucks.

I strongly suggest that you consider three important items we have to offer:

1.      "The Basics" Chiropractic Medicare DVD and booklet.  This contains everything you and your staff must know to do Medicare correctly.

2.      The Audit and Appeals Process DVD and booklet.  If you are going to know how to defend yourself in an audit, this item walks you through the Appeals Process so you don't "give up" before you win.

  3. Chiropractic Medicare Compliance CD and booklet.  We all must become compliant by the end of 2012.  We have it completed.  It is ready for you to implement it into your practice.  The faster the better to become compliant.

A couple of notes from fellow Chiropractors:

May 14, 2012

Hey Doc, 

Just wanted to let you know that I won my ALJ decision for my audits going back to end of 2010 and early 2011!  You said I would, and I must say, I had my doubts the way things are going here in NY.  They found 100% in my favor.  Thanks for your help throughout the process.  I truly appreciate it.

All the best,

Ed Casper, DC

May 22, 2012

To Whom It May Concern:

It was a great blessing running into Dr. Street 7 years ago.

He was like a prophet with his predictions about where Medicare and Chiropractic would go.

We have followed his recommendations to a T.  It is nice for patients to know what their financial responsibility is and which services are the responsibilities of Medicare.

His procedures are efficient and ethical with no "gimmicks".

Outside of cumbersome paperwork, Medicare audits go through like a breeze by following Dr. Street's procedures.

If you are a Chiropractor who is a Medicare provider, you cannot afford to not attend this seminar.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joseph Clauss

Dr. Carolyn Clauss

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

"Areas of GREAT Concern" (Requests for Patient Records, Denials, Redetermination and Reconsideration aka The Appeal Process)

Newsletter

April 17, 2012

Chiropractic Medicare

"Areas of GREAT Concern"

Dear Doctors and Staff,

A huge area of concern is the Error Rate established by the Medicare Carriers across the United States.  67% of all claims billed to Medicare Carriers contained errors.  Some states the error rate is worse.  In Southern California the error rate is 77%!

After speaking with hundreds of DC's and their staff by phone I can assert that these people are not dumb.  The Inspector General, with "special" reports to our Senators and Congressmen, has given Congress an impression that Chiropractors are not too bright.

The First Problem is the incentive to learn. When (for example) the reimbursement for a 98940 is $24.56, the incentive to study and know all the Medicare Federal Guidelines seem pretty small.  Since about 96% of all Chiropractors in the U. S. are participating providers, either you don't get paid, or if you do get paid, there is always the fear of a Post-payment Audit and you end up paying everything back to the carrier.

To make the problem worse, more and more Medicare Carriers are simply denying all claims, first patient visit or 10th patient visit, whatever.  They know most Chiropractors do not know what to do next and the carrier wins.  A few Chiropractors who know a little of the Audit and Appeals process request a “Redetermination”.  This is performed by an individual at the Medicare Carrier not involved with the original determination.

At no surprise, usually the redetermination agrees with the original denial.  Usually 45 days have passed and the second denial is received.  Now the Chiropractor may request a “Reconsideration".  This is done by a "Qualified Independent Contractor" similar to first level of appeal.

Another 45 days pass and here comes another denial.  No surprise because it's from the same Medicare Carrier.  By now the Chiropractor has wasted 80 plus days, messed with patient records two or three times, all for $24.56.  Most DC's toss up their hands and give up.

If you will take those reviews and appeals to the next step and having done Medicare correctly, you have a great chance of winning.  When your appeal finally gets to the Administrate Law Judge (away from your Medicare carrier) you will most always win.  Just be sure you are doing Chiropractic Medicare correctly.

The Second Problem:  In several states like New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, California, Wyoming, etc., the Medicare Carriers consistently ask for all patient records that are billed by a Chiropractor.  Some states back log of patient records is unbelievable, however, they continually keep asking for records, and until they are reviewed, not one claim is reimbursed.

There seems to be some loss of government control with these specific carriers.  I recommend the State Chiropractic Associations in these states contact their Congressmen and Senators and file formal complaints against this action as quickly as possible. It is very possible the system is being abused by the Medicare carriers.

Most Important:  You have to know how to do Medicare correctly and become Compliant!

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

Spring 2012 Seminar Schedule:

*Thursday, April 19, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm at the Chariot Hotel - Louisville, KY

*Thursday, May 24, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm at King Oscar Hotel, Pacific, WA

*Thursday, May 24, 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm at Staybridge Suites, Mukilteo, WA

*Saturday, May 26, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm at Quality Inn Oakwood, Spokane, WA

To Register Call:  (618) 395-3800