Wait for service: Locum tenens is not the answer for unenrolled doctors

Why This Topic Matters

Improper use of substitute-provider billing can create compliance exposure for practices, especially when a new physician is not yet enrolled. The article helps readers recognize that enrollment timing, payer guidance, and billing oversight can affect how services are billed during staffing transitions.

Article Sections

1. Enrollment

   Introduces the scenario of a newly hired physician whose enrollment is still pending and frames the billing concern around substitute-provider arrangements. It also references general Medicare guidance and a payer FAQ related to those arrangements.

2. Alleged locum tenens violations

   Summarizes a Department of Justice settlement involving billing allegations tied to physician credentialing and provider identity. The section provides a compliance context for why misuse of substitute-provider billing may draw enforcement attention.

3. Wait on enrollment

   Closes with practical guidance focused on the importance of timely enrollment support and awareness of Medicare billing timing considerations. It reinforces the article’s compliance theme without giving detailed coding instructions.