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June 8th, 2022
Medicare Improper Payment Report — Chiropractic 2019 to 2021
By Raquel Shumway | Published June 8th, 2022
How did you do? Take a look at the Improper Payments Report and see where there can be improvement in your practice.
By Wyn Staheli, Director of Content | Published October 4th, 2021
New ICD Codes for: Low Back Pain, Cervicogenic Headache, Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), and Social Determinations of Health (SDOH). These codes became effective on October 1, 2021.
Q/A: What do I Need to Document for Periodic Adjustments on a Medicare Patient?
By Evan Gwilliam DC MBA BS CPC NCICS CCPC CCCPC CPC-I MCS-P CPMA | Published July 22nd, 2019
Question:
What type of documentation is required for a Medicare patient with degenerative joint disease who get adjusted once or twice a month for occasional flare-ups of the D. J. D. region? The noted adjustments give good relief of the patient's symptoms.
Answer:
There is no question that these adjustments would be considered ...
Electrical Stimulation and Electromagnetic Therapy Devices
By Raquel Shumway | Published May 13th, 2019 - Last Review/Update May 20th, 2019
Electrical Stimulation and Electromagnetic Therapy Devices can be used for pain, muscle atrophy, help spinal cord injuries, treat symptoms caused by other medical conditions and can be used in the treatment of wounds. This Regence BC/BS article lists codes and devices and gives guidance on coding from Medicare Advantage viewpoint.
By By Evan M. Gwilliam, DC MBA BS CPC CCPC CPC-I QCC MCS-P CPMA CMHP AAPC Fellow Clinical Director, PayDC Chiropractic EHR Software President, Gwilliam Consulting LLC drgwil@gmail.com | Published April 22nd, 2019
Chiropractic is unique from other types of health care and auditors need to be aware of the nuances of this field. Chiropractic has become the focus of more and more audits as doctors seem to struggle to create records that properly support the care provided to the patient throughout the entire episode.
When is 97112 Neuromuscular Re-education Billable?
By Dr. Evan Gwilliam, VP for PayDC | Published March 13th, 2018 - Last Review/Update January 31st, 2019
Q: I just received a note from an attorney regarding a patient who was rear ended about 40 mph and ended up with neuropathy in her upper and lower extremities. We treated her for about 3 months after previous care failed to give much relief. I used flexion distraction and deep muscle stimulation to break up adhesions from the injury and used the 97112 code of neuromuscular re-education. The insurance company said that code was not warranted for her spinal sprain diagnosis and denied all of the services. Do you know how I could justify it? It greatly improved her condition with each visit and the patient said we provided the greatest relief she received.
By Wyn Staheli, Director of Content | Published February 1st, 2018
There has been some controversy over the use of the ICD-10-CM subluxation codes commonly referred to as traumatic (S13.1-, S23.1-, and S33.1-). Are they appropriate for chiropractors to use? The answer to that question is complicated. The problem basically lies in the lack of official guidance and differing opinions on ...
By Christine Woolstenhulme, QCC, QMCS, CPC, CMRS | Published December 12th, 2017
The exact level of the subluxation must be specified in the documentation to substantiate payment of a claim.
You may document the exact bones such as C3, C3 or the area if it implies only certain bones such as the Occipito-atlantal - Occiput, and C1 (Atlas).
C1 is the first vertebra known as the atlas. The axis-form is ...
By Dr Evan Gwilliam | Published May 22nd, 2017 - Last Review/Update January 31st, 2019
What is required for documenting a maintenance visit for a Medicare beneficiary?
Watch this video by Dr. Evan Gwilliam for his thoughts.
ChiroCodeQ&A_maintenance visit from Innoventrum on Vimeo.
ChiroCode Q&A "Maintenance Visit Documentation" With Dr. Evan Gwilliam. https://vimeo.com/208521720
...
By ChiroCode | Published April 28th, 2017 - Last Review/Update January 31st, 2019
Q: An insurer told me that chiropractors cannot bill 99204 or 99214 because those exams "require a level of decision making that would typically only occur in an emergency room." Is this true? Do I have any recourse?
By ChiroCode | Published January 13th, 2017 - Last Review/Update January 31st, 2019
Whiplash Damages in Rear-end Collisions - The Patient’s Dilemma:
The rear-end collision is a major cause of cervical spine injuries which often require treatment by chiropractors and other health care practitioners. Claims adjusters trivialize soft tissue injuries [it’s “only” a sprain or strain] but whiplash is real and so are the damages that come with it.
Understanding and Using Taxonomy Codes to Maximize Reimbursement
By | Published June 9th, 2016
Taxonomy codes are used by insurers as indicators of legal scope of practice. Scope of practice is key to getting reimbursed under the Affordable Care Act or ObamaCare. However, Most providers will only choose one taxonomy code to describe their training. This limits their scope of practice. To maximize scope ...
By | Published February 26th, 2015 - Last Review/Update January 27th, 2017
Director of Communications, ChiroCode
In my 20 years of professional bull riding I have had many highs and lows. There were times when the rankest of bulls couldn’t throw me and times when I couldn’t ride a rocking chair. When in a slump, what always worked for me, and for the ...
By ChiroCode | Published January 26th, 2015 - Last Review/Update January 30th, 2017
Documentation is essential to establishing medical necessity and the level of services provided to the patient. Treatment plans and outcome assessments are crucial elements to thorough documentation.
This page is only a general listing of documentation resources for chiropractic. More thorough and detailed explanations are found in Section D-Documentation in the ...
By | Published November 21st, 2014 - Last Review/Update January 30th, 2017
The Rule of Coding: Service Codes define "what" you do; diagnosis codes define "why" you're doing it. Billing for laser or any other service must be properly defined and supported by both a service code and a diagnoses code.
Coverage for laser, as with any other service, is strictly dependent upon the ...
Conducting a Gap Analysis for Your Documentation & Billing Systems
By Brandy Brimhall, CPC, CMCO, CCCPC, CPCO, CPMA | Published November 17th, 2014 - Last Review/Update January 30th, 2017
What is a Gap Analysis?
A Gap Analysis is a process by which a practice conducts a baseline assessment of the company's coding, billing, operations, and business practices. The objective of a Gap Analysis is to ensure that the practice is in full compliance with applicable legal and ethical requirements. This ...
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November 5th, 2019
Proving Medical Necessity and Functional Improvement
Medicare is required by law to pay for care that is medically necessary. Medicare considers functional improvement to be the primary indicator of medical necessity for chiropractic care. It is up to you, the doctor, to prove functional improvement and medical necessity with your documentation. Dr. Short will show you how to use common practice tools to document functional improvement, medical necessity and maximum medical improvement.
Confusing Codes for Chiropractors - 97110 versus 97112 versus 97530
In this webinar, you'll get a deep dive into three therapeutic procedure codes. Dr. Gwilliam, a chiropractor and certified professional coder, will take you thorough the ins and outs of therapeutic exercises, activities, and neuromuscular reeducation. They will be compared and contrasted with examples to make sure everyone leaves with the confidence to document and bill them correctly.
Chiropractic Manipulative Treatment (CMT) Coding and Documentation (Part 1)
The most used codes in chiropractic are 98940, 98941, 98942, and 98943. In this webinar, Dr. Gwilliam will go over the fundamentals of these codes and make sure you are proficient with them. They probably play a bigger part of your practice than any other code, so it is worth it to make sure you are reporting them correctly. By the end of this presentation you will be able to diagnose, document, and code properly for CMT, as well as avoid common mistakes.
Documenting Diagnoses Like a Peer Reviewer (Part 2)
Chiropractors only use a fraction of the codes available in the ICD-10 code set. But each group of diagnoses have things to teach us based on coding guidelines, objective findings, standards of care, and more. In this presentation Dr. Gwilliam will review the most commonly used diagnoses (by chiros) and make sure you know everything that should be documented in order for a peer reviewer to walk away satisfied.
Documenting Treatment Plan and Goals That Actually WORK - November 20th, 2018
Dr. Friedman will discuss the need to document Treatment Plan and Goals and what we MUST document and what we SHOULD document. He'll also demonstrate how we can do this in the least amount of time and with the least amount of effort.
Medicare continues to increase their efforts to review doctors and recover “overpayments”. This increases the likelihood that your notes will be reviewed and that you will be required to pay money back to Medicare. In this webinar Dr. Short will show you:
Why you should appeal every adverse decision.
How to appeal adverse decisions.
What information you need in your documentation for an effective appeal.
How to structure your appeals to be most effective.
When an outsider looks at your records, you want them to easily find exactly what they are looking for. Let ICD-10 codes guide you as you choose the words to use in the Diagnostic Statement in your initial encounter. Don't assume a reviewer can interpret your clinical findings. Spell it out for them. Dr. Gwilliam, ICD-10 guru and all around good guy, will show you how to do that is this webinar.
X-Ray and the Evidenced Based Practice: How DC’s Can Demonstrate the Need for X-Rays
Learn:
Improve Patient Outcomes and Satisfaction with X-Rays
Increase Practice Profits Using Research Studies
Incorporate Biomechanical Measurements in Your Patient Communications
Neuromuscular Reeducation, Massage Therapy - Proper Use, Documentation and Coding
In this webinar, Dr. Howard Levinson (Forensic Consultant) will address the erroneous use and billing of Neuromuscular Reeducation, Massage Therapy and Hydrotherapy in chiropractic clinics. He will offer strategies regarding how these services may be used appropriately in the chiropractic setting and provide documentation and coding information.
In this webinar, Dr. Friedman will discuss how the Assessment may be the most misunderstood aspect of our documentation and how we can document it properly and quickly so it shows how the patient is progressing with care.
In this webinar, we are going to discuss what a Chart Review is, why it's mandatory, YOUR benefits to conducting our outsourcing a Chart Review along with the general steps for preparing, performing and properly documenting a Chart Review and its findings. Also, learn what to do post Chart Review - what your next steps should be and how to prioritize.
In this presentation, Dr. Gwilliam, a widely renowned auditor and coder, will reveal to you the references he and other auditors use when reviewing your claims and documentation. These include coding books, Medicare guidelines, and private payor policies. Buckle up for a wild ride.
The KEY to EXCEPTIONAL Documentation in the LEAST Amount of Time
Dr. Friedman has been practicing for 31 years and has been teaching documentation, performing record reviews and IMEs and helping doctors with board issues and malpractice complaints for years. With all of this experience in the documentation world, Dr. Friedman has discovered the one common denominator that can help us document exceptionally well in much less time. This one common denominator, if documented properly, will work for every kind of patient, including Medicare and personal injury. This ONE thing might just be the key to unlocking the treasure.
Time for a little refresher. You might think you know ICD-10 now that it has been around for a while. The guidelines teach which codes go first, how certain key words are defined, and ensure that you submit the right information on your claim forms. This webinar will be taught by Dr. Evan Gwilliam who helped write ChiroCode's ICD-10 book and is a certified ICD-10 instructor.
In this webinar, we're going to go back to the fundamentals and allow you to evaluate your own over-the-counter collections systems and immediately implement one or more steps for improvement, making a difference in your cash flow, starting now.
The Most Expensive Documentation Mistakes Chiropractors Make
Notes need to give payers the information they need in order to adjudicate your claims. Do your notes include what they need to see? Can you standardize and simplify your note taking process to decrease your administrative burden? In this webinar, Dr. Gwilliam, Certified Coder, Certified Professional Medical Auditor, and Clinical Director for PayDC Chiropractic EHR Software, will show you how to make it easy. He will review examples and boost your confidence that you are doing things correctly.
Coding and Documenting Physical Therapy Treatment Modalities
Presented by Evan Gwilliam DC MBA BS CPC NCICS CCPC CCCPC CPC-I MCS-P CPMA May 22nd, 2018 Tuesday @ 10:15 AM PT, 11:15 AM MT, 12:15 PM CT, 1:15 PM ET Ever wonder how to get paid for that e-stim or ultrasound? Do payers give you a hard time and ...
How to Handle High Deductibles, Cash Plans and Pre-Pays
In this webinar, Dr. Marty Kotlar (certified coding and compliance expert) will discuss how to handle high deductibles, pre-pays, discounts, hardships and in-network vs. out-of- network care plans. Learn what the OIG is looking for when it comes to discounts and offering free services.
Proving Medical Necessity and Functional Improvement
Medicare is required by law to pay for care that is medically necessary. Medicare considers functional improvement to be the primary indicator of medical necessity for chiropractic care. It is up to you, the doctor, to prove functional improvement and medical necessity with your documentation. Dr. Short will show you how to use common practice tools to document functional improvement, medical necessity and maximum medical improvement. You will learn:
-What is Medicare’s definition of medical necessity.
-What does Medicare’s determination of Medical Necessity mean to your care plan.
-How to prove medical necessity.
-How to report this information to Medicare.
-How to determine Maximum Medical Improvement.
Documentation Mistakes that Can De-value your Personal Injury Case
Don't make mistakes that will cost you money. In this presentation Dr. Gwilliam will show you how to avoid documentation errors that attorneys and IMEs can use to decrease the value of your personal injury case. Learn how to show medical necessity through the codes you assign and support it properly in the documentation. Create goals that tell the story and establish the need for care. Avoid cloned records. All this and more in this fun-filled presentation.
Proving Medical Necessity and Functional Improvement
Medicare is required by law to pay for care that is medically necessary. Medicare considers functional improvement to be the primary indicator of medical necessity for chiropractic care. It is up to you, the doctor, to prove functional improvement and medical necessity with your documentation. Dr. Short will show you how to use common practice tools to document functional improvement, medical necessity and maximum medical improvement. You will learn:
What is Medicare’s definition of medical necessity.
How to prove medical necessity.
How to report this information to Medicare.
How to determine Maximum Medical Improvement.
Earlier this year the Medicare Administrative Contractors revised their Local Coverage
Determinations. There are some changes that will affect how you document your Medicare
visits. Medicare requires that you have a treatment plan with measurable goals. The treatment plan also serves the purpose of providing you and your patient with a roadmap of care. In this
webinar Dr. Short will show you:
What specific elements Medicare requires in each treatment plan.
How to use common clinical tools to develop effective treatment plans.
Why the treatment plan is critical to proving medical necessity and overall patient care.
This webinar will give you practical information that you can apply in your office the next day.
You can obtain the notes for this webinar by subscribing to my e-mail updates at http://www.chiromedicare.net/mailing-list- signup/ or by following the link provided in my e-
mail update. They will be available by the Monday prior to the webinar presentation.
In this webinar, Dr. Gwilliam will go over code updates for 2018. He will show you some new ways to look at Episodes of Care, which is critical for Medicare. You'll learn how to use self audit checklists to make sure you survive the inevitable third party audit. Confession: This webinar is really just a pitch for all of the cool new things we are adding to the 2018 DeskBook, which will be released in October. We will give you the low down on what you need to be successful next year.
The New Local Coverage Determinations and What They Mean to You
Earlier this year the Medicare Administrative Contractors revised their Local Coverage Determinations. There are some changes that will affect how you document your Medicare
visits.
In this webinar, Dr. Ron Short will explain the changes to the Local Coverage Determinations and how to utilize them in your practice.
You will learn:
What has changed and how it will affect you
What has stayed the same
How to document Medicare Visits
How to Document Subsequent Visits for Medicare and Everyone Else REALLY REALLY FAST Without Driving Yourself Crazy in the Process
Everyone seems to want to know how to document WELL, but FAST. Dr. Friedman will explain and demonstrate how this is not only POSSIBLE to do for Medicare, but for everyone else, too. We just need to find that ONE format of documentation that will work for EVERYONE, so there's ONE LESS THING for us to think about. Believe it or not, Medicare has actually made it EASY for us to document well and fast. Dr. Friedman will take you through the steps, from his perspective of practicing for more than 30 years and from reviewing records, performing IMEs and teaching documentation seminars nationally for years
In this special webinar for the Kentucky Association of Chiropractors, we will review the latest evidence available about effective care plans for chiropractors. More information is found in Chapter 4.5 of the 2017 ChiroCode DeskBook, which is all about creating care plans that are evidence-based and focused on measurable goals. Proper care plans still allow the doctor to take care of patients based on their clinical skill, but also show medical necessity to outsiders. This presentation is based on an updated article published last year, and available free here: http://www.jmptonline.org/article/S0161-4754(15)00184-0/fulltext
In this webinar, Dr. Friedman will discuss the initial new patient exam and how it doesn't do what we THINK it does for our documentation. He'll also discuss what establishes the NEED to begin care and justifies the NEED to continue care. Understanding this concept is CRITICAL for ALL patients, regardless who is paying for the care.
In this webinar, get a sneak peak at how ChiroCode audits a typical evaluation encounter. Do you document functional loss? Are you using outcome assessment tools appropriately? Does your treatment plan include measurable goals? Do you document complicating factors? Answer all these questions and more in this action-packed half hour with Dr. Gwilliam.
Chapter 4.3 - Evaluations 3: Diagnosis and Treatment plans
Let Dr. Gwilliam, ChiroCode's Vice President, walk you through the rest of Chapter 4.3 on documenting for evaluations and re-evaluations. This is part 3 of 3.
...
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