 By Susan Gatehouse, RHIT, CCS, CPC, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer Eligible healthcare facilities have begun to recover lost revenue from COVID care for uninsured patients through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Provider Relief Fund. However, with benefits subject to funding limitations, and the recently proposed removal of an additional $25 billion from the Provider Relief Fund, organizations without efficient processes in place may find themselves at a disadvantage. Implementing swift, proactive remedies may help ensure claims reimbursement while available.
0 Comments
 By Susan Gatehouse, RHIT, CCS,CPC, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer Released Aug. 4, the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) proposed rule for 2021 would eliminate the Medicare inpatient-only list of services while increasing the number of Ambulatory Service Center (ASC)-eligible procedures. The rule would also increase 340B payment cuts, and looks to overhaul the hospital star-rating system.
 Axea's CEO, Susan Gatehouse was featured in a recent article published by Analytics Insight – "The 10 Most Influential Women in Technology 2020".
Analytics Insight celebrates inspiring women leaders, spotlighting forward-thinking women technologists. The piece provides a collection of interviews highlighting some of the most influential women leaders in business today, and their different perspectives on disruptive technologies affecting their industry.  By Susan Gatehouse, RHIT, CCS, CPC, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer With concerns of COVID-19 having a disproportionate impact on certain individuals, such as minorities and the elderly, public health experts are requiring more detailed data, provided on a real-time basis – further supporting the reliability and integrity of data being central to healthcare.
Reexamining Internal Compliance Plans as Relaxed Regulations Recede amid COVID-19 Mitigation6/9/2020  By Susan Gatehouse, RHIT, CCS, CPC, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer While we continue to remain amid a pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has not skipped a beat in pressing forward with their plan for addressing potentially fraudulent activity associated with COVID 19 billing.
The current administration has funneled a tremendous amount of money into healthcare systems. It will not be long before they take steps to ensure that the funds were appropriated as intended.  By Susan Gatehouse, RHIT, CCS, CPC, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer Waivers, modifiers, lab tests, multiple diagnosis codes…the layers and specifics of COVID-19 coding cannot be overlooked when ensuring appropriate reimbursement and safeguarding claims against third-party payer audits.
As hospitals and healthcare organizations begin to assess the required steps necessary to prepare for the transition back to a pre-COVID-19 operating environment, apart from timelines and state and local guidelines, much still needs to be examined to establish stability.  By Susan Gatehouse, RHIT, CCS, CPC, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer Managing the after-effects of coding and billing as COVID-19 cases start to move through an organization’s billing cycle, while maintaining up-to-date information, could prove challenging.
 By Susan Gatehouse, RHIT, CCS, CPC, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer In a featured article published by ICD10 Monitor News, Axea's CEO Susan Gatehouse discusses the importance of understanding the different components of the methodology used to support the projections for “Flattening the Curve” on COVID-19 cases.
Statistical models provided by The Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) illustrate the timing of the approaching peak of coronavirus cases and deaths. As healthcare professionals, what can we decipher from this data to effectively use to identify issues and manage and treat patients?  As we look to the future, there is hope for positive change to come from the COVID-19 pandemic. The vulnerabilities that are certain to be exposed in our health system from this unprecedented event may help to assist in heightening focus on Social Determinants of Health, (SDoH), to prevent mass spread of disease, unnecessary loss of lives, and ultimately address global health inequities.
 BY SUSAN GATEHOUSE, RHIT, CCS, CPC, AHIMA-APPROVED ICD-10/PCS TRAINER Think that coding for emergency department encounters is a straightforward proposition? Well, think again.
Much is demanded of ED coders, including the ability to quickly interpret key elements in physician documentation and make accurate code assignments — all while meeting lofty productivity expectations. Missteps in the fast-paced, high-volume ED environment can lead to significant impacts on billing, reimbursements, and even patient care. |
