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Coding and Billing Strategies


Medicare Physician Pay to Remain at Same Rate, Cuts Delayed

As in previous years, a delay to the planned 2010 Medicare physician payment cut has been delayed. Under the Sustainable Growth Rate formula (SGR), a 21.2 percent cut would have gone into effect on January 1. CAFP is one of the many organizations urging Congress to scrap the SGR altogether and come up with a more representative way to address growth. Congress now has an additional two months to explore options.  Your Academy will keep you informed as this issue moves forward. More information is available here.

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Need the latest Coding and Payment information? Ensure you and your staff know all the ins and outs of new, edited and deleted CPT codes for so you get paid fully and fairly for the care you provide.

Helping family physicians receive fair payment for the services they provide is a CAFP goal. Appropriate coding and billing are essential strategies for every family medicine practice. Take advantage of the excellent materials CAFP has developed on coding and billing and watch for announcements about coding and billing seminars and conference calls to further educate you and your staff on this essential practice management skill.

 

*NEW* Click here to view the 2010 supplement for coding and billing

 

Strategies for Coding, Billing and Getting Paid Appropriately - 2nd Edition

CAFP recently produced the second edition of our popular coding monograph to assist family physicians with an essential component of your day-to-day existence: coding and billing for the services you provide. Coding appropriately and accurately is essential regardless of practice setting or size. We hope you will find this to be a useful overview and an updated set of guidelines for use in your practice.

We suggest that you share this update with your entire staff. Written by coding expert Mary Jean Sage, the second edition includes 2008 updates which touch on many aspects of your practice's reimbursement management and are likely to have a positive impact on your bottom line.

Strategies for Coding, Billing and Getting Paid Appropriately:
CME Post-Test & Evaluation
This activity has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 4 Prescribed credit hours by the American Academy of Family Physicians.  Term of approval is for two-years from beginning distribution date of 1/31/2008, with option for yearly renewal.

To obtain CME credit, please complete the entire form and fax to 415-345-8668 or mail to 1520 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94109.

Guide to Responding to New Medicare Audit Program

Physicians in California, Florida and New York have been selected to participate in a demonstration project whereby the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will use Recovery Audit Contractors to dig deeper into physician records than agency contractors typically do now. Will you be ready to respond to a request from one of these contractors? Will you know what to do if either over-or under-payments are found? Use this quick guide to assess your readiness and response.