Listserv Lately 3
by Margie Vaught, CPC, PCE , CCS-P, MCS-, ACS-OR, CPC-H
Because our regular columnist Suzan Hvizdash was on vacation last week we decided to reprint this very important post from Margie Vaught:
Hey the proposed fee schedule came out August 8th and it is scary guys...
Here is where you can send comments -- PLEASE everyone have your physicians send comments:
You may submit comments in one of three ways (no duplicates, please):
1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on specific issues in this regulation to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/regulations/ecomments.
(Attachments should be in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or Excel; however, we prefer Microsoft Word.)
2. By mail. You may mail written comments (one original and two copies) to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS–1502–P, P.O. Box 8017, Baltimore, MD 21244–8017.
Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received before the close of the comment period.
3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments (one original and two copies) to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS–1502–P, Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850.
4. By hand or courier. If you prefer, you may deliver (by hand or courier)your written comments (one original and two copies) before the close of the comment period to one of the following addresses:
Room 445–G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201;
or 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850.
If you intend to deliver your comments to the Baltimore address, please call telephone number (410) 786–7197 in advance to schedule your arrival with one of our staff members.
(Because access to the interior of the HHH Building is not readily available to persons without Federal Government identification, commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in the CMS drop slots located in the main lobby of the building. A stamp-in clock is available for persons wishing to retain a proof of filing by stamping in and retaining an extra copy of the comments being filed.) Comments mailed to the addresses indicated as appropriate for hand or courier delivery may be delayed and received after the comment period.
Submission of comments on paperwork requirements. You may submit comments on this document’s paperwork requirements by mailing your comments to the addresses provided at the end of the ‘‘Collection of Information Requirements’’ section in this document.
This is why:
The casting supplies that they are now going to go back and bundle them back into the surgical codes.
If this happens it is going to be harder and harder to get reimbursed for the over-head expenses. Right now many of the private carriers are starting to use the Q codes and if they are deleted this will again leave Orthos losing money big time on casting supplies.
Here is the URL for the proposed changes and if you down load and then go to master and find and word 'casting' you will find this section..
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/physicians/pfs/default.asp
Here is what it says:
"For this reason, it is imperative that the relevant medical societies review the “Direct Practice Expense Inputs” on our website at www.cms.hhs.gov/physicians/pfs (under the supporting documents for the 2006 proposed rule) and provide us with feedback regarding the appropriateness of the type and amount of casting and splinting supplies. We are also requesting specific information about the amount of casting supplies needed for the 10-day and 90-day global procedures, because these supplies may not be required at each follow-up visit; therefore, the number of follow-up visits may not reflect the typical number of cast changes required for each service.
The following cast and splint supplies have been reincorporated as direct inputs: fiberglass roll, 3 inch and 4 inch; cast padding, 4 inch; webril (now designated as cast padding, 3 inch); cast shoe; stockingnet/stockinette, 4 inch and 6 inch; dome paste bandage; cast sole; elastoplastroll; fiberglass splint; ace wrap, 6 inch; and kerlix (now designated as bandage, kerlix, sterile, 4.5 inch) and malleable arch bars. The cast and splint supplies have been added to the following CPT codes: 23500 through 23680, 24500 through 24685, 25500 through 25695, 26600 through 26785, 27500 through 27566, 27750 through 27848, 28400 through 28675, and 29000 through 29750."
You all know that I hate math... but doing simple math of 10 casts per week, offices could be losing $1000 per month in just supplies. And in the budget neutral RVU rules how are they going to increase the RVUs for these codes without decreasing the value of other surgical codes.