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FootZine,
Volume 84 |
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I'm happy to say that lots of
people have found time to share answers or to pose
new questions. Let's get right to
them....... ~ Gayle
*_* Letters
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Regarding: The Question
about Birkenstock Orthotic Sandals (Volume 83)There have been several responses to the question about coding for the Birkenstock "custom orthotic sandals". Most of those who wrote questioned whether there would be any coverage at all for those devices. I have not yet had a reply from the supplier, Langer Biomechanics, to my email and voice mail inquiries about this question. I expect to have more information and will compile the responses for you in a future issue of FootZine. ~ Gayle *_* *_* *_* From: Nicole re: Training in Coding Dear Gayle, I am interested in getting some training in Medicare coding and billing. I work for a one-doctor office and am getting overwhelmed with the denials and zeros I am getting from Medicare. I once heard that someone from Medicare can come to the office for some training. Can you please let me know? Thank you, Nicole Teaneck, NJ *_* *_* *_* From: Sandra Lohrentz, PMAC re: Seminars in the South or Midwest (Volume 83) Gayle, In response to Loretta Allen's question about seminars in the South or Midwest, I would like to offer the following suggestions: The Region Ten meeting in Biloxi, MS will be coming up soon. The dates are September 23-26, 2004 and they usually have an assistant's meeting. Contact Cindy Lonneman at (228) 762-9531. Although the Midwest Podiatry Conference isn't until April 7-10, 2005, it will be worth waiting for. Held in Chicago, it is the largest Assistants' Program in the country. For more suggestions check the Dates to Remember section of the APMA News. Sandra Lohrentz, PMAC *_* *_* *_* From: Sandra Lohrentz, PMAC re: Podiatry Scrubs (Volume 83) Gayle, In reply to the question from Jessica Skeen regarding uniforms with footprints on, several months ago Smart Practice Uniform Catalog had one in it. You can them up on the internet and hopefully you will be able to still find it. Good Luck! Sandra Lohrentz, PMAC *_* Editor's Note *_* I did find the Smart Practice web site and the footprint scrubs Sandra mentioned. The link below is to the main "SmartScrubs" web page. From there, use the search box at the upper left of the page, typing in "footprint". That will take you to a page listing "S.C.R.U.B.S. Basic Top [or jacket or dress] Print", and if you click on any of those items, you can see the print. http://www.smartscrubs.com/ ~ Gayle *_* *_* *_* From: Laura Roehrick RN re: RN Certification for Routine Foot Care Just wanted to let you know that next year there will be a certification test available for RNs who work in the foot and nail discipline. For further information go to wocncb.org click on the "What's new in certification" and then click on the foot and nail certification area. This is going to really change the way routine foot care is provided in this country. I think it is an excellent opportunity to bring the nursing and podiatry professions together. If you have any questions, I am one of the members of the exam committee. Laura Roehrick RN THE FOOT CARE NURSE 3639 Montgomery Dr. Santa Rosa, CA 95405 707/525-1509 *_* Editor's Note *_* You can go directly to http://wocncb.org/whatsnew/footnail.asp for the foot and nail care certification information. ~ Gayle *_* *_* *_* From: Alan Sherman, DPM re: Podiatry Caduceus for Lab Coats Hi Gayle I was wondering if you or any of your readers would know where I can obtain lab coats with a podiatry logo on them? A podiatry Caduceus, or some foot motif would jazz up a lab coat. Currently, we just have our names on the pocket. Maybe whomever responds to Jessica Skeen's question about podiatry scrubs will have an answer to this inquiry as well. Thanks, Alan Sherman, DPM CEO, PRESENT CEO, Future Medical Solutions *_* *_* *_* From: Sheila Roberts re: Certification Testing Gayle, Could you give me a list of times and places of certification testing. Thank you, Sheila Roberts *_* *_* *_* From: David Allen re: Roller Aid is Back Gayle, My name is David Allen and I am the Assistant Product Manager at RollerAid. I stumbled across your web post on footzine and I am pleased to tell you that as of last month the RollerAid has been reintroduced. We are very excited about the new design and as always it pivots in the front! We would love to get some information out to you as soon as possible. Please call us at 1-800-755-0455. You can also visit our website www.rolleraid.com . Spread the word. Hopefully we will hear from you very soon. Sincerely, David Allen *_* *_* *_* From: Barbara Rolfe re: Roll-A-Bout walker Hi, Wonder if you know of any place that would rent this device in the greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin area? Thank you, Barbara Rolfe *_* *_* *_* From: Howard Dinowitz, DPM re: "Mobile Diagnostic Testing" I have recently seen advertisements from some "mobile diagnostic testing" companies who will provide office nerve conduction studies, vascular (venous/arterial) necessitating the podiatrists prescription for the test coupled with a letter of medical necessity. This company will then have a tech come to your office and perform the test ordered. Than have their doctor read and interpret. They do the billing under their name. IN TURN- they offer the doctor a rental fee to utilize the doctors office and staff to aid them with the patient for a fee of $200 per hour. That could add up. Certainly if their is true medical necessity, and they have the latest equipment. BUT-- IS THIS ETHICAL? Could this be construed as kickback, owing to the fact that the remuneration is based on an hourly rate-- and--- coincidentally each test takes about an hour. Could this be an incentive for ordering more and more tests? Or does this sound like a viable way in which a Podiatrist who does not have the latest equipment could provide services for his/her patients in his/her office. ANY THOUGHTS? KINDLY BE FRANK Dr. Howard Dinowitz New Jersey *_* Editor's Note *_* This is a very complex question touching on legal as well as ethical issues, and FootZine cannot offer legal advice. We would therefore urge you to consult an attorney. ~ Gayle *_* *_* *_* From: Mike Prado, DPM re: Outsourcing Office Billing Hi Gayle, As always, I truly enjoy The FootZine. I'm looking to outsource my office billing to HMOs, Medicare etc...Do you have any suggestions? My thanks, Dr. Mike Prado *_* *_* *_* From: Dennis Anderson re: SAS Shoes in Massachusetts Hi Gayle: I received a postcard from SAS about their Factory Shoe Stores! I went all over the Web to find their Website or a link, only found your article on the Walk! How do I find out where the Factory Store in Massachusetts is???? Thanks, Dennis Dennis R. Anderson 19 Humes St. Webster, MA 01570 508-943-3250 *_* "Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow." - Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book *_*
*_* Networking
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Position Available: Receptionist- immediate opening for organized, reliable and intelligent person with experience for a fast paced Podiatry office. Must work well under pressure. This is a great group and very hard working. Excellent benefits. Send Resume: Green Country Podiatry Center ATTN: Office Manager 3627 S. Harvard Tulsa, OK 74135 Fax: 918-747-4866 gcp@gcpod.com *_* *_* *_* Other: Looking to Buy We are looking for a used patient chart file cabinet approximately 7' H,4' W by 12" or 13" deep, metal in good condition with metal chart dividers. Anyone having such to sell could call our office in Seattle 206-525-8869. Appreciate your work very much, Kristi Warnekros Notices of positions wanted or positions available, as well as other "classified" information, are welcome. They are posted at the FootZine web site's Networking page. Have a look at http://www.footzine.com/FZ_6.htm
*_* Crystal-Clear
Coding Q & A *_*
The Question:by Rick Horsman, DPM, and Scott Schroeder, DPM Do you know what Dx codes I can use to bill with L4360 to be reimbursed from Medicare properly? Thank You, Nicole Teaneck, NJ The Answer: L4360 (pneumatic walking boot) and L4386 (non-pneumatic walking boot) have to be billed through DMERC. They cannot be billed through your regular Medicare payor. You must obtain a DMERC provider number. Talk to your local carrier about getting an application for this. They may direct you to the national DMERC payor that covers your area. Codes that have worked in the past have included 917.2, 239.2, 726.90, 755.9, 727.1, 736.72, 726.79, 735.1 & 735.4. In the past DMERC has also covered cast boots for treatment of diabetic ulcers, but recently they have come out saying they are going to be restricting the use for ulcers. Scott Schroeder, DPM Wenatchee, WA Crystal-Clear Coding tips are posted on the FootZine web site on this page: http://www.footzine.com/FZ_C.htm
*_* FootZine
Feeture Article
*_*
This the last in the series
of “Mini-Gems”, taken from the extensive DME and
IOD writings by the late Rich Levin, DPM.
When presenting this information in a lecture, Dr.
Levin included an example of a claim form.
A copy of that sample form is available at the FootZine
web site, and can be accessed from the link at the
bottom of this section. Thanks
again to Dr. Ornstein for making these materials
available for us to share with you.Gems of Practice Management by Hal Ornstein DPM, FACFAS and Lynn Homisak, PRT Orthotic Pearls Orthotics and Medicare: Many podiatrists work under the assumption that Medicare does not reimburse for orthotic devices. Well, this is not true. Medicare, through DMERC, will pay for functional full-length orthotics, with amputee fill, for patients who have had an amputation of their foot or any part of their foot. The reason for the amputation can be due to diabetes, PVD, infection or trauma. You must be enrolled in Medicare and have obtained a Durable Medical Equipment Supplier number to bill code L5000 to DMERC. They only cover the orthotic for the foot with the amputation. I always make the contra lateral foot a functional orthotic as well, but do not bill for it, as I would not want the patient walking about with one orthotic device for all the obvious reasons. The diagnosis code to use when billing L5000 are V49.71 -Amputation of Great Toe, V49.72 - Amputation of lesser digit and V49.73 - Amputation Foot/partial foot. It is important to understand that code L5000 is not to be billed annually for those patients in the Diabetic Shoe Demonstration Program. As with all DME devices, other than wound care products and Diabetic shoes and inserts, they are expected to have a useful life span of five years. If you are dealing with a diabetic patient with an amputation on one foot, who qualifies for shoes and inserts, you can bill for the shoes (2 units) inserts (3 units) and amputation fill orthotic (1 unit). (see sample hcfa form) The following year you can obtain new shoes and inserts for the patient, but not a new amputation fill orthotic. If you have a patient with bilateral amputations, you can bill 2 units of L5000 and your fee will not be reduced for the second device. When you do make an L5000 amputee fill orthotic for a patient it is best to send their shoe with your cast, to your lab of choice, to insure proper fit and fabrication of the amputee fill orthotic device. Dr. Ornstein adds the following notes on Dr. Levin's article: The sample claim shown is for bilateral devices. Generally, the left and the right should be on two separate lines on the claim so that the insurance company does not read it as one unit. Also, with DME items, there is not the 50% reduction for multiple codes that is applied to surgery. They pay 100% of their usual and customary allowance for each item. Here is the link to the sample form. Depending on your connection, this large file may take a minute or more to load: http://www.footzine.com/Levin-sample-form.htm Previous "Gems" can be found on their own pages of the FootZine.com web site, at http://www.footzine.com/FZ_90.htm
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It's been hot enough lately
that even the "solid" chocolate is liquid.
(Guess that's why they make chocolate ice cream!)
If you find a place to escape from the heat, it's
always cool to get some email.... ~ Gayle *_* *_*
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Copyright 2004 Gayle S. Johnson. All Rights Reserved. Gayle S. Johnson |