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FootZine,
Volume 85 |
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It is hard to believe that two
weeks have come and gone since the last issue of FootZine,
as the email has been "fast and furious"!
This issue will consist entirely of letters, and I
will share with you part of the behind-the-scenes
activity surrounding some of them. These
recent weeks have illustrated the best part of
having such a forum available. Thanks for
being part of it! ~ Gayle *_* "Man's brain may be compared to an electric battery...a group of electric batteries will provide more energy than a single battery." - Napoleon Hill *_*
*_* Letters
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From: Mary Measere: Training in Coding / Coding for Cast Boots (Volume 84) Hi Gayle, I saw several question from Nicole in Teaneck, NJ, about Medicare billing. If you would forward my email address I would be happy to help her out with any questions she may have. I have been billing podiatry claims for many years and it is always helpful to have someone you can call and ask when problems arise. Thanks, Mary Mease Main Street Foot & Ankle Toms River, NJ *_* *_* *_* From: Carla-Ruth Poma re: Training in Coding / Outsourcing Office Billing (Volume 84) I have two responses to questions. First for Nicole, run to your Medicare website and find out when they are having training sessions in your area. Second do the same for your local BC-BS plan. Medicare can't afford to send someone out to train each individual office. Look to your local or state Podiatry Association to help you get started in billing the right way. Second to Dr. Prado, we are a full service billing company. I have been doing podiatry billing for over 20 years. Please give me a call to discuss your billing needs. If you also would like to check the HBMA (HealthCare Billing and Management Association) website at www.hbma.com look under Find a Biller you can locate a quality billing service that is ethical, HIPAA compliant, ANSI compliant and dedicated to serve your billing needs. Thanks Gayle, Carla-Ruth Poma Michigan Medical Billing Specialists, Inc. MMBSINC@AOL.COM Web site: MMBSINC.COM 248-446-9622 or toll free 866-446-MMBS(6627) *_* *_* *_* From: Lynn Homisak, PRT re: Loretta Allen: Seminars in the South or Midwest (Volume 83) Loretta, I can offer additional information re: upcoming assistant meetings. The American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management (AAPPM) is participating in (or sponsoring) the following programs in your area. Hope you can attend one! * Assistant AND joint doctor/assistant program - September 24-26, 2004, Special SOS Healthcare Management Solutions presentation, Grand Casino, Biloxi Mississippi. Contact: Barbara Haik (dezthecat@yahoo.com) for more information. * Iowa Podiatric Medical Society Annual Conference, Assistant Program, weekend of October 8-9, 2004, Special SOS Healthcare Management Solutions presentation, Embassy Suites Hotel, Des Moines, IA. Contact: Laurie Spencer: (rbspencer@cecnet.net) for more information. * Michigan Podiatric Medical Association, "Re-Charge Your Batteries", October 9-10, 2004, Somerset Inn, Troy Michigan. Contact: (800) 968-MPMA for more information. * AAPPM's Fall Practice Management Workshop for doctors and assistants, October 22-24, 2004, Lago Mar Resort, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Contact: info@aappm.com or visit our website @ www.aappm.com for more information * Tennessee Podiatric Medical Association Assistants' Program and AAPPM Joint doctor/assistant program- November 19-20, Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel, Nashville, TN. Contact Gary Odom, Executive Director, (615) 353-0046 for more information. Please feel free to contact me for a listing of programs for next year if these meetings do not fit in your schedule. Thanks for your interest! Lynn Homisak, PRT LynnPRT@msn.com SOS Healthcare Management Solutions, LLC Trustee, American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management *_* *_* *_* From: Edith, PMAC re: Wages for a Certified Podiatric Assistant Dear Gayle, This is my first time writing, however, I have been reading FootZine for awhile. Thank you for providing this newsletter for the assistants. It is great. My question is regarding wages for certified podiatric assistants in the Chicago vicinity. I would like to find out how much do the podiatric assistants earn per hour and what responsibilities does their job encompass. Also, how much do certified assistants who do billing earn? If someone can let me know, I would really appreciate it. Thank You, Edith, PMAC *_* *_* *_* From: Gretchen Carter, DPM re: Coding and Billing Frustrations Hi Gayle, This is a great site and I'm glad that I stumbled upon it. I'm new to this forum and I've come here to basically find out how to be paid accurately for the services I render and while reviewing this site I am very disheartened by coming to the realization that reimbursement is a puzzle to be solved in the terms of "Correct Coding" which may or may not apply to one payor or the other or one month to the next. In my opinion podiatry is podiatry is podiatry! It's a specialty, what is there for change, it's like the 8th wonder of the world, what is the big secret?! Why is being paid so difficult for procedures carried out on a daily [basis]... repetitively that are not newly invented? Why are there different opinions of what works in terms of coding and what doesn't with many comments from the same state regarding the same codes? Am I wrong in my views by feeling that I am being taken advantage of as a professional in regards to services rendered for my patients or am I not doing something correctly, I am struggling financially and trying to stay afloat while repaying student loans and maintaining an office. The majority of my patients are Medicare with DM and/or PVD and the cost to run my office and repay student loan debt far exceeds patient reimbursement. I have the patient base which ranges from office, bed bound, hospice as well as assisted living visits but claim denials will force me to shut my doors by months end if I don't gain control. I evaluate "ALL" of my patients on "EVERY" visit in the realm of limb salvage, preservation and if any additional complaints they may have, regardless if paid or not because I'm sure I'll have to pay if something is missed and causes insult or limb loss. Therefore, I try to prevent mishaps "BEFORE" occurring rather than treating them "WHEN" or "AFTER" they occur so many visits are based on what I know and not what I do. And here I am, I find myself 5 years later with a patient base of at no less than 900 actively strong with all of their toes remaining intact just as they were upon their initial visit and I have also had to refuse only a few new patients on referral from friends or their family because of my workload. And all for what, approximately 30 bucks after documenting 1 or 2 pages of every encounter following a 15-25 min in office visit or traveling to their place of residence and sucking up mounds of nail dust, contacting pharmacies, writing additional letters and/or referrals, speaking to caregivers and family members and physicians, giving away (not by choice) paddings and strapping material. I would not want to be anything professionally other than a podiatrist and it is a privilege to be in this profession and I am proud to be a part of it and I would love to do more professionally but I can't afford it because it's difficult just trying to live, but hopefully one day someone will have the answers in simple English, How can we be reimbursed? Bless you all that "GET IT" and truly understand "IT" but if one person could explain it... THEN... I will be impressed. I'm sorry to drop so much at first meeting but I am at my wits end and facing financial disaster here in New Jersey, I've been scouting and reviewing everything I can get my hands on that has been inexpensive or free in regards to coding since January; I've also ordered the correct coding seminar disk from Codingline but unfortunately it won't be available to me for another 2 weeks or so because the sender is on vacation. I don't have 2 weeks to spare and I am in hopes that you can help by forwarding my plea to Dr. Ward in regards to his most common 25 list with procedures and diagnosis which hopefully contain modifiers as well. I am not one to reach out in this manner but I'm lost and being very open and honest. Any information would be greatly appreciated and your speedy response would be priceless. Thank You in Advance, Gretchen H. Carter, DPM *_* Editor's Note *_* Dr. Carter's sense of urgency prompted me to write back to her immediately and then contact others directly, instead of waiting for the usual cycle of publishing her letter and waiting for responses. One of those I contacted was Mary Mease, who had just sent her offer of help for Nicole. I asked Mary if she would mind helping Dr. Carter, too. Sharing her concerns with the FootZine Advisory Board led to other suggestions and contacts for her. Below are a few of the letters that were exchanged, some edited for continuity or length. *_* *_* *_* Hello Dr. Carter, Thanks for your subscription. I'll add you to the FootZine list today. I understand your frustration at coding and billing - it has been a challenge for all of us, and that is why it's important for us to be able to share our resources. I will certainly include your letter in the next issue of FootZine and I'm sure there will be useful responses from the other subscribers. Since you are in New Jersey, I am also going to share your letter with two very knowledgeable NJ doctors who may be able to help you get on track with your concerns. Hal Ornstein and John Guiliana have long experience with the NJ insurance carriers and may be able to help you sort out your claims issues with the local carriers. Dr. Ward, as a trustee of APMA, can no longer comment in this kind of forum, but we do have Dr. Rick Horsman and Dr. Scott Schroeder, who are also very knowledgeable about coding. Thanks again for writing, and do keep in touch, ~ Gayle *_* *_* *_* From: Mary Mease Hey Gayle, NO PROBLEM!!!!! I would be happy to help these guys out. My feeling is - if all of us stuck together and helped each other out, we would all be alot happier and not quite so stressed out. Mary *_* *_* *_* From: Ray Posa, MBA Hello Gayle, I feel her sense of frustration; I have spoken to many Academy members who experience the same thing. ...... The problem is that new practitioners are being sent out into the world prepared to practice medicine and not to run a medical practice. At this weekend’s Mid-West meeting in Chicago we had a chance to talk to about two dozen new practitioners and residents and they are clamoring for billing/coding info. She is differently going to have to make an investment in her practice and spend some money on real training and not rely on just freebies. She needs to join the AAPPM and get involved with the new practitioner group. The conference calls and one-on-one mentoring would be just the ticket for her. The other thing I would recommend is that she purchases MDeSolutions. It is about $300 and is a coding software program that will help her up-code to the maximum legal amount per procedure and will also help her learn coding better. I met Todd Schusterman a few months ago and saw his software program and it really looks like a winner. She can contact him at 1-678-237-0281 x207 or go to www.mdesolutions.com. Another alternative is to use a billing professional like Hoda [Henein]; she can review her [Dr. Carter's] billing and make sure she is billing / coding properly. This will provide a little more hand-holding and may be just what she needs. Any way, her company is Active Management Inc. Her name is Hoda Henein, she is the president. Her address is PO Box 560113 Flushing, NY 11356 Her phone is 800-455-9161 Fax 718-353-3014, and E-mail is hoda@nyc.rr.com Thanks, Ray Raymond F. Posa, MBA Technology Advisor, American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management *_* *_* *_* From: Barry Mullen, DPM .....This is exactly the kind of doctor that I want to help....so Gretchen, if you are listening to this post, kindly e-mail me with what your largest and most pressing issues are regarding inability to receive proper compensation and I'll do my best to help you. ...... Another excellent source is Codingline.com where physicians all across the country contact the site with their billing and coding issues. Since you are in NJ, if a coding seminar is not in your imminent future, we might be able to arrange a crash course for you. I can certainly teach you the basics, as well as the modifiers you will need to get paid properly. I have handouts as well. Let me know what your availability is and we'll see if we can coordinate something. Additionally, if you have a billing department, it might be worth their while to spend 1 day with our staff and see what tactics are used to defeat savvy insurance carriers who look to do anything to delay claims processing. Best regards and hang in there! Barry Mullen, DPM Compliance Advisor, AAPPM *_* *_* *_* From: Gretchen Carter, DPM Hi Gayle & Mary, As I'm sure you both can imagine I've had my nose to the grind stone like no other this entire week following my contact with Mary, but I felt compelled to take a moment to again thank you both. Mary, my situation was critical as stated and time was indeed a factor and you've helped to lift an Orangutan off my back and I am eternally grateful and you did so with such eagerness and ease. Gayle you have made this encounter possible, as well as contact with Dr. Mullen (Compliance Advisor, AAPPM) in order for me to receive additional sources of help whom I hopefully shall be visiting for several days during the last week in August if his schedule permits. Mary, if you can remember our conversation this is one and the same that you made mention of - the AAPPM. …….. Of course all is not done and I'm still awaiting the process of claims submitted (which are now pending) but I do so with new anticipation and an expectation of acceptance, with thanks to you Mary. Opposed to before, I now have so much to look forward to and this is only the beginning for my practice and not its end, as I continue to learn the business aspect of it all. So please know that I am always open to your suggestions and I thank you both and I'll continue to keep you posted on these turn of events. Warmest Regards, Gretchen
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*_*"In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us" - Flora Edwards *_* This is the kind of interaction that I was encouraged to believe could take place when I was first learning about publishing an e-zine. Dr. Alan Sherman painted a picture of a "virtual community" of people involved in podiatry, sharing ideas and information with one another. I am very happy to be involved with this community! Many thanks to Mary, Barry, Ray, John, Hal, Lynn, Barry, Phill and Heather for your help! ~ Gayle
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2004 Gayle S. Johnson. All Rights Reserved. or click
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