According to Dr. Denneny, CMS is allowing Medicare Part B contractors, with whom some practices may contract, to interpret this and other modifications proposed in the transmittal. It is important therefore that physicians and practices contact their Medicare contractors to see how the contractors will interpret some of these modifications. Dr. Denneny said that the academy is attempting to contact each contractor on this issue as well.
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November 2008Advocacy Urged
Given the concern over the restriction on the use of technicians, along with other modifications posed in the new regulations, panel members at the miniseminar urged participants to get involved in urging needed changes to the regulations. One suggestion was for members to use the advocacy system on the AAO-HNS Web site to contact their congressional representatives. This can be found at www.entnet.org/Practice/members/Advocacy.cfm.
Despite repeated attempts at trying to get CMS to rescind-or at least delay-the implementation of the transmittals, no response has yet been given by CMS. However, Dr. Denneny still thinks there is a chance that we’ll get an audience after the election.
In the meantime, the panel urged members to understand and implement the new regulations immediately.
If practices fail to follow the transmittals and are audited, they could lose payment received and perhaps be fined, said Linda Ayers. CMS and Medicare contractors are acutely aware that audiological services are typically performed by audiologists or technicians, and regular billing of audiological services by a physician would be a red flag for an audit.
It would definitely be considered fraud because you are billing under the name of a provider who did not provide the service, she added.
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©2008 The Triological Society
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