Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/59015
6 News BY LIZ BEAULIEU, Editor BALTIMORE – The implementation date for ICD-10 may be up in the air, but home medical equipment providers should be familiarizing themselves with these new codes, anyway, industry consultants say. At the very least, providers should be reviewing the "general equivalency mappings" or GEMs that CMS has already posted to its website that roughly translate ICD-9 codes to ICD-10 codes, they say. "I think we're all underestimat- ing the vastness of where this will touch our daily processes," said The Provider with the Best Technology Wins! To win in today's changing environment requires powerful & innovative solutions. That's where we come in. Fastrack's integrated technology, software & services ensure that providers have the right tools to improve cash flow, increase productivity and enhance patient satisfaction. To obtain a competitive advantage, call us at 1-800-520-2325 or visit us on the web: www.onlyfastrack.com Wireless Warehouse Automation ________________________________ Routing Optimization of Delivery Vehicles ________________________________ Data Mining ________________________________ Document Storage/Fax _______________________________ Referral Management Web Portal _______________________________ e-Commerce Storefront _______________________________ Touch Screen Point of Sale w/Credit Card Processing Fastrack offers a complete software solution for HME, Infusion Pharmacy & Homecare Agencies! 1-800-520-2325 info@fastrk.com www.onlyfastrack.com MEDTRADE BOOTH 1637 SaaS (Internet Hosted) or License the Software to run on your in-house server. Andrea Stark, a reimbursement consultant with MiraVista, of the 78,000 or so new codes. "ICD-10 is a complete revamp." CMS announced in February that it plans to postpone the Oct. 1, 2013, implementation date for ICD-10, a new set of codes that have up to seven digits vs. ICD-9's WWW.HMENEWS.COM / APRIL 2012 / HME NEWS ICD-10: Stick your toe in the water five digits, making it more specific and more diagnosis-driven. Some of the things industry consultants say providers should be making plans for: transition- ing their active and incoming sales orders to the new codes; updating all of their pre-populated forms to accommodate the new codes; making sure their billing software incorporates the new codes; and re-familiarizing themselves with local coverage determinations or LCDs that will likely be tweaked to reflect the new codes. Industry consultants say a good way for providers to kick off their ICD-10 efforts is to attend a webi- nar or seminar on the topic. "Providers should enroll their billing and coding staff in some classes to understand how the new codes work," said Sylvia Toscano, owner of Professional Medical Administrators. "That way they can better work with referral sources to make sure they have the correct coding that best describes the patient's condition." As with any change this big, pro- viders should expect a few bumps along the way, but this too shall pass, industry consultants say. "Some are starting to look at it now and I'm hearing some grum- bles," said Bruce Brothis, president of Allegient Billing & Consulting. "They're going to hate it at first, but they're going to like it down the road, because it's so much more specific." HME HOGAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 providers must know about over- payments, according to Hogan. HOW TO IDENTIFY THEM Hogan says there are three main ways that providers can identify overpayments: through actual knowledge, through some kind of tip, or through compliance programs. "If you know of an overpay- ment, you have a duty to inves- tigate and identify the magnitude of the overpayment. Once the overpayment is identified, within 60 days, it needs to be returned with reporting protocols." IT'S A BALANCING ACT Hogan says when providers dis- cover an overpayment, they often struggle with what to do. They're unsure "how deep they have to dig" into the matter, she said. "There could be a significant refund to the government," Hogan said. "So you're balancing eco- nomic interests with regulatory requirements." THINGS WILL NEVER BE PERFECT Hogan says because providers will never be able to eliminate all errors, having an effective compli- ance program in place is a must. "How could you eliminate the error of a doctor not keeping the proper documentation? You don't have control over their record keeping," she said. "But you can have a policy in place whereby you randomly audit the files from the doctor. These types of policies are not going to eliminate all errors, but they do tend to reduce the number of times they will hap- pen." HME