doctor? That locum tenens can serve as that doctor in those restricted visits, is that not correct? Yeah, locum tenens is a very specific issue, where the doctor is on vacation, sabbatical, maybe out with an illness. Medicare will allow that locum tenens doctor to come in and literally just bill as that doctor.
Dr. Sam:
Dr. Stu:
Right the next question …
Dr. Sam:
I [inaudible 00:51:14] special modifier that goes on that claim [inaudible 00:51:17]. What that indicates to Medicare is that there is a locum tenens, so you can have someone do that but that doctor also has to be a registered provider for Medicare. Non- Medicare provider could never treat even in a locum tenens. A locum tenens, fantastic, but that doctor too must be a registered Medicare provider, par, non-par as well. That's important and I think that the doctors need to be very aware of that because these are areas that doctors get into trouble with Medicare and just because the owner doctor says, “Well, we've done it this way forever,” well we can be speeding every day forever too, it only matters when you get caught. Right is right and wrong is wrong, but what about a doctor hiring maybe a new doctor, brand-new out of school, even if they go through the process, it does take time to get a new provider up and going with Medicare. How would they address that? Well, they can address that. Now, first of all that new provider that comes in can certainly just immediately register for Medicare. It does take about 90 days from the date you send it to you get back, but what Medicare will allow you to do is 30 days from the date that you've been approved, they will allow you to back bill. You would be okay because you've got really a 120, considering that 90 days. In the interim, remember the manipulation must be performed by the Medicare provider. Could that staff person that other doctor potentially do a therapy, do some of the exam, some of those types of things, certainly, but the adjustment would have to be by the Medicare provider, but if they've applied to Medicare, they will have a 30 day window to back bill from the date that they sent their application on those patients. They will be okay in doing so. They would just have to hold the billing until they get their Medicare number. What about the doctors that use an outside billing company? Sometimes, I feel like they believe that if they bill it, I'm not responsible, as opposed to the fact that what we've always shared with the doctors is, “Hey, if it's going out under your name that is your responsibility and your license [inaudible 00:53:31].” Well, I certainly think billing services can be a nice asset to an office. It's someone that probably has a better knowledge of certain types of codes and could be helpful. However, my one concern is and I hate to say this in this way because some people who have billing services will be upset with me, but I'm always concerned because a person could have a billing services and billing service has a vested interest in billing for more services because they generally are taking a percentage, which is another issue Medicare doesn't necessarily like, but that's for another portion, but nonetheless that
Dr. Stu:
Dr. Sam:
Dr. Stu:
Dr. Sam:
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online