by Tahlia Brody, CHP, VP of Customer Service TLD Systems
February 02, 2021
By tahlia@tldsystems.com
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in order to be HIPAA Compliant, you must maintain a "Culture of Compliance" at your office. This can include keeping your software up-to-date, regular required training and addressing risks that pose to your office. This month we address Phishing Emails, Battery Backups and Proper Disposal of Copiers/Printers/Fax Machines
Amidst all of the other events in Washington DC in January, a law was passed that amended the HIPAA Regulations. . The amendment requires the department of Health and Human Services to take certain items into account during a HIPAA investigation. The text of the bill reads as follows:
“Based on your experience with the new E/M guidelines, is it possible and appropriate for a podiatrist to bill a level 4 or 5 if the documentation is supported? These higher levels have always been taboo (especially level 5). Some patients are at a higher risk with diabetes, chronic non-healing ulcers and wounds etc. Some patients need amputations. Based on the documentation, I believe achieving these higher levels is possible.”
“I often provide wound care for hospice patients and append the GW modifier. However, I recently read that it would be hard to defend this as the wound(s) and wound process is likely related to the patient being deconditioned and malnourished due to their hospice qualifying condition. I am looking for clarification regarding this, should I stop performing wound care services to hospice patients?”