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Professional Therapy Associates Voices Montana Physical Therapists' Support for Workers' Compensation Reform Bill - December 16, 2011
Montana physical therapists were among the many healthcare professionals to voice support for House Bill (HB) 334, which was designed to reduce Montana's workers' compensation insurance premiums, and which Governor Brian Schweitzer signed into law in April 2011....

PhysicalTherapistSites and SpectraSoft Form Partnership, Providing Resources and Business Solutions for Physical Therapists - December 14, 2011
PhysicalTherapistSites, the authority in delivering website and internet marketing solutions for Physical Therapists, has partnered with SpectraSoft, the best-in-class software for practice management. ...

Medicare Home Health Payments to Fall 2.3% in 2012, U.S. Says - December 13, 2011
Medicare payments to home health agencies such as Amedisys Inc. and Gentiva Health Services Inc. would fall by more than $400 million, or 2.3 percent, in 2012 under a U.S. regulation issued today....

Massachusetts nursing homes feeling the economic pinch - November 17, 2011
Stung by Medicare cuts and the loss of patients paying out-of-pocket, nursing home operators warned a congressman yesterday that their ranks could further thin - providing fewer options for frail residents....

Medicalbillersandcoders.com Caters to Physical Therapy Payment Issues through Expert Billing Services - October 26, 2011
Physical therapy Services have often faced issues while billing for medical reimbursement due to their inherently complex nature as also because they cannot be billed for reimbursement unless medically deemed necessary, making physicians wary of undertaking certain physiotherapy services. Moreover, healthcare providers' intention to stringently scrutinize the patients' eligibility for medical reimbursement does not fully translate into action because of their preoccupation with patient care and other core services. ...

Nursing homes may be getting more expensive - October 24, 2011
Beginning on October 1, 2011, Medicare cut reimbursement to all skilled nursing facilities by an average of 11.1% (by closing loopholes in therapy reimbursement). Feel free to visit the Federal Register for the detailed summary of the final rule....

Care2Learn to Offer Free Therapy Reimbursement Webinar at ADVANCE Virtual Healthcare Conference - October 10, 2011
Online physical therapy CE leader Care2Learn will offer a free 2-hour reimbursement-focused webinar for therapy professionals as part of the ADVANCE virtual healthcare education fair on October 12. ...

Providers Ask Congress to Renew Expiring Medicare Reimbursement Provisions - September 29, 2011
Provider groups Sept. 21 asked Congress to renew expiring Medicare reimbursement policies that carry a price tag of at least $2 billion per year, saying extending the provisions gives them the best chance to continue serving beneficiaries while awaiting broader payment reforms....

Panel Eyes Medicare Pay Policies Set to Expire - September 28, 2011
Congress passed a moratorium on a cap to how much Medicare will pay for outpatient therapy, including physical therapy, speech language pathology, and occupational therapy. Not having the cap costs the program an additional $900 million annually....

Study: Michigan Medicaid costs could rise by $30 million in first year if no-fault bill is approved - September 18, 2011
John Cornack, CEO of the Eisenhower Rehabilitation Center in Ann Arbor and president of the Coalition Protecting No-Fault, said in a statement: "If you make cuts to Michigan's auto insurance system, the accident victims don't go away - and neither does the cost of care. It all just gets shifted from insurance companies and onto the backs of taxpayers. This legislation is a cost shift and a taxpayer shaft. "...

Brookdale Comments on CMS 2012 SNF Rule Changes - August 12, 2011
In light of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Friday announcement of its final rule reducing Medicare skilled nursing facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) payments for FY 2012, the Company preliminarily anticipates that the reduction in rates and change in group therapy methodology will reduce full year (October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012) Cash From Facility Operations in the range of $20 million to $25 million....

AdCare Health Systems Sees No Meaningful Medicare Revenue Impact From CMS 2012 Rate Changes - August 1, 2011
AdCare Health Systems, Inc., a leading provider of skilled nursing and assisted living for seniors, has determined that after reviewing the final rule on Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities for FY2012 as issued by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 29, 2011, it will not be meaningful to AdCare's 2012 Medicare revenue as compared to 2011 Medicare revenue given the company's operating and acquisition strategy. ...

A Call For Physicians To Contribute To Solutions, Not Costs - July 31, 2011
America's medical system is breaking apart: the high cost of health care, of which we are a part, has fractured state Medicaid budgets and threatens our Medicare program. Patient care is suffering across this great and wealthy land. Will our principal role in the health care crisis be as contributors to rising costs, or can we contribute to a desperately needed solution?...

Improper Use of Discharge Status Codes Identified by IRF Audits - July 21, 2011
The lack of the correct patient discharge status code has been cited by Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) as a problem in the claims of inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). The problem is actually twofold; improper use has resulted in overpayments in some cases and underpayments in others....

Medicare proposes a 50% cut for some imaging fees in 2012 - July 20, 2011
The proposed 2012 physician fee schedule released July 1 paints a gloomy picture for doctors participating in Medicare. CMS is required by statute to implement the across-the-board cut unless Congress steps in to prevent it. But the agency also would expand its multiple procedure payment reduction policy to physicians who interpret the results of certain advanced diagnostic imaging scans....

Top therapy reimbursement for everyone: here's how - July 19, 2011
The Department of Health and Human Services has issued reports indicating facilities have not reduced therapy RUG utilization to the levels anticipated. In October 2010, MDS 3.0 significantly complicated operating systems in long-term care facilities throughout the country. ...

Home Healthcare Co-Payment Could Increase Medicare Expenditures for Post-Acute and Inpatient Care by as much as $16B Over Ten Years, Drive Up Medicaid - July 13, 2011
Members of the home healthcare community are calling on Congress to avoid instituting co-payments as part of deficit reduction measures, especially in light of a new analysis available today that shows co-payments for home healthcare services will potentially increase Medicare spending for inpatient hospital and post-acute care (PAC) treatment by up to $16.7 billion over ten years....

Home Care Co-Pays on the Table in Federal Budget Talks - July 11, 2011
With the debate over the federal budget debt ceiling heating up, the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts has joined organizations from across the nation in vehement opposition to one proposal in particular that would impose co-payments for Medicare Home Health Services....

Devastating cuts to state Medicaid programs - July 11, 2011
The cuts come as millions more working class families are compelled by the ongoing economic crisis to seek out public assistance such as Medicaid. Medicaid recipients are largely poor children, pregnant women, the elderly and disabled....

CMS Proposes 2012 Medicare Home Health Payment Changes - July 8, 2011
he Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced a number of proposed changes to Medicare home health payments for 2012 that if finalized will promote greater efficiency and payment accuracy....

State Legislation Would Mandate Insurance Coverage for Autism Therapies - July 8, 2011
Autism therapies are denied by many insurance companies in New York, but a measure expected to be signed into law would mandate that they provide coverage. ...

Physical Therapy Bill Delayed - June 30, 2011
California Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi told a state Senate Committee Monday she is temporarily pulling from reconsideration her hotly contested bill to make it legal for physical therapists to work for medical corporations....

NY lawmakers pass autism treatment insurance bill - June 30, 2011
State lawmakers passed legislation Friday that would require New York insurers to cover screening, diagnosis and treatment for autism spectrum disorders....

Medicare panel bad for seniors - June 10, 2011
Seniors should be especially concerned about a provision of last year's health care overhaul that would create a panel of unelected federal bureaucrats to oversee Medicare costs: the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB....

Bill Could Jeopardize Jobs For Physical Therapists - May 24, 2011
Some independent physical therapists are concerned about a new state bill aimed at streamlining patient care in a way that could ultimately put them out of business....

Providers shift their billing tactics - May 21, 2011
The days of HME providers collecting only the basic documentation needed to submit a claim for reimbursement to Medicare are over, say billing consultants. An increasing number of HME providers are holding back claims until they've also collected supporting documentation, they say....

Herkimer Co. continues to privatize in-home nursing care programs - May 20, 2011
Herkimer County is continuing to phase out its Certified Home Health Agency and Long-Term Care Agency programs by entering into contracts with At Home Care Partners....

Administration explains possible huge nursing home pay-rate reduction - May 13, 2011
A possible Medicare payment rate reduction to skilled nursing facilities relates to higher-than-expected therapy classifications, federal officials explained Thursday....

How to Use Private Insurance to Help Pay for Long-Term Nursing Home Costs - May 10, 2011
Although health insurance can cover short-term, acute care in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility, it won't cover your loved one's long-term residence in a nursing home. However, other insurance might help....

New Plan Aims to Shift How Hospitals Are Paid for Medicare Patients - May 10, 2011
The proposed rule calls for something called "value based purchasing," which is part of the health care reform law. It is intended to fundamentally change the payment system from one that pays hospitals for the quantity of care to one based on the quality of care seniors receive. ...

Power Wheelchairs Keep Medicare Beneficiaries Out of Nursing Homes, While Reducing Government Costs and Providing More Freedom and Independence - May 10, 2011
Physicians prescribe power wheelchairs because the technological advancements can allow Medicare patients to perform the activities of daily living, while also providing patients with freedom and independence, greatly enhancing their quality of life. In addition, power wheelchairs cut government healthcare costs....

CMS Could Slash Payments to Skilled Nursing Facilities - May 10, 2011
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last week set forth the options the agency is considering in setting the 2012 Medicare payment rates for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs)....

Potential CMS payment reduction would harm nursing homes, experts say - May 4, 2011
Long-term care industry experts are challenging a federal proposal that would cut Medicare funding by as much as 11.3%....

CMS Proposes Payment, Policy Changes For Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities - April 30, 2011
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued a proposed rule that would update Medicare payment policies and rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012....

Preferred Therapy Providers, Inc. Launches New Marketing Service for Network Members - April 20, 2011
Preferred Therapy Providers, Inc. (Preferred) announced that it has launched a new marketing service for its network members, "Referred by PREFERRED."...

Now approved: Treatments allowed under insurance plans on the rise - April 20, 2011
As the need for different types of health care has expanded, so has the coverage available through some health insurance providers. ...

Medicare's Embedded Ethics: The Challenge Of Cost Control In An Aging Society - March 28, 2011
The challenge of reining in the rising costs of the Medicare Program is particularly thorny because it confronts a recalcitrant societal tension between the necessity for cost control and the value of open-ended technology use for life extension in the later years....

WebPT's Award-Winning EMR System Now Integrates with Top Medical Billing Software and Service Providers - March 10, 2011
WebPT, a Web-based electronic medical records system (EMR) for physical therapists, announces a new Certified Billing Partner program....

California POPTS Controversy Draws Critics and Supporters - March 4, 2011
Both the California Physical Therapy Association and the California Medical Association (CMA) have issued strong statements in response to a recently introduced state bill that would, in effect, legalize physician owned physical therapy services (POPTS) in California....

Patient puzzled by Medicare payment - February 16, 2011
The insurance company turned around and paid the home health-care provider more than twice that amount - $3,573....

Momentum Billing Selects AdvancedMD Platform for Their Medical Revenue Cycle Management Business - December 21, 2010
Web-Based SaaS Technology Provides the Transparency, Robust Claims Management and Collections, Reporting and Workflow Capabilities That Distinguish This New Generation of RCM Consulting Partners From Traditional Billing Services...

New rule against dollar limits on health-insurance coverage has some loopholes - December 21, 2010
When examining your health benefits for the new year, you'll probably notice that your plan has eliminated lifetime and most annual dollar limits on coverage. That was mandated by the federal health-care overhaul....

Positive News On Medicare Physician Fee Schedule - December 20, 2010
Yesterday, December 15, 2010, the President signed into law a bill which tables for one year a scheduled Medicare rate reduction for physicians, physical therapists and various other healthcare service providers. ...

Physician Owned Physical Therapy Clinics – Avoiding The Impossible Day - December 9, 2010
Physician owned physical therapy services have provided an alternate source of income to many physicians who have been forced to cope with declining reimbursement....

My Clients Plus Launches Software To Help Healthcare Providers Go Paperless - December 3, 2010
My Clients Plus, LLC announced today that it has released new software that enables healthcare providers to dramatically reduce the amount of paper documentation needed to process patient insurance claims....

New therapy pay rule concerns providers - December 2, 2010
Long-term care associations spoke out after the federal government included the Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction rule in its 2011 Physician Fee Schedule....

CalPERS Makes Health Plan Benefit Design Changes - November 29, 2010
Beginning in 2011, CalPERS will eliminate lifetime and annual dollar limits for speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy....

House approves one-month delay in payment cuts to Medicare docs - November 29, 2010
The payment cuts to physical therapists are not as steep as the 25 percent cut previously proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. ...

Medicare rehab extended - November 28, 2010
One of the benefits Medicare provides is the coverage of rehabilitation after a hospitalization. If a Medicare recipient is hospitalized for a period of three days or more and subsequently requires skilled nursing care, Medicare will cover up to 100 days of rehabilitation in such a facility....

Insurers Facing Suits Under No-Fault Provisions - November 25, 2010
Recent case law has changed the way insurance companies will be able to do business with those who have been injured, meaning that there are potentially millions of unpaid insurance claims throughout the state....

Why the "Doc Fix" Problem in Medicare Isn't Going Away Any Time Soon - November 23, 2010
The $1 billion cost of the one-month reprieve will be paid for by reducing the amount Medicare pays for physical therapy services. So in the short-term, Congress is robbing Peter to pay Paul....

Physical therapy limits to take effect - November 22, 2010
New guidelines regarding physical therapy treatments provided through workers' compensation insurance will go into effect Dec. 1, limiting the total number of treatments....

Senate passes one-month 'doc fix' - November 20, 2010
The top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Finance Committee shepherded through a one-month "doc fix" Thursday paid for by cuts to payments for certain therapy services....

Medicare Makes More Cuts to Rehab Services - November 17, 2010
A new multiple procedure payment reduction (MPPR) policy in the 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule aimed specifically at outpatient therapy services will reduce payment 7% to 9% above an approximately 30% across the board reduction....

Exercise not only allowed, it's vital during pregnancy - November 13, 2010
Most obstetricians I know typically prescribe physical therapy for expecting patients (given that most suffer from back pain), so insurance covers costs associated with getting a safe exercise program. ...

Ancillary Care Solutions Unveils TherapyWorks - November 13, 2010
Web-based business intelligence software allows healthcare organizations to increase the profitability and clinical quality of their physical and occupational therapy programs....

4 Best Practices for Negotiating Payor Contracts for Your Sports Medicine Practice - November 12, 2010
Craig Antell, DO, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Madison Avenue Physical Rehabilitation and Wellness in New York, which includes a sports medicine practice, discusses four ways sports medicine practices can negotiate more successful contracts with payors. ...

CMS Final Rule Includes 23% Cut to Medicare Physician Fees - November 10, 2010
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, which includes a 23 percent cut to Medicare physician fees scheduled to take effect Dec. 1, according to Medical News Today and Modern Healthcare reports. ...

Physical Therapists Cover All Bases to Win the Reimbursement Battle and Increase their Patient Visits in the New Year - November 7, 2010
Measurable Solutions, a management training and consulting company, and, Billing Dynamix a physical therapy billing service network, are joining forces to provide practice owners with needed tools to improve their reimbursements and expand their practices....

Filling the gaps in health care - October 11, 2010
Through a combination of private insurance and SoonerCare, the state's health insurance program for low-income families, Diego is able to visit specialists and obtain equipment such as his tiny, custom-made wheelchair....

Pieces of the puzzle - September 30, 2010
The facility must provide all the CORF services required in the plan of treatment and - except for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech pathology services, which may be furnished away from the premises of the facility - all other services must be provided on the premises. ...

New Payment Method May Help Curb Costs, Improve Care - September 8, 2010
Weslie Kary says it's like buying a new car. You don't pay for a wheel, and then pay for the windshield, and then pay for a back bumper. You pay once, and you get a car....

Vaden to outsource control of physical therapy - September 3, 2010
Citing budget cuts, Vaden Health Center officials said control of the center's physical therapy unit will be transferred to an outside firm beginning in September. The unit, staffed by four employees, serves about 700 students a year....

Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Change Passed and Signed into Law - August 29, 2010
The President signed into law on Friday, June 25, 2010, The Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act. The bill was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 417 to 1. The Senate had earlier approved the measure....

Deal reached on wheelchairs - August 29, 2010
Kansans with disabilities who receive Medicaid benefits will be able to access wheelchairs again after the Kansas Health Policy Authority reached an agreement with durable medical equipment providers in Kansas....

Why is Patient Scheduling Software Important For Your Office? - August 29, 2010
While there are a few, small-town practices that can get away with the old-fashioned pen and paper methods of scheduling and managing appointments most of today's doctors need a good software program if they want to keep up with the competition. If you've been delaying the purchase of the right software product, there are some things you will want to keep in mind....

California in Throes of Medi-Cal Woes - August 29, 2010
After weeks of wrangling, the California legislature has rejected a plan to place caps on Medi-Cal equipment and supplies expenditures that would have forced recipients to dig into empty pockets for such things as wheelchairs and enteral nutrition....

Physical therapists want state to cap insurance co-payments for their treatments - August 26, 2010
Physical therapists say Cashier's experience is typical of what's happening to many patients as insurers have increased physical therapy co-payments - the amount patients are required to pay out of pocket....

Medicaid change hurts, high-need patients say - August 11, 2010
A provision in the state budget last summer changed how the state pays for certain Medicaid services. Instead of having ambulance companies, therapists and other service providers bill the state, the state is giving nursing homes $3.91 per day per Medicaid patient to cover the expenses....

Can Insurers Still Cap Physical Therapy Visits? - July 25, 2010
Yes, it's likely that your insurer will be able to continue to limit physical therapy and mental health benefits under the new health law. Existing health plans won't ever have to provide the "essential health benefits" that will be mandatory in the health insurance exchanges and for individual and small group plans starting in 2014....

Are you practicing patient-centered billing? - July 18, 2010
These days it would be hard to find a hospital that doesn't advocate patient-centered care or its newer, younger cousin, self-directed care. On the clinical side of the equation, providers are actively seeking ways to get patients to participate in their own care. On the billing side, not so much....

Memorial Hermann Home Health Implements Authentidate's Inscrybe Healthcare Service to Automate Processing of Health Care Orders - July 18, 2010
Authentidate Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: ADAT), a worldwide provider of secure Health Information Exchange, workflow management services and telehealth solutions, today announced that Memorial Hermann Home Health, a division of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Texas, selected Authentidate's Inscrybe® Healthcare web-based service to streamline care order processing in their home health division. ...

Insurers save money, but patients forgo treatment - July 18, 2010
While I was in treatment my daughter called me in serious pain, asking for my exercises. We knew she should really go to physical therapy herself, but anything seemed better than nothing. She didn't mind the sweat and groaning, but couldn't afford the $40 per visit co-pay her health plan required....

SourceMedical Announces the Launch of Therapy Billing Services - July 11, 2010
SourceMedical, the provider of outpatient information management solutions to the ambulatory therapy market, announced the launch of SourceTherapy Billing. A new billing service enabled by the acquisition of Advance Patient Financial Solutions (APFS), a company specialising in a broad array of outsourced revenue cycle and consulting services for the physical therapy industry. ...

Physiotherapy Associates and LifeBridge Health Sports Medicine Form Partnership to Provide Leading Physical Therapy Program - July 5, 2010
Physiotherapy Associates and LifeBridge Health Sports Medicine announced today they have formed a partnership to become the Baltimore area's leading outpatient physical therapy service company. LifeBridge Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation powered by Physiotherapy Associates provides sports medicine services and rehabilitation for elite athletes, orthopedic outpatients and chronic pain patients....

Thousands of Physical Therapists are Closing their Doors - July 5, 2010
High insurance co-payments has led thousands of consumers who need Physical Therapy to stop their treatments. On May 18th thousands of Physical Therapists in New York State are closing their doors to go to Albany to fight for a new legislation that reduces patient co-payment obligation. ...

Better Care, Bigger Savings Rely on Case Management Approach - July 5, 2010
A personalized, case management type of approach, whereby patients are guided through the medical system from start to finish, will not only provide for a much better clinical experience for the patient but also significant cost savings to the health care system in general. ...

West Chicago chiropractor charged with health fraud - June 14, 2010
A West Chicago chiropractor has been charged with health-care fraud in an 18-count federal grand-jury indictment....

Bundled payments might cut hospital costs without reducing quality of care - May 16, 2010
For most doctors, I would argue that the motivation is not really greed. It's a combination of concern for patients, clinic availability and the need to generate additional revenue to offset overhead costs. In nearly all cases, I find, the doctors are making choices that are well within the guidelines of evidence-based medicine. ...

Update on Medicare Reimbursement for Physical Therapy Services - April 26, 2010
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) reported on its website (APTA.org) on Friday, February 26, 2010 that "The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will hold claims for the first 10 business days of March....

Physical therapists claim Groves nursing home owes $356,000 for services - April 26, 2010
A group of therapists claims a Groves nursing home has not paid more than $356,000 in charges for more than a year's worth of the treatment it has provided to the home's residents....

Payments for Physical Therapy Services to be Drastically Cut by Anthem Blue Cross of California - March 15, 2010
Patients enrolled in Anthem Blue Cross of California may be in for a rude and costly awakening the next time they visit a physical therapist. According to the California Physical Therapy Association, the insurance company is slashing payment for physical therapy services to a rate so low it is financially impossible for many physical therapists to continue providing care to enrollees of Anthem Blue Cross....

Therapists pained by new Anthem Blue Cross plan - January 30, 2010
Anthem Blue Cross patients may find it harder to find physical, speech and occupational therapists willing to treat them, and they may have to reach deeper into their pockets to pay for those who will care for them....

New Payment Posting Service Helps Healthcare Providers Improve Collection Process - January 16, 2010
By remotely processing payments, checks, invoices, and Explanation of Benefits (EOBs), DATAMARK enables healthcare providers to actively manage their collection process and maximize revenue. ...

Treat Me, but No Tricks Please - January 12, 2010
I RECEIVED an e-mail message recently from an angry doctor. He'd torn his hamstring running on a beach and spent eight weeks - a total of 20 hours - in physical therapy. Then his insurer said the physical therapy was not covered....

Health Care Firm Expands Rapidly Amid Tepid Economy - January 12, 2010
The company attributes its brisk growth to the material advantage practitioners achieve when utilizing its new collections and compliance enhancement intelligence known as Rehab Integrity Pro....

Home Care of the Carolinas and Alliance Medical, Inc. Select Authentidate's Inscrybe Healthcare to Improve Care Order Processing - December 18, 2009
Authentidate Holding Corp., a worldwide provider of secure Health Information Exchange and workflow management services, today announced that Home Care of the Carolinas ("HCC"), a home health agency, and Alliance Medical, Inc. ("AMI"), a durable medical equipment supplier, have selected Authentidate's Inscrybe® Healthcare web-based service to streamline and standardize processes for the completion of patient care orders....

TennCare may curtail coverage to reduce costs - December 3, 2009
They might also eliminate coverage for occupational, speech and physical therapy, and limit enrollees to no more than 15 outpatient procedures and 15 lab procedures in a year....

A bundle of ill effects from Ohio's change in Medicare reimbursement can't be allowed to continue hurting specialty nursing home patients - November 3, 2009
State officials say the new approach, which is intended to save money in the Medicaid sector of its budget and bring in $55 million more in federal Medicaid funding, seems to be working out well enough for most nursing homes -- as you'd expect, since the nursing home lobby's fingerprints are all over it. ...

Allscripts and Sandata Partner to Enhance Quality in Home Care Agencies Nationwide - November 1, 2009
Sandata Technologies, Inc., a leading nationwide provider of information technology solutions to the home healthcare and social services communities, today announced an agreement with Allscripts the leader in software, services, information, and connectivity solutions for physicians, hospitals and post-acute providers, making Santrax the preferred electronic time and attendance provider for current and future home care agency clients of Allscripts....

Ask the Attorney: Avoid fraud allegations - October 31, 2009
You are correct that you are responsible for the codes you claim. Wrong codes send signals to insurers and could cause them to investigate for fraud or abuse....

What is PIP Coverage? - October 31, 2009
The state of Florida is what is known as a "no fault" state for automobile accidents. This means if you are in an auto accident in Florida, regardless of who is at fault for the collision, you look to your own automobile insurer to pay a portion of your medical expenses and wage loss under your PIP (Personal Injury Protection) coverage for any injuries you received in the accident....

Chiropractors Are in the Wrong Business -- The Business of Marketing - October 21, 2009
Like it or not, most health professionals are in the wrong business - chiropractors included. It makes little difference whether you have DC or MD after your name; the rules are the same. The business into which health professionals have stumbled is marketing. ...

Oklahoma companies must register in battle against fraud - October 6, 2009
Under a stepped-up effort to prevent Medicare fraud, companies responsible for tracking and reporting workers' compensation claims must register online by Sept. 30 with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services....

Pilot study finds chiropractic care, physical therapy may reduce costs - September 30, 2009
Individuals with musculoskeletal disorders who received chiropractic care or physical therapy had lower health care costs and were less likely to have surgery than employees who did not receive those services, according to a recent report....

MedSynergies Surgical Division Expands Relationship with Outpatient Physical Therapy Leader - September 13, 2009
Peak Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center Implements Practice Management and Revenue Cycle Solutions in New Locations after 41% Increase in Collections....

Awarepoint Expands Its Real-Time Location Solution (RTLS) at Jackson Health System - August 28, 2009
RTLS Network Coverage Grows to 4,459,000 Square Feet, Securing It as the Largest RTLS Installation in U.S. Healthcare...

Auto Injury Solutions' Provider Desktop Meets Minnesota Legislation - August 19, 2009
Auto Injury Solutions Inc, (AIS) a leading provider of medical claim management tools for the auto insurance industry announced today the expansion of its provider transaction portal, Provider Desktop, in compliance with new Minnesota legislation....

Medical Costs Per Claim Dropped for Texas Workers' Compensation Claims Following Series of Reforms, New WCRI Study Finds - August 18, 2009
Medical costs per workers' compensation claim in Texas declined dramatically over a relatively short period following a series of reforms, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI)....

Mitchell AUTOEXPRESS(TM) Starts Up Minnesota Health Care Provider E-Bill Exchanges With Auto Insurers - August 5, 2009
Minnesota is the initial state to implement regulations that require all health care providers and insurance carriers, for the first time including Auto Insurers, to exchange standard electronic health care administrative transactions....

Cleveland Clinic Selects MediServe to Provide a Seamless Automated Workflow for Rehabilitation Services across the Health System - August 4, 2009
The Cleveland Clinic has selected MediServe to provide a seamless automated workflow to integrate referral tracking, authorizations, scheduling, documentation and the plan of care through the therapy continuum for Acute Care, Outpatient and Inpatient Rehabilitation facilities....

DecisionHealth Launches Online Training Courses to Assess and Improve Coding and Billing Competencies for Physician Office and Home Health Providers - July 5, 2009
Health care education leader, DecisionHealth, uses web instructional courses to help health care providers improve coding and billing competencies. New Online Training Center offers course content and corresponding assessments to drive tangible results including improved coding and billing productivity, greater accuracy, and where appropriate, increased billing opportunity....

MedicalCharting.com Launches EMR Software Solution with CCHIT-Certified EHR Software - June 20, 2009
With the new release, MedicalCharting.com also announced the availability of Medisoft Clinical, which combines the PM capabilities of Medisoft v15 with Practice Partner Patient Records, a CCHIT Certified® 08 Ambulatory electronic health record (EHR)....

HealthEast Reaches Settlement on Kyphoplasty Billing Investigation - June 20, 2009
HealthEast Care System has finalized a settlement with the U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of New York regarding billing of kyphoplasty procedures performed at HealthEast hospitals from 2002 to 2007....

AARP: Health Reform Must Lower Costs, Improve Care for People in Medicare - June 16, 2009
As the Administration prepares to announce another drop in the lifespan of the Medicare trust fund, AARP's Health Action Now campaign is insisting that comprehensive health reform include specific measures to cut wasteful spending and lower costs for individuals-all while improving the quality of care....

SourceMedical Teams with VisionShare; TherapySource and VisionShare Help Therapy Clinics with Medicare Caps - June 3, 2009
SourceMedical, a leading provider of outpatient information management solutions, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with VisionShare®, a leader in secure ehealth connectivity services. TherapySource, Source Medical's leading clinical documentation and administration system will work with VisionShare Secure Exchange Software so outpatient rehabilitation providers can access Medicare Part B cap information online from the Professional Provider Telecommunication Network (PPTN). PPTN is a view into the CMS Common Working File database to view beneficiary eligibility, claim status and more. ...

Insurance Drives Physical Therapists out of Business - May 29, 2009
Many Physical Therapy practices in New York, including Hands-On Care Physical Therapy and Physiocare Physical Therapy, resist major cuts in reimbursement for Physical Therapy announced by HIP/EMBLEM insurance. Hands-On and Physiocare spokesperson suggested that these rate cuts may threaten private practice Physical Therapy in New York state....

ZirMed Partners With Hands On Technology(TM), Offering Revenue Cycle Management Solutions to TheraOffice Users - May 21, 2009
Through the joint solution, Hands On Technology's physical therapy customers can improve workflows, reduce billing and clerical errors, and reduce accounts receivable days, among other benefits. ...

Medical Billing Company Creates Billing & Collections Rescue Plan - May 6, 2009
Pinnacle Medical Billing, a new medical billing service provider, launched by one of the most recognized names in No-Fault and Worker's Comp. medical billing collections services on Long Island, offers relief to doctors practicing in the State of New York....

Palm Beach Physical Therapist arrested and charged with fraud - April 11, 2009
Arne Rabiner was arrested Wednesday for defrauding the Florida Medicaid program out of over $100,000. Rabiner is being charged with criminal grand theft, organized fraud and Medicaid fraud. He will also face a civil forfeiture lawsuit under Florida's False Claims Act....

Physician's conviction for defrauding Medicare and Medicaid affirmed - April 11, 2009
A physician's conviction of 21 counts of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid related to his false certifications that he provided or supervised physical therapy services to patients, and that patients needed motorized wheelchairs was affirmed....

Brooklyn Doc, Clinic Convicted Of Insurance Fraud - April 11, 2009
Prosecutors said patients received a standard protocol of testing including MRI's and neurodiagnostic treatments as well as multiple sets of costly medical supplies. In addition, they would often be referred for prolonged, unnecessary treatment including months of physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and x-rays. ...

Chiropractors accused in undercover kickback sting - April 11, 2009
The Orange County District Attorney's Office has filed criminal charges against eight chiropractors after conducting an undercover sting operation that targeted illegal patient referral and insurance overbilling schemes....

Margaret Mary Community Hospital Implements Chart Links Rehabilitation Software for Therapists - April 6, 2009
Chart Links, LLC announces the implementation of its rehabilitation workflow management software by the Outpatient Rehabilitation Center of Margaret Mary Community Hospital, a not-for-profit critical access hospital located in Batesville, IN. The implementation includes functionality to manage therapy documentation, scheduling, referrals, insurance authorizations, charges, and more....

Medical facility settles health care fraud case - April 6, 2009
The physical therapy and physician's services "either were not medically necessary or were not provided as billed," the statement said....

Medical Billing Software MPMsoft Chosen by MedCrew as Its Medical Office Software - April 3, 2009
MPMsoft, a practice management and medical billing software that is used by thousands of healthcare practices nationwide to help manage their health insurance claims and medical billing has been chosen by MedCrew as its medical office software....

Long-Term Care Industry Braces for Implementation of MDS 3.0: HCPro Responds with MDSonlineCentral.com - February 17, 2009
MDSCentral intends to help facilities prepare for current and impending changes related to the MDS 3.0 process. The planned changes and transition to MDS 3.0 impact every nursing facility business process and system from assessment to billing to payment to quality measurement to the 5-Star ratings....

SourceMedical, ZirMed Help Clinics Cure Tough Economic Times Through Improved Efficiency - February 9, 2009
Combined Business/Revenue Cycle Management Solutions Result in Quick Identification of Claims Errors, Faster Payments; One Rehab Clinic Sees Quick Savings of $1,500 per Month ...

Balance billing traps patients in fights between doctors, hospitals and insurers - February 8, 2009
The state Supreme Court is about to weigh in on the practice. It is expected to rule soon on a Southern California dispute between two medical groups that could partly answer, but hardly resolve, the question of whether balance billing is legal....

Medicare to Reimburse for the Bioness L300(TM) Foot Drop System for Spinal Cord Injury - January 13, 2009
Bioness Inc., a leading neuromodulation company, announced today that beginning January 1, 2009, the NESS L300 will be reimbursed by Medicare for incomplete spinal cord injury patients suffering from foot drop....

10 Steps to an Easier ICD-10 Transition - January 11, 2009
There is no doubt that the U.S. healthcare system will transition to ICD-10. Whether it happens in 2011, as proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), or at a later date, it is coming....

California Superior Court Upholds Balance Billing Regulations-Decision Will Protect Patients from Unfair Medical Billing Practices - January 11, 2009
The California Superior Court today upheld regulations recently enacted state by the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) which protects patients from an unfair billing practice known as "balance billing."...

Medical-Billing.com to Revolutionize Electronic Medical Recordkeeping With National Patient Registry - January 11, 2009
Medical-Billing.com announces their plans for a National Patient Registry which will make patients' medical records more accessible without compromising privacy, which will benefit physicians, insurance providers, and patients alike....

White Paper is First of Many TriZetto Resources to Help Payer Organizations Adopt ICD-10 Diagnostic Coding System - January 10, 2009
The initiative is the transition by healthcare payer organizations to ICD-10 diagnosis codes and ANSI X12 version 5010 HIPAA transaction codes. A white paper released today by The TriZetto Group, Inc. is the first of several resources the company will offer health plans to help them adopt these new, more extensive codes successfully. ...

Miracle-Like Testimonials and Case Studies of Advanced Therapies from BiomagScience - January 10, 2009
In its continuing program of increasing public awareness about the benefits and the huge difference between scientifically advanced therapies and commercially common magnetic bracelets and patches, BiomagScience is presenting Part 1 of a 3 part series about how its alternative energy protocols have specifically helped individuals....

Port Arthur clinic, owner, doctor, manager indicted on billing fraud charges - January 8, 2009
A Port Arthur medical clinic and its owner, doctor and office manager were indicted Wednesday on at least 150 counts each of health care fraud for more than $10 million in phony bills....

New health insurance coding system has its benefits - and its headaches, experts say - December 31, 2008
The federal government is overhauling the coding system that doctors and hospitals use to bill insurers. The end result will be a system that has 10 times as many codes....

TherapySource Closes Deal for Multi Location Clinic - December 27, 2008
SourceMedical, a leading provider of outpatient information management solutions, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to install TherapySource, its leading clinical documentation system in all of Therapy Partners' Rehabilitation facilities. ...

Medical Billing Software .com Announces Release of Medisoft Medical Billing Software Version 14 Service Pack 1 - December 23, 2008
The service pack addresses over 75 fixes and enhancements designed to improve the popular medisoft billing software version 14 released earlier this year....

American House expands therapy options - December 20, 2008
American House Senior Living Residences - which includes a facility in Rochester Hills - have opened on-site outpatient therapy clinics, offering physical, occupational and speech therapy for their residents. Licensed therapists from Spectrum Outpatient Therapy are providing treatment for the first time in recently established clinics at several American Houses....

Today In PT Announces New Blog for Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants - December 6, 2008
Today in PT's Physical Therapy Editor, Anne Ahlman, MPT, will lead a Web log for physical therapy professionals to connect and share ideas. The forum is located at http://todayinpt.typepad.com/. ...

Chart Links Offers Marketing and Therapy Web Design Services to Private Practices - December 1, 2008
Chart Links, a provider of outpatient rehabilitation software and services, will offer marketing and therapy web design services to physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and audiology clinics. The services will include marketing strategy, brand and identity development, advertising, therapy web design, search engine optimization, and communications management. The services will make therapy practices more profitable by helping them effectively attract and retain patients and referral sources....

Study Finds ICD-10 May Burden Health Care Providers - November 29, 2008
A controversial proposed rule from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requiring all physician practices and other providers to adopt a new coding set, the ICD-10, by 2011 would dramatically increase costs for physician practices and clinical laboratories, according to a new cost study initiated by a broad group of provider organizations and conducted by Nachimson Advisors....

Millin Associates Creates Cutting-Edge Software for Hospitals and Outpatient Clinics to Combat Medical Claim Denials - November 29, 2008
Millin Associates created an innovative, easy-to-use practice management billing system for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), primary care centers (Article 28), ambulatory surgery centers, mental health facilities (Article 31), substance abuse facilities (822), OMRDD facilities, and foster care agencies. ...

Health care has many facets
From home health to assisted living, it's more than hospitals - November 29, 2008
Midwest Regional Home Care employs 96 people - RNs, CNAs, LPNs, speech, physical and respiratory therapists as well as a social worker to help people remain in their homes when they might otherwise have to enter an institution....

Computers Unlimited and A/R Allegiance Group™ Form a Strategic Partnership - November 28, 2008
Computers Unlimited and A/R Allegiance Group together announce plans to develop fully customizable integration between TIMS software and CollectPlus™. This programming would allow TIMS to automatically upload specified account information to CollectPlus for billing and collection services, and then enable CollectPlus to return updated information to TIMS throughout the entire billing and collection process....

Computers Unlimited/ARTSCO Partnership Takes Business Operations to New Heights - October 7, 2008
Computers Unlimited announces TIMS Software integration with ARTSCO's Rehab Anywhere Data®. Now TIMS Software imports patient, physician and insurance information from Rehab Anywhere® to enhance business operation efficiency...

1450 Announces the Release of the Dragon® Medical Selection Assistant - October 7, 2008
1450 provides a variety of resources assisting physicians who wish to automate their office processes. They have produced the Dragon Medical Selection Assistant for physicians to determine the most appropriate Dragon Medical product for their medical practice. Nuance's Dragon Medical is appropriate for doctors in practices as small as solo practice all the way to entire hospital systems....

New Partnership Integrates Vibration Therapy Into Stem Cell Procedures - October 4, 2008
Two leading companies in their respective industries are joining forces to integrate vibration therapy into the stem cell harvesting process....

MediConnect Offers to Donate Copies of Medical Records Lost During Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Gustav, and Tropical Storm Fay - September 30, 2008
MediConnect Global, Inc. today announced it will provide invaluable digital backup copies of archived medical records free of charge back to any patient or organization that has lost paper-based medical records as a result of Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Gustav or Tropical Storm Fay....

Occupational Therapy Gets People With Osteoarthritis Moving - September 30, 2008
In the pilot study, the researchers found that patients who engaged in activity strategy training along with regular exercise increased their physical activity, more so than those patients who only took part in exercise and health education sessions. Study results are now online and are set to appear in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism....

Medicaid targets fraud in Indiana - September 27, 2008
Indiana is proposing new limits on Medicaid coverage for people seeking nursing home care if they used their money to make a contribution to a charity or paid a family member who is caring for them without a formal contract....

National Rehabilitation Awareness month celebrated - September 27, 2008
This week is National Rehabilitation Awareness week - a time set aside to celebrate the power of rehabilitation and educate communities about its impact....

Feds fine Brookfield clinic $1.88M - September 27, 2008
A Brookfield-based physical therapy chain under investigation for allegations it submitted false claims to various government health care programs has settled the case by paying a $1.88 million fine, federal authorities said Monday....

Laughlin Hospital Developing New Balance Disorders Clinic - September 22, 2008
The services will be provided in the physical therapy department at the hospital, which has already purchased a new testing machine, called a BalanceMaster, that can help determine what is causing a person to lose his or her balance. ...

Power Mobility Coalition Voices Concern Over Government Reports Outlining Lack of Oversight in the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment Benefit - September 13, 2008
The Power Mobility Coalition (PMC), an association of manufacturers and suppliers of power mobility devices, raised concerns today about recent findings that questioned whether the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) accurately reviewed durable medical equipment (DME) claims that suppliers submitted for reimbursements after providing medical equipment to Medicare beneficiaries....

Chart Links and RemitDATA to Offer Reimbursement Benchmark Data for Rehabilitation - September 4, 2008
Chart Links, a provider of rehabilitation workflow management software, and RemitDATA, a provider of reimbursement productivity tools and benchmarking reports, will partner to offer reimbursement benchmark data to physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and audiology clinics. The claims data will be aggregated and analyzed from a web-based suite of tools that the therapist will use alongside any existing practice management or billing system. The solution will make therapy practices more profitable and allow reimbursement comparison against national averages....

Intensive speech therapy helping stroke survivors find their voice - September 4, 2008
A new treatment center run by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is giving new hope to people with aphasia, a common yet little-known side effect of stroke....

Physical therapist charged with stealing from Medicaid in Broward, Dade - August 28, 2008
A physical therapist working in Broward and Miami-Dade counties was arrested today on charges she stole more than $19,000 from Medicaid....

Excelerated Rehab offers intensive therapy to younger patients - August 28, 2008
During intensive neurological rehabilitation is just what the name implies. Patients go to the clinic for three hours every day for three weeks, where, with a therapist, they use a universal exercise system of weights, pulleys and cords to stretch, strengthen and build up targeted muscle groups....

Allsport Dynamics' braces help rehabilitate and prevent injuries - August 28, 2008
Allsport holds two patents on products that prevent and rehabilitate sports-related injuries. The company provides ankle, wrist and elbow braces, and a number of other products, to professional sports teams and world-class athletes. White, who has been with the company since it was incorporated in 1990....

Chart Links To Integrate Pistolstar's Authentication Security Solution with Therapy Software - August 22, 2008
Integration of Password Authentication and Security Solution with Outpatient Rehabilitation Software Will Allow Chart Links' Customers to Strengthen Authentication Processes by Providing Self-Service Password Management to End-Users and Functionality to Administrators Who Need to Meet Security Initiatives....

Sending sick undocumented immigrants back home - August 20, 2008
The Tribune also examined the topic in articles about a stroke survivor sent to the Philippines by a Des Plaines nursing home because he was uninsured. Orlando Lopez, an undocumented Filipino alien, was afraid he'd die after the Nov. 2005 transfer – and he did....

MAC enters contract with physical therapy provider - August 20, 2008
The Mannford Town Board of Trustees unanimously approved a motion to allow the City of Mannford and the Mannford Activity Center to enter into a contract with Rehabilitation and Therapy Partners at their regular meeting Thursday, Aug. 14....

MedSynergies Surgical Division Selected to Provide Practice Management and Revenue Cycle Solutions for Three Texas - August 18, 2008
MedSynergies Surgical Division, formerly Practice Performance Inc., was selected by North Texas-based practices Texas Orthopaedic Associates, LLP, Peak Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center and Summit Therapeutic Concepts of Plano to provide practice management services and revenue cycle solutions in an effort to streamline operations, increase revenue and improve each practice's bottom line. ...

Centre Partners Announces Investment in Covenant Care LLC - August 14, 2008
Centre Partners, a leading middle market private equity firm with offices in New York and Los Angeles, today announced it has completed its investment in Covenant Care LLC. The investment was concluded in partnership with Covenant Care's senior management team who will retain a significant stake in the business and continue in the same executive capacities with the company. ...

Missouri City Clinic Owner Gets 15-year Sentence For Medicare Billing Scam - August 14, 2008
A Missouri City therapist, who admitted cheating Medicaid and Medicare out of $225,000, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison....

Orion ICG, LLC Announces Acquisition of Therapy Staff, Incorporated - August 12, 2008
Orion ICG, LLC announced today that it has acquired the assets of Therapy Staff, Incorporated (TSI), a leading provider of physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists to hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes....

Miracle machines - August 11, 2008
The newest physical and occupational therapy assistant at Doylestown Hospital never complains, even after performing the same exercises 250 times in an hour without a bathroom break. ...

OSHA allies with American Physical Therapy Association in Midwest to keep health care employees safe - August 11, 2008
The alliance will operate in six Midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. He noted that the cooperative effort will focus on the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and the safe handling of patients....

Therapist, 45, sentenced in Medicaid fraud case - August 10, 2008
A Pulaski County Circuit judge fined a 45-year-old Conway speech therapist more than $200,000 and sentenced her to six years in prison Monday for stealing more than $68,000 from Medicaid....

Nursing home boss hit with charge - August 9, 2008
The operator of a troubled Bronx nursing home turned herself in Thursday to face a felony charge for failing to provide workers' compensation insurance for her employees for 13 months....

Physical therapist identifies future pain with new exam - August 9, 2008
Eric Browning, physical therapist at Keith Physical Therapy, 13301 N. Meridian, created the Musculoskeletal Exam to predict the likely places an individual might develop pain and identify muscles that already might be causing episodic pain....

APTA Applauds Introduction Of Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act - August 9, 2008
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) applauds the recent introduction of HR 6792 Veterans Physical Therapy Services Improvement Act of 2008 by Representatives Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) and John Boozman (R-AR). This bill will improve the recruitment and retention of physical therapists in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)....

American Physical Therapy Association Launches Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) - August 6, 2008
The Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) for prospective physical therapist (PT) students and professional education programs is now available from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)....

AIS Launches HIPAA Compliance Center - a Web-Based Service that Helps Organizations Safeguard Patient Privacy and Data - August 5, 2008
New HIPAA compliance portal helps providers reduce the chances of fines and penalties, private lawsuits and public relations nightmares, which many HIPAA covered entities are encountering...

RehabCare Reports Second Quarter 2008 Results - August 4, 2008
RehabCare Group, Inc. (NYSE:RHB) today reported financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2008. Comparative results for the quarter and six months follow....

Need for physical therapists growing - August 4, 2008
By the year 2014, "there is a projected increase in health care workers needed in South Dakota of nearly 30 percent," Health Secretary Doneen Hollingsworth said in a cover letter to the report. The need for physical therapists could become critical in coming years, the report indicates....

11 Part B Billing Scenarios for PTs and OTs - July 31, 2008
This page is designed to clarify existing therapy policy and to provide guidance on current Part B billing issues relevant to physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and to the services they provide. Because we have received numerous requests to restore the previously published 11 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) resulting from the 9/13/02 Open Door Forum on Group Therapy, we have chosen to reformat these FAQs into "billing scenarios" to appear below. As a result, the 11 Part B Billing Scenarios are specific to PTs and OTs. We will update this Web Page to reflect changes in policy (for example, CCI edits, new codes, new coverage determinations) that impact therapy billing and/or to provide clarification on billing policy for PTs, OTs and/or SLPs....

Call24 Technologies, Inc. Announces Release of CallDoc24(TM) -- Fully Automated Answering Service for Physicians - July 29, 2008
CallDoc24 answers after-hours calls, records messages and contacts the physician on-call. In addition, CallDoc24 maintains an archive of every message, is cost-effective, HIPAA compliant, secure and easy to setup and use. CallDoc24 also mitigates risk by tracking the life cycle of a message - from the moment it was received thru the time the physician returned the call. ...

Physical Therapy Channel Announces A Dedicated Video Share Website with all the Features of YouTube - Specifically for the Physical Therapy Profession - July 29, 2008
The Physical Therapy Channel is a company based in Atlanta, Georgia, that has recently announced the introduction of a video share website with all the features and benefits of YouTube, but designed specifically for the Physical Therapy Profession. ...

American Physical Therapy Association Applauds Sen Baucus For Standing Up Against Therapy Cap - July 28, 2008
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) applauds Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) for urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to maintain the exceptions process to Medicare Part B therapy caps in a letter sent yesterday to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Michael Leavitt. ...

U.S. House of Representatives Votes to Override President Bush's Veto of HR-6331 - July 28, 2008
"The American Physical Therapy Association praises the House of Representatives for recognizing the need to protect Medicare beneficiaries who need rehabilitation services the most - seniors and persons with disabilities - by voting today to override President Bush's veto of HR 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act....

Highmark collection system leads to feud with providers - July 22, 2008
A midstate chiropractor says he was forced to close his doors because of an ongoing financial feud with Highmark Inc., stemming from the health insurer's system for collecting money from doctors who, in Highmark's eyes, provide excessive or unwarranted care. ...

Firm settles over data mishandling at Levelland clinic - July 17, 2008
Select Physical Therapy Texas Limited Partnership and parent company Select Medical Corp. will pay the state $990,000 - $890,000 of which will go to the general revenue fund to be used exclusively for the investigation and prosecution of identity theft cases....

Tx Xchange Launches Web-Based Solution for Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Providers to Address Demands of Healthcare Consumerism - July 17, 2008
According to Mark Barnes DPT, Founder & CEO of Tx Xchange, "The delivery and consumption of rehabilitative care has stagnated over the last 25 years and in today's consumer driven healthcare marketplace, rehab therapists need software solutions to provide better care and a more enjoyable patient experience."...

Medicare Changes Could Cripple Physical Therapists - July 12, 2008
In Bakhshoudeh's case, he estimates he could lose over half his clients, which translates to more than 80 percent of his profits because Medicare reimburses him better than most insurers and HMOs. Calling the potential damage to his business "devastating," he estimated he could only afford to keep his doors open for another month or two if Washington does not act soon....

Hauser elected treasurer of national organization - July 12, 2008
Connie Hauser, CEO of Corbin-based PT Pros, has been elected treasurer of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)....

Nationally Recognized Instructor Adds Live Audio Component to Expanding E-Library - June 18, 2008
This audio conference provided information for those seeking time sensitive information on preventing reimbursement denials using successful quality assurance tools, as well as an introduction to the ten-part mini-series Brewer will develop to add to Dynamic's extensive online library. Participating students were eligible to receive professional contact hours for continuing education....

Yuma Rehab Hospital awarded Excellency recognition - June 11, 2008
"Meeting the criteria to become a Stroke Center of Excellence means we have achieved something that highlights the accomplishments of what we do here at the hospital, and notes we exceed what the established benchmarks are for a rehab hospital," said Ellen Hamilton, marketing director for the rehab center....

Postcards Help Physical Therapists Heal Practice - June 7, 2008
What's the difference between a thriving physical therapy practice and one that doesn't have enough patients? Advertising and promotion. Advertising and promotion, however, can be very expensive. For a physical therapist that doesn't want to hire an expensive marketing campaign, the solution may be direct mail postcards....

Health Care Fraud - FBI Report - May 28, 2008
The FBI investigated 2,493 cases of healthcare fraud in fiscal year 2007, leading to 635 convictions....

The National Rehabilitation Hospital Selects MediServe to Support Revenue Enhancements and Cost Reductions in Inpatient and Outpatient Rehab Services - May 27, 2008
The National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) in Washington, DC has contracted with MediServe for the implementation and support of the MediLinks solution for rehabilitative medicine. Through this agreement, the NRH anticipates recognizing revenue enhancements and cost reductions through implementation of MediServe's proprietary information system and consulting services. These services will be delivered in the NRH 137-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) and in its extensive outpatient rehab network....

Nation's Third Largest Workers Compensation Insurer Focuses on Provider Selection as Key to Effectively Managing Total WC Medical Costs - May 10, 2008
Companies throughout California will be able to better control their workers compensation medical costs and injured workers will find it easier to get local care because of recent modifications to Liberty Mutual's Medical Provider Network (MPN)....

Medicare Fee Cuts Could Devastate Rehabilitation Services, Physical Therapists Warn Congress - May 10, 2008
Pending cuts to the Medicare physician fee schedule could severely hamper the ability of physical therapists to serve the rehabilitation needs of seniors and people with disabilities -- driving up overall costs while decreasing quality of care, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and its Private Practice Section....

LoBiondo receives medical/rehabilitation award - May 10, 2008
Representative Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) was awarded the 2008 Chairman's Award by the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA) during an awards ceremony last month in Washington, DC....

Cable Driven Robot Assists Patients with Neurological Disorders - May 7, 2008
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have developed a unique robotic device to assist with the physical rehabilitation process of patients suffering from neurological damages to their upper extremities such as those due to stroke or Parkinson's disease. This device is the first-known cable driven robot to utilize a barrier between the operator and the moving mechanisms of the system....

State charges Baldwin home care agency with fraud - May 4, 2008
The state attorney general's office yesterday announced criminal charges and a civil lawsuit against a nurse-staffing company with offices in Baldwin, saying the company sent more than 1,000 home health aides with little or no training to care for elderly clients in New York City and Long Island....

ResCare Acquires Texas Home Care Services - May 4, 2008
ResCare, Inc. (NASDAQ: RSCR) the nation's leading provider of residential, training, educational and support services for people with disabilities and special needs, today announced the acquisition of Select Health Care Services, a home health care agency located in Baytown, Texas, serving 30 counties in the Houston area....

Leading Provider United Seating & Mobility Implements Authentidate's Inscrybe Healthcare Platform to Standardize and Streamline Administrative Process - May 4, 2008
Authentidate Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: ADAT), a worldwide provider of secure workflow management software and web-based services, today announced that United Seating & Mobility, one of the nation's leading providers of comprehensive seating and mobility solutions for people with disabilities, will utilize the Inscrybe(TM) Healthcare platform from Authentidate(R) to facilitate its mobility provisioning process....

SourceMedical wins contract for Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Centers - May 4, 2008
SourceMedical, a leading provider of outpatient information management solutions, today announced it is providing its TherapySource solution to Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Centers, a new physical therapy and sports rehabilitation business operated by Falcons' owner Arthur Blank's management company....

Man accused of staging crashes and operating fraudulent clinics - May 4, 2008
A former Dorchester man has been indicted on federal charges that he staged multiple auto accidents and operated fraudulent physical therapy clinics in Boston and other cities that were used to treat people for what often turned out to be fake injuries....

Physical therapists sue Anthem - April 17, 2008
At least a hundred Maine physical therapists have joined forces in a class-action lawsuit against the state's largest health insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine, according to the plaintiffs' attorney. The suit alleges that Anthem violated state antitrust laws by abruptly decreasing its payments to physical therapists, using its market-dominating status to pressure the providers into accepting the lower reimbursements....

Class Action Brought by Duane Morris on Behalf of Licensed Physical Therapists in the State of Maine Participating in Anthem's Networks Survives Antit - April 17, 2008
Chief Judge Humphrey of the Maine Business and Consumer Court recently allowed a class action filed on behalf of all licensed physical therapists who are participating providers with Anthem Health Plans of Maine to go forward against Anthem for allegations of violations of the Maine Antitrust Act, which carries the possibility of an award of multiple damages and attorneys fees, as well as a claim of breach of contract. ...

Founder of Rehab Center Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Medicaid - April 17, 2008
The former president and primary stockholder of McAllen-based Just for Kids rehabilitation center pleaded guilty Monday to defrauding the Medicaid program. According to authorities, Eliseo Sandoval filed inflationary cost reports to the taxpayer-funded program in order to obtain reimbursements to support a lavish lifestyle and personal business ventures, including real estate and sporting goods enterprises....

5 Ways to Lower Your Medical Bills - April 15, 2008
Sanjiv Luthra of Los Altos, Calif., suffered from the pain and fatigue of rapid-onset arthritis so severe that he couldn't walk 10 feet until he underwent double knee replacement surgery last year. Almost two years later, he can walk and run but still suffers the fallout from another ailment: medical bills....

A Physical Fit: Group opens up sports to people with disabilities - April 13, 2008
Twelve years ago, Sue Gotts was a busy recreational therapist helping clients adjust to life with a new disability. It was when these clients began asking how they could stay active once they finished therapy that Gotts came up with an idea....

Private Practice Physical Therapists Succeeding with Consulting - April 13, 2008
More and more private practice physical therapists are availing themselves of private consulting services. They are getting help with topics like practice building, maximizing the reimbursements they receive for their services, overall management skills, and being able to exercise more power of choice over the direction of their practices....

River Valley Physical Therapy clinic opens - April 13, 2008
Together, Gerard Breuker and Carla Schimmelpfennig have 35 years' experience treating patients in hospitals, rehab units, nursing homes and through home health care. Now they've combined forces and opened River Valley Physical Therapy Spine and Joint Center at 595 E. North St., Bradley....

Officials Mark Physical Therapy Month - April 2, 2008
4/2/2008 - A factory worker with a broken ankle, a grandmother suffering from arthritis, or even a receptionist with carpal tunnel. All are examples of people suffering from ailments that hinder them from performing everyday tasks. For each, occupational therapy could mean a world of difference....

Mind and body
Sport medicine therapist Toni Dauwalter takes her patients' recovery personally - April 1, 2008
When I looked at choosing a career, I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. How can you be, when you're 18 years old? I was athletic and interested in sports. I was interested in medicine, but I didn't want to dispense pills and look down throats. And I wanted to make exercise part of my job. I decided to go into physical therapy, and graduated with my degree in the spring of 1979....

Downeast Rehab Thanks VillageSoup Readers for 5 Years! - April 1, 2008
Downeast Rehabilitation Associates on Rte. 1, Rockport would like to thank the readers of the VillageSoup for voting us "Best Physical Therapy Provider" for the 5th consecutive year. We were very honored to learn that Knox and Waldo County residents have recognized the quality of the rehabilitative care Downeast Rehab has provided to this area over the past 30 years....

More than just a nursing home
Steuben County Health Care Facility will offer comforts, advanced treatments - March 30, 2008
It's the 2008 version of a nursing home -- the new $19 million Steuben County Health Care Facility at 7002 Mount Washington Road in Bath. Instead of stressing skilled nursing exclusively, the new facility has branched out into rehabilitation -- for both residents and the public....

Chautauqua PT, OT & SLP Celebrates National OT Month - March 30, 2008
Tuesday, marks the first day of National Occupational Therapy Month. Chautauqua PT, OT & SPL Professionals at the Riverwalk Center in Jamestown, recognized by the American Occupational Therapy Association, can be found at www.aota.org. The month-long celebration has been in existence for a many years, according to Judi Goerke, patient development coordinator for Chautauqua PT, OT & SLP. ...

Arcadia's Physical Therapy Program Moves Up to 7th in Nation in U.S. News
Evidence-Based Research and Pro Bono Work Around the Globe Help Distingu - March 28, 2008
GLENSIDE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. News & World Report today ranked Arcadia University's (www.arcadia.edu) Physical Therapy program 7th in the nation among the more than 200 graduate PT programs....

Aquatic therapy service helps patients heal faster - March 27, 2008
Aquatic therapy is not necessarily a new type of physical therapy, but it is becoming more popular for several reasons. It is less painful than traditional physical therapy, or land therapy. Insurance health care managers like it because therapy can begin earlier in the healing process, and patients are likely to have fewer therapy sessions....

Less Waiting, Frustration for Orthopedic Patients - New Neighbor, Partner Provides Physical Therapy for Children's Bone & Spine Surgery - March 26, 2008
Las Vegas, NV, March 26, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Full recovery of pediatric bone and spine injuries or conditions require a total care approach. Apart from the initial treatments of possible bracing or surgery, patients generally undergo months of rigorous physical therapy in order to achieve the best results. For patients of Children's Bone and Spine Surgery, this type of care is not only routine – it's hassle-free....

Medical Accounts Receivable Financing-Stat! - March 23, 2008
Medical Accounts Receivable Financing-Stat! explores the unique issues presented to lenders and B2B medical businesses in order to successfully factor medical receivables....

Potomac Valley therapist knows his function - March 23, 2008
KEYSER - Physical therapy is available at the Potomac Valley Hospital without a physician's referral but insurance companies sometimes balk at paying without a referral....

CollaborateMD Offers Upgrade Program to Competitors' Users
Current Medisoft™, Lytec®, AltaPoint, Medical Manager and Misys Customers Get Discount - March 20, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CollaborateMD, a leading provider of Internet practice management and medical billing software for the health care industry, announced today an upgrade program for existing users of Medisoft, Lytec, AltaPoint, Medical Manager and Misys. The program is offered to help medical offices and medical billing services lower costs and have more freedom and flexibility by utilizing an on-demand, online practice management software program. The program is available through April 30. ...

"Wii-habilitation" at Canton-Potsdam Hospital - March 20, 2008
POTSDAM, N.Y. -- It's therapy for the 21st century. Patients at Canton-Potsdam Hospital are using Nintendo Wii as part of their rehabilitation. They can box against a therapist, play bowling, tennis, or baseball....

Physical Therapists Offer Low-Cost Solution To Increasing Health Costs - March 19, 2008
Health care expenditures for patients with spinal conditions are rising without an associated increase in health status, according to a February, 2008 research report appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study suggests Americans may be wasting their money for treatments as the overall proportion of people with impaired function increased from 1997-2005, despite a 65% increase in expenditures to treat spine conditions. Physical therapists offering spinal mobilization, exercise, and advice can provide an effective alternative for patients with back and neck problems, often at a lower cost....

Medical advances helping woman with damaged spine - March 19, 2008
Melinda Albert was 20 years old when she learned there was a rare tumor on her spine. The tumor was removed, but it left her with nerve damage along her spine, which causes numbness and spasms. Eighteen years later - after several surgeries and countless physical therapy sessions - the left side of Albert's body is plagued with a numb and tingly feeling....

New elder care center to open in Lynchburg - March 15, 2008
PACE bundles concepts like adult day care, home health, physical and occupational therapy and dietary assistance in an intensive setting. The program expects to enroll about 125 people, most age 55 and older and recipients of both Medicare and Medicaid....

Life Policies Bill OK'd
Autism-Therapy Plan Also Advances - March 13, 2008
A Connecticut legislative panel approved bills Tuesday meant to crack down on a life insurance scam and require health insurers to pay for therapies for people with autism disorders. Group or individual health insurance policies would have to cover physical, speech and occupational therapy for treatment of autism, to the extent the policy covers those services for other diseases and conditions....

Medical Careers Institute Raises Money for Muscular Dystrophy Association - March 10, 2008
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - (Business Wire) Medical Careers Institute, the School of Health Science at ECPI College of Technology, once again is participating in a Muscular Dystrophy Association Shamrock Sales Event. The event, which kicked off February 14th will run through March 17, 2008, includes a contest where Shamrocks are sold and then counted as "votes" towards a pie in the face for unlucky faculty. Medical Careers Institute's Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education at the Newport News campus, Dawn Gaimaro, is once again leading the program this year. All of the funds raised will be used to serve over 900 families in the Hampton Roads area that the Muscular Dystrophy Association serves....

CMC rehab program goes high-tech - March 8, 2008
Rehabilitation therapy services at Carlsbad Medical Center has a new device, the PrimusRS, a BTE Technologies creation that is used to offer high-tech rehabilitation. The same device is used in athlete rehabilitation programs at U.S. Olympic training centers. ...

U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group Announces the Acquisition of Medical Emergency Treatment (MET) in East Windsor, New Jersey - March 7, 2008
VALENCIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group added to its network of occupational and urgent care centers with the acquisition of Medical Emergency Treatment (MET), 441 Route 30, East Windsor, New Jersey. U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group is the second largest operator of occupational healthcare centers in the nation....

RehabCare Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2007 Results - March 5, 2008
ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RehabCare Group, Inc. (NYSE:RHB) today reported financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2007. Comparative results for the quarter and year follow....

PMC to eliminate its outpatient physical therapy - March 4, 2008
The East Stroudsburg hospital will end outpatient physical therapy, based at the Stroud Building on Route 611, on April 4. Four physical therapists will be transferred inside the hospital to work with the inpatients. But the program's only occupational therapist - Christine Hoban - will lose her job....

Area Schools Set To Lose Millions Under Medicaid Policy Changes - March 3, 2008
Educators nationwide are protesting a Bush administration move to curtail hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicaid funding for disabled students that could force some schools already in budget straits to trim health services or cut back instructional programs....

Merged clinics to host grand opening - March 3, 2008
Clark-Arias Physical Therapy will host a grand opening for its new clinic Monday. The operation, 275 W. Tietan St., merges Walla Walla Physical Therapy and Excel Physical Therapy. The clinic is owned by Mike Clark and George Arias, who will provide outpatient orthopedic physical therapy....

Preparing for Those Who Follow Business Proverbs - March 3, 2008
One reality we all face is that the day will come when we will die, become ill, retire, or otherwise not be able to continue in our business. We are all stewards of our businesses, and as stewards we have a responsibility to prepare the way for others to follow us in the future....

Schools will lose funds - March 3, 2008
MONMOUTH - Between $10 million and $15 million will be lost annually in reimbursement claims for administrative costs that identify and enroll Medicaid-eligible students and the cost to transport them to speech and physical therapy for schools across a third of Illinois....

Laurel Crest to learn status
Survey results will determine if center gets full or second provisional license - March 3, 2008
EBENSBURG - Cambria County commissioners are waiting for results on a state survey that will determine if Laurel Crest Rehabilitation and Special Care Center will get back its full license....

A vote for healthcare as a critical issue facing Nevada - March 3, 2008
Affordable healthcare is one of the major issues facing political candidates in this year's election. Billions of dollars are spent on the healthcare industry, a system that is largely out of control, leaving individuals and their families without adequate healthcare coverage and, in many cases, without any coverage at all. According to the 2005 U. S. Census Bureau Report, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States, 46.6 million people were without health insurance coverage in 2005, up from 45.3 million people in 2004....

Butler Health System Selects ProVation Software for Gastroenterology Procedure Documentation and Coding - March 3, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS--(Business Wire)--ProVation(R) Medical, part of Wolters Kluwer Health, and Butler Health System announced today that Butler Health System has selected ProVation(R) MD software for Gastroenterology documentation and coding. The software will be implemented at Butler Ambulatory Surgery Center and Butler Memorial Hospital....

Allscripts Acquires Extended Care Information Network - March 3, 2008
CHICAGO, Jan. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allscripts, the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare, announced today it has acquired all of the outstanding stock of Extended Care Information Network (ECIN), a leading provider of hospital care management and discharge planning software, for approximately $90 million in cash....

Fair Isaac's new score: Hospital bill-paying - March 3, 2008
DALLAS - Mortgage lenders aren't the only ones showing more interest in your credit score these days -- the health industry is creating its own score to judge your ability to pay. The new MedFICO score, being designed with the help of Minneapolis-based credit industry giant Fair Isaac Corp., could debut as early as this summer in some hospitals....

Former physical therapist admits fraud - March 3, 2008
A former Richmond Hill physical therapist pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to scheming to commit health care fraud. Scott Thomas Bowlin, 44, of Rochester, N.Y., admitted to his role in defrauding Medicare and Georgia Medicaid out of more than $700,000 over a seven-month period....

Man pleads guilty to felony Medicaid fraud - March 3, 2008
A Howard County man pleaded guilty Thursday in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City to two counts of Medicaid fraud for his role in a $4 million billing scheme....

Billing Crisis Continues - March 3, 2008
WINTHROP -- When a therapist works with a child from a qualifying lower-income family, a state agency is supposed to pay for treatment. MaineCare Services, an arm of the Department of Health and Human Services, is that agency....

Therap Services Announces Release 7.2 for the Developmental Disability Community - March 2, 2008
WATERBURY, Conn., March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Therap Services announces the release of version 7.2 of its integrated suite of documentation, communication and reporting applications. Therap version 7.2 will feature new forms such as the Immunization Form and Consultation Form in the Health Tracking module and the Emergency Medical/Behavior Intervention Strategies (EMBIS) form in the GER module....

Nightingale Informatix Divests Therapist Helper Business - March 1, 2008
Nightingale Informatix Corporation (TSX-V: NGH), a provider of healthcare software and services, announced today that it has sold its Therapist Helper business to Netsmart Technologies, Inc. of Great River, New York. ...

Evidence in Motion Acquires Fit for Work - February 26, 2008
Louisville, KY (February 25, 2008) – Evidence in Motion, LLC, and Fit for Work, LP, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement whereby Fit for Work will sell a majority stake in its business to Evidence in Motion for an undisclosed sum....

Patients have direct access to physical therapy - February 25, 2008
In 2002, Pennsylvania reacted to this type of frustration and became the 35th state to allow direct access to physical therapy. Under the provisions of the law, physical therapists who meet certain criteria are able to apply for a direct access certificate of authorization, and certificate holders are able to evaluate and treat patients without a physician referral....

Physical therapists move through 1st year in business - February 25, 2008
Simard and her business partner, Diane Levasseur, share more than their leftovers. Their joint venture, Cornerstone Physical Therapy LLC, recently completed its first year in the Riverbend Marketplace, on Route 102. The firm began as banter between two longtime co-workers, and it continues to grow....

FileVision Helps Outpatient Therapy Clinic Increase Front Office Productivity, Expedite Billing Process - February 21, 2008
Atlanta - FileVision announced today that Hand & Therapy Specialists, Inc., an outpatient occupational and physical therapy clinic, will implement the new hosted version of FileVision's solution to improve front office productivity, reduce billing cycles and ultimately raise business profits....

Physical therapists feeling squeezed - February 20, 2008
At least 10 outpatient physical therapy clinics across Southwest Florida have closed since midsummer as a trio of trends has sapped the businesses' income....

Therapeutic Associates Selects athenahealth Services for Clinics in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho - February 19, 2008
PORTLAND, Ore. and WATERTOWN, Mass., Feb. 19, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of internet-based business services for physician practices, today announced that Therapeutic Associates, Inc. (TAI) will deploy athenahealth's on-demand practice management and billing service at its outpatient facilities in the Pacific Northwest as it looks to enhance operational workflow, financial performance and provider connectivity across its care delivery organization....

All About Medical Billing, Coding & Claims Modifiers - February 15, 2008
Importance of Using Proper Modifiers: 1. The physician performed multiple procedures 2. The procedure performed was bilateral...

Physical Therapy Billing - Shared Knowledge Base For Improved Control and Compliance - February 15, 2008
A new industry of high-technology rehab and physical therapy billing has mushroomed under the auspices of its promise to streamline the collections process and leave doctors with more time to care for their patients. Though many high-quality services and systems exist, an overwhelming variety of options and attractive (yet unsubstantiated) performance claims from some providers have charmed busy doctors into making poor strategic decisions for their practices....

Physical Therapy Billing - ROI and Price-Performance Calculation for Solving Outsourcing Dilemma - February 15, 2008
Internet-based technology has been applied effectively to reduce physical therapy and rehab practice billing costs, especially at the stages of claims validity tests (scrubbing) and electronic submission. The decision about the scope of of automation depends on the total cost of ownership, which is often difficult to compute. Quantification of billing quality and its inclusion into price-performance equation of billing service yields more comprehensive financial picture and better decisions about billing service outsourcing and management. It is effective, however, only subject to controlled billing performance levels and process transparency....

Physical Therapy Billing - February 15, 2008
Physical therapy billing is often misunderstood and taken for granted by most private practices which result in thousands of dollars lost each month, if not more. Proper PT billing and CPT coding can make or break a practice. Those who know rehab billing secrets and techniques and do it well are more successful overall. Those who do not fully understand billing for physical therapy don't do as well....

Rehab Billing Service Outsourcing - Zero-Sum Argument and Cost-Benefit Analysis - February 15, 2008
Over 17 percent of accounts receivable for an average physical therapy practice are beyond 120 days since the date of service. Although this may not seem to be a problem, as it would be expected that the money will come eventually, in fact an unpaid claim that is 180 days overdue has less than 1% chance of ever being paid. In other words, the average rehab practice delivers almost one fifth of its services for free. Would billing outsourcing be an appropriate solution for this problem?...

A path to better health - February 15, 2008
While state and federal elected officials are planning major surgery on the nation's health-care system, a local group is starting with a shrewder approach: taking the patient's temperature....

CMS agrees to keep Medicare for Northwoods - February 15, 2008
ALBANY - The federal government last month started to shut four Northwoods Rehabilitation and Extended Care facilities out of the Medicare program, potentially throwing the care of 400 patients into even greater uncertainty....

Physical Therapy Billing - Will Outsourcing End in 2008? - January 6, 2008
The dramatic economic growth of India has created some negative implications for offshore Business Process Outsourcing organizations (BPO). Some of these implications can be directly attributed to the devaluation of the USD in comparison to the rupee. If this trend persists, and the USD continues to lose its value in comparison to the rupee, only the most efficient BPO's in India will be able to continue to make a profit....

MedSynergies and Practice Performance Inc. Merge to Offer Complete Solutions Portfolio for Optimizing Physician Practice Operations - December 29, 2007
DALLAS, Sept. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- MedSynergies Inc., a leading provider of healthcare revenue cycle services and technology that includes advanced analytics and reporting platforms, announced it has completed a merger with Dallas-based healthcare management and technology company Practice Performance Inc. (PPI), effective August 31....

How healthy is your medical credit score?
System being designed to help hospitals figure out whether you'll pay them - December 29, 2007
Mortgage lenders aren't the only ones showing more interest in your credit score these days – the health industry is creating its own score to judge your ability to pay....

North St. Louis County nursing home among the nation's worst - December 29, 2007
A north St. Louis County nursing home is among the worst of more than 16,000 in the nation and could be forced to close unless it improves, a federal agency said Thursday....

Sybase iAnywhere Helps Healthcare Industry Revolutionize and Improve Patient Care - December 29, 2007
DUBLIN, Calif., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sybase iAnywhere today announced continuing momentum for the adoption of its leading technologies to power innovative healthcare applications developed by organizations such as Peoplefirst Rehabilitation, Per-Se Technologies, STI Computing, and IDEXX. Sybase iAnywhere helps vendors deliver powerful, flexible, and cost-effective human and animal healthcare solutions that enable organizations of any size to deliver timely access to critical patient information, streamline business processes and reduce administrative costs....

Campbell Clinic Selects athenahealth's On-Demand Practice Management Service for Greater Financial and Operational Outcomes - December 29, 2007
GERMANTOWN, Tenn. and WATERTOWN, Mass., Oct. 29, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- pic For Immediate Release athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of Internet-based business services for physician practices, today announced at the Medical Group Management Association's (MGMA) national convention in Philadelphia, that the Campbell Clinic, one of the world's premier orthopaedic centers, has selected athenahealth's on-demand practice management and billing service, athenaCollector(SM), for its four facilities throughout the state of Tennessee....

Medicare bill summary - December 29, 2007
Here's a summary of the proposed Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 as released by the Senate Finance Committee....

New York Doctor Pleads Guilty to Health Care Claims Fraud
Doctor Stole Over $2 Million from Insurance Companies - December 29, 2007
May 24, 2007 -- TRENTON - New Jersey Attorney General Stuart Rabner and Division of Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that a New York physician pleaded guilty today to defrauding insurance companies by submitting numerous false Personal Injury Protection (PIP) auto insurance claims....

Nightingale signs US$3.1 million enterprise agreement with Baltimore hospital - December 29, 2007
MARKHAM, Ontario, Dec 20, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nightingale Informatix Corporation ("Nightingale") (TSX VENTURE: NGH), one of North America's fastest growing healthcare software and services providers, today announced that it has signed a three-year $3.1 million revenue cycle management contract with Baltimore, Maryland-based Harbor Hospital, a 203-bed hospital with 52 employed physicians and an affiliated network of more than 200 active physicians. All financial terms are in U.S. dollars....

Lack of medical bills dogs prisons
Officials catching heat for their accounting of costly inmate care - December 29, 2007
Not reviewing itemized bills for tens of millions of taxpayer dollars spent annually on inmate medical care didn't make sense to state Sen. John A. Carey Jr....

athenahealth Helps Physicians Maximize Revenue Under New National Medicare Pay-for-Performance Program - December 29, 2007
WATERTOWN, Mass., March 23, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) (PRIMEZONE) -- athenahealth, Inc., the premier provider of web-based services, knowledge, and software for medical practices, today announced that its web-based athenaNet(r) practice management system now includes new physician quality measures and coding rules for its entire national client base as part of the new Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA) that was signed into law in December 2006....

Audit: DOH Overpaid Medical Providers $25 Million - December 29, 2007
ALBANY---The New York State Department of Health overpaid medical providers $25.7 million for clinic services for hospitalized Medicaid recipients because controls within DOH's eMedNY claims processing system designed to prevent double payments for services were not being used and the clinics were not following Medicaid billing guidelines, according to an audit released Friday by the state Comptroller's office....

Coffee Health Group Earns User Excellence Award for Innovative Use of Technology
Boston WorkStation Scripting Helps Improve Efficiency - December 29, 2007
SHERBORN, MA--(Marketwire - June 12, 2007) - Boston Software Systems™, the leader in workflow automation technology to the healthcare market, today named Coffee Health Group as the winner of the first annual Boston WorkStation™ User Excellence Award. This honor recognizes Coffee Health Group for its successful business office application, which is generating an estimated $30,000 per month increase in revenues....

National Medical Imaging Installs SourceRad Throughout Its 21 Facilities - December 29, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SourceMedical, a leader in information management solutions for outpatient and diagnostic imaging centers, today added 21 new SourceRad integrated RIS/PACS/Billing solution installations to its customer base. National Medical Imaging (NMI), a national provider of diagnostic imaging services, has signed up to install SourceRad in all of its facilities....

Tech-Savvy Gulf Coast Chiropractor Cures Practice Headaches with RAPID Chiropractic Software from ACOM's Healthcare Business Division - December 29, 2007
Florida chiropractor Dr. Joseph Ferrantelli enhanced the efficiency and productivity of his practice as well as his relationships with referral sources with the implementation of RAPID chiropractic software from the ACOM Healthcare Business Division....

AlphaQuest and Care2Learn Launch E-learning Solution for Billing, Coding and Compliance Professionals - December 29, 2007
Care2Learn and AlphaQuest, LLC announce a new E-learning solution for billing, coding and compliance professionals. The customized online learning management system, known as AlphaQuest University ("AQU"), http://www.alphaquestllc.com; or www.codingacademy.com;, was developed to serve the greater than 100,000 certified billing, coding and compliance professionals in the healthcare industry....

Langer, Inc. Signs Preferred Provider Agreement With Genesis Rehabilitation Services - December 29, 2007
DEER PARK, N.Y., June 29, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Langer, Inc. (Nasdaq:GAIT) "Langer" or the "Company") today announced the signing of a two year agreement with Genesis Rehabilitation Services ("GRS"), a subsidiary of Genesis HealthCare Corporation, designating Regal Medical, Inc. ("Regal"), a subsidiary of Langer, as a preferred provider of contracture management products and services to patients in long-term care facilities where GRS provides rehabilitation services....

Physical therapist teaches board new exercises - December 29, 2007
Before getting down to business matters, the Teton County Hospital District Board, meeting Sept. 24, learned about a new exercise program, "Beyond Kegels," that Teton Medical Center physical therapists are promoting to strengthen pelvic floor muscles....

Triangle Orthopaedic Associates Selects athenahealth's Web-Based Practice Management Service - December 29, 2007
WATERTOWN, Mass. & DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--athenahealth, Inc., the premier provider of web-based services, knowledge, and software for medical practices, today announced that Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, P.A., a leading orthopaedic surgical group with over 60 providers and nine locations, has selected athenahealth's athenaNet® practice management system to bolster its financial and operational performance....

Misys EMR(R)'s Flexible Products Strengthen Business Performance at Tidewater Physical Therapy - December 29, 2007
RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 30, 2006--Misys Healthcare Systems, a market leader in healthcare IT, today announced that Tidewater Physical Therapy, Inc. (TPTI) has selected Misys EMR(R) to clinically automate the 20-location, 50-therapist practice in Virginia and North Carolina, freeing the clinicians to devote more time to patient care. TPTI considered a range of solutions before concluding that Misys EMR, a flexible electronic medical record solution, will best meet the specific needs of their large, multi-site physical therapy practice....

Medical Transcription Industry Moving to Make the Philippines a Major Global Player - December 29, 2007
(PRWEB) September 6, 2006 -- A significant growth is being envisioned for the Philippine business processing industry in the near future; much of this growth is centered in medical transcription....

FONAR Announces Fiscal 2006 Year-End Financial Results - December 29, 2007
MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 15, 2006--FONAR Corporation (NASDAQ:FONR), The Inventor of MR Scanning(TM), today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2006, which ended June 30, 2006....

Wyoming Hospital Selects Medsphere OpenVista® Electronic Health Record - December 29, 2007
NEW ORLEANS -- Third Adoption in a Month for Commercial VistA-Based System HIMSS 2007 Annual Conference. Medsphere Systems Corporation, the leading provider of professional open source-based electronic health record (EHR) systems and services, today announced a five-year agreement to deploy its OpenVista® EHR platform at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County (MHSC) in Rock Springs, Wyoming. The 99-bed not-for-profit facility is the third community hospital to adopt OpenVista's paperless system in the last month....

Des Moines University Clinic Selects InteGreat's IC-Chart EHR
Clinic and Medical School to Benefit From Electronic Patient Records - December 29, 2007
SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- October 09, 2006 -- Des Moines University Clinic, a multi-specialty medical clinic affiliated with Des Moines University in Des Moines, Iowa, has selected InteGreat's IC-Chart® as its electronic health records (EHR) system based on its ease of use, reporting functions and ability to interface with Groupcast®, its new IDX®-based software billing system, which currently is in the installation stage. IC-Chart implementation is tentatively scheduled for spring 2007....

MDwerks Signs Marketing Agreement with Thera-Med - December 29, 2007
DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MDwerks, Inc. (OTCBB:MDWK), a provider of innovative Web-based, electronic claims management and funding solutions for healthcare professionals, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Thera-Med Systems, LLC to provide various marketing, telemarketing and other performance-based sales services to the Company....

American Consumer Council Criticizes Cigna and Healthcare System in Death of Teenager - December 29, 2007
The American Consumer Council criticized health insurance giant Cigna Corp for denying approval for a liver transplant operation that led to the death of 17-year old Nataline Sarkisyan....

Qui Tam/Whistleblower Case Histories In The Healthcare Industry - December 29, 2007
Here are some examples of recent Qui Tam cases from all over the United States. Approximately one of every three dollars recovered through false claims cases relate to healthcare fraud....

GORILLABILL.COM HELPS CONSUMERS DIAGNOSE MEDICAL BILLS - December 29, 2007
(openPR) - NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Gone are the days of letting your insurance company handle your health care expenses. For many Americans, out-of-pocket medical expenses have soared because of higher insurance premiums, larger deductibles and an increasing number of medical services that are excluded from coverage. More individuals are managing their own expenses and utilizing Heath care Savings Accounts, while the number of uninsured individuals continues to grow....

Rush-Copley Medical Group Selects athenahealth for Improved Financial and Clinical Outcomes - December 28, 2007
AURORA, Ill. and WATERTOWN, Mass., Sept. 12, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- athenahealth, Inc., a provider of internet-based business services to physician practices, today announced that Rush-Copley Medical Group, which is part of Rush-Copley Medical Center, a 183-bed hospital with over 1,500 employees and 500 physicians on staff, has selected athenahealth's practice management service, athenaCollector(sm), for its physician organization. Rush-Copley will also be using Eclipsys Corporation's(r) (Nasdaq:ECLP) Sunrise Ambulatory Care(tm) offering as part of a new integrated clinical and financial ambulatory care solution....

MediSys Corporation Finalizes Multi-Million Dollar Distribution Agreement With Georgia Based Medical Practice Management Firm - December 28, 2007
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., July 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MediSys Corporation (Pink Sheets: MDYS - News) announced it has executed a definitive Distribution Agreement with Innovative Practice Solutions, Inc., a Georgia based Medical Practice Management firm. Innovative Practice Solutions (IPS) will represent MediSys Corporation as an exclusive distributor of the MaxLife Center for Men(TM) in Georgia....

Pair operates international business in their basement - December 28, 2007
Nicole and Mike Robeck have teamed up to make their Black Hills Medical Billing Service the 2007 Small Business Association South Dakota Home-Based Business of the Year. They work together in their basement along with Lucy, their new Labradoodle, a Labrador and poodle mix. (Steve McEnroe/Journal staff)...

Newington therapist allegedly got paid for work he never provided - December 28, 2007
NEWINGTON - A local physical therapist was arrested Thursday on suspicions that he billed the state's Medicaid program for services that he never provided to the residents of a Newington group home....

HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) Reports Criminal Enforcement Actions for Healthcare Fraud - December 28, 2007
In Tennessee, the owner of a physical therapy company pled guilty to violating the anti-kickback statute and was sentenced to 4 months in prison and ordered to pay $173,000 in restitution. The woman paid kickbacks to doctors based on the percentage of her profits for the patients referred to her company for physical therapy services. During the investigation, it was also revealed that the woman employed unlicensed physical therapists, billed for more therapy than was provided, and prepared fraudulent medical records for a Medicare audit. ...

FBI: Detroit-area Medicare Fraud "out of control - December 28, 2007
DETROIT -- A web of low-income residents, doctors and sham physical therapy centers here is costing millions of dollars in bogus Medicare claims, making the region one of the nation's worst for fraud in the federal program, the FBI said....

FBI zeros in on Medicare fraud Metro Detroit
Agent: Schemes problem in area - December 28, 2007
Medicare is being bilked out of millions of dollars in metro Detroit, which the FBI on Thursday called one of the nation's worst areas for such fraud....

Doctor indicted in Verizon health plan billing scam - December 28, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) _ A physician whose wife vanished and was later found dead in the East River was arraigned Thursday on charges of running a "medical mill" that cheated the Verizon Communications Inc. health plan by fraudulent billing....

Patterson Cos. buys software firm - December 28, 2007
Patterson Cos. Inc. said Monday it has bought Advanced Practice Systems, a California firm that makes software used by physical therapy practices. ...

ACOM Healthcare Business Division Introduces RAPID Complete - Enterprise Edition for Chiropractic-driven Multi-Specialty Pain Management Practices - December 28, 2007
Recognizing a strong trend toward the establishment of chiropractic-centric, multi-specialty, multi-location pain management clinics, the ACOM Healthcare Business Division has introduced RAPID Complete - Enterprise Edition, as a comprehensive office management solution that supports the billing, reporting and office management requirements of all of the specialties involved....

Southwestern Medical Clinic Selects Allscripts to Automate Clinical and Back-Office Operations - December 28, 2007
CHICAGO, and BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich., Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Allscripts , the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare, today announced that Southwestern Medical Clinic has selected Allscripts as their provider of an integrated Electronic Health Record and Practice Management solution to automate clinical and financial operations for the group's nearly 70 healthcare providers....

Siemens Soarian Health Information Management is Widely Adopted by Leading Healthcare Institutions in 2007
Leading Healthcare Institutions Embrace - December 28, 2007
MALVERN, Pa., Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Siemens Medical Solutions (http://www.usa.siemens.com/healthcareit) is fulfilling the demand for a workflow-oriented, patient-centric approach to healthcare with its Enterprise Document Management (EDM) and Soarian(R) Healthcare Information Management (HIM) solutions, which are helping healthcare institutions enhance patient care, improve patient safety initiatives, and reduce healthcare costs. Leading healthcare organizations, like many of those which will be participating in this year's 79th Annual American Health and Information Management Association (AHIMA) Convention and Exhibit, have adopted these solutions as a means to assist in streamlining patient data and making information readily available to those in the organizations who need it most....

Critical Access Hospitals Purchase Chargemaster Toolkit – CAH - December 25, 2007
Orlando, FL (PRWEB) June 21, 2006 -- Craneware, Inc., a leading supplier of chargemaster management and revenue cycle software solutions, today announced that Blowing Rock Hospital in Blowing Rock, North Carolina; Skyline Hospital in White Salmon, Washington; and Bayside Community Hospital and Clinic in Anahuac, Texas, have joined the growing number of critical access hospitals and small rural facilities using Chargemaster Toolkit – CAH™, the first revenue cycle solution designed for specific billing, coding, revenue capture and reporting needs of critical access hospitals....

American Consumer Council Criticizes Cigna and Healthcare System in Death of Teenager - December 24, 2007
The American Consumer Council criticized health insurance giant Cigna Corp for denying approval for a liver transplant operation that led to the death of 17-year old Nataline Sarkisyan. Thomas Hinton, president of the 82,000 member non-profit American Consumer Council (ACC), said, “Health insurance companies like Cigna continue to put their financial interest ahead of patient survival and urgent treatment when medical procedures such as liver transplants are deemed too costly. Ms. Sarkisyan and her family suffered needlessly because of Cigna’s flip-flopping and delay tactics.”...

14 Step Selection of Outsourced Billing Software and Service for a Physical Therapy Practice - December 24, 2007
Over four thousand vendors of medical billing services offer solutions to Physical Therapy and Rehab practices nationwide in response to poor in-house billing performance and increasing regulatory scrutiny of billing processes. On one hand, such a large number of outsourced billing solutions ensure continued competitiveness in terms of both service quality and pricing. On the other hand, the lack of uniform service standards and metrics among the vendors, combined with their large numbers, makes the process of vendor selection difficult and error-prone....

Physical Therapy Billing Software and Service Performance Metrics - December 4, 2007
Billing performance measurement is an integral part of physical therapy practice billing process and a prerequisite to effective rehab practice management. Systematic measurement becomes mission-critical with growth of billing complexity or outsourcing of the billing function. Traditional billing metrics are limited in scope and focus on claim submission process, ignoring process imperfections on the insurance (payer) side. Modern computer technologies allow both productive measurement and effective action by the disciplined billing office to improve claim submission and payment processes....

Siemens Soarian Health Information Management is Widely Adopted by Leading Healthcare Institutions in 2007 - December 3, 2007
Leading Healthcare Institutions Embrace Technology That Enables Free Flow of Patient Documentation Throughout the Enterprise Siemens Medical Solutions is fulfilling the demand for a workflow-oriented, patient-centric approach to healthcare with its Enterprise Document Management (EDM) and Soarian(R) Healthcare Information Management (HIM) solutions, which are helping healthcare institutions enhance patient care, improve patient safety initiatives, and reduce healthcare costs....

GeBBS secures a contract to provide RCM services in the Rehabilitation Segment - November 24, 2007
GeBBS Healthcare Solutions, one of India's leading healthcare BPO providers, today announced a deal to deliver value-added and exclusive ARM services in the Rehabilitation arena. This further augments GeBBS' position in the RCM outsourcing space....

Guidelines for the New Graduate: Easing into the World of Therapy - November 24, 2007
New graduates have succeeded in our work environment. We pride ourselves on providing training, clinical education and a continuous support network. Browse through some examples from Yaffa Liebermann's up coming book entitled: "Guidelines for the New Graduate: Easing into the World of Therapy."...

Physical therapist pleads to fraud scam - His seven-month scheme stole more than $700,000 - November 23, 2007
A physical therapist has admitted scheming with his wife, a Wayne County doctor and the doctor's wife to steal more than $700,000 in government health-care reimbursements over a seven-month period....

Billing for services of physical therapists - November 23, 2007
Given today's health care climate, physicians welcome the opportunity to generate additional income within their practices. In searching for ways to generate income, physicians often look to sources of revenue generated from the provision of services ancillary to their own, since most physicians cannot pack any more patient care hours into the day than they already provide now....

Rehab Billing Service Outsourcing Dilemma - November 22, 2007
Can an outsourced medical billing service improve or expedite payments and reduce costs? This article revisits key arguments for and against billing outsourcing in light of increasing complexity and regulatory scrutiny of billing processes....

Physical Therapy Billing Software, HIPAA Compliance, and Role Based Access Control - November 21, 2007
HIPAA compliance requires special focus. A rehab practice with multiple separate systems for patient scheduling, electronic medical records, and billing, requires multiple separate HIPAA management efforts. This article presents an integrated approach to HIPAA compliance and outlines HIPAA terminology, principles, and requirements to help the physical therapy practice owner to ensure HIPAA compliance by medical billing service and software vendors....

Rehab Practice Billing Control with Computer Aided Coding Software - November 21, 2007
The average rehab practice submits half of its codes wrong, while some practices rarely exceed more than one code right out of every five codes. Computer aided coding with integrated superbill places the physical therapist in control and enables dynamic, precise, reliable, consistent, defensive, and inexpensive coding process. ...

Boston Area Medical Providers Named In Multimillion Dollar Healthcare Fraud Scheme - November 20, 2007
Owners and employees of Boston Regional Physical Therapy, Inc., and its sister corporation, Central Metropolitan Billing Services, Inc., have been named as defendants in a multi-million dollar lawsuit....

Are You a Good Rehab Practice for an Outsourced Billing Service Vendor? - November 20, 2007
Dr. John Doe woke up at two AM and was unable to fall asleep again. He went to his desk, logged onto his computer and looked for the termination clause in the Agreement with his billing service. ...