Search Results for: Special Investigations Unit

Audits of Semaglutide and Other GLP-1 Claims are Increasing

Prescriber Risks Ordering Semaglutide, Tirzepatide and Other Compounded GLP-1 Medications

(October 24, 2024): Semaglutide, tirzepatide and a slate of other GLP-1 receptor agonist medications have dominated weight loss headlines in recent years. Not surprisingly, many weight loss providers and clinics have refocused their approaches, incorporating these drugs into patient treatment regimens. Unfortunately, the popularity of these drugs has led to a variety of bad practices, […]

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The OPM Debarment Action on Health care Providers - Liles Parker - Dec 2023

The OPM Debarment Process – Responding to an FEHBP Debarment or Suspension Action in 2024

(December 20, 2023): Most health care providers and suppliers are familiar with the fact that as a participating provider in the Medicare and / or Medicaid programs, certain criminal convictions, adverse licensure actions, and various types of prohibited conduct may subject the provider to exclusion from participation in Federal health care programs[1] by the Department

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Hospice Audit and Investigative Actions are Expected to Rise in 2024 - November 2023

Hospice Audit and Investigative Actions are Expected to Rise in 2024

(November 20, 2023): Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans cover hospice care and related services. To be eligible for hospice care,[1] a patient must be certified as terminally ill and have a life expectancy of six months or less.  In recent years, the hospice industry has exponentially grown, and the number of Federal, State

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AI in medical billing- Liles Parker - October 2023

AI in Medical Billing: A Benefit or a Compliance Risk?

(October 10, 2023): In terms of revenues and expenses, health care providers and suppliers have repeatedly faced two unfortunate realities: (1) Reimbursement rates are shrinking, and (2) they are constantly being saddled with additional unfunded mandates (for example, HIPAA compliance, OSHA requirements, compliance obligations, etc. Coupled with ordinary practice expenses, many health care providers are

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Medicare Exclusion Risks: Employing Excluded Individuals Can Result in Significant Administrative, Civil and / or Criminal Liabilities

(May 8, 2023): One of the most severe administrative sanctions available under the Social Security Act stems from the authority of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)[1] to “exclude” individuals and entities from participating in Federal health care programs.[2] While the Centers for Medicare and

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TPE Audits: The Process & Expected Targets in 2023

(January 26, 2023): Since the inception of the pilot program in 2015, the Targeted Probe and Educate Audit (TPE audit) program has effectively been a double-edged sword for most providers. On the positive side, it has served as an educational tool that providers can use to better ensure that their medical necessity, documentation, coding and

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Enforcement Efforts Targeting Aquatic Therapy Providers and CPT Code 97113 Claims

(October 3, 2022): Aquatic therapy is a common method of rehabilitation and maintenance for several types of injuries and conditions, and the practice is widely accepted by Medicare, Medicaid and many private payors. Historically, both payors and law enforcement have routinely audited aquatic therapy claims. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initially suspended

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Incident To Billing Practices are Under Law Enforcement’s Microscope. Are Your Incident To Billing Practices Compliant?

(September 20, 2022): In the Medicare billing context, the term “Incident To” refers to the fact that under certain circumstances, the services of non-physician, mid-level practitioners (such as Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs)) are “. . . furnished as an integral, although incidental, part of the physician’s personal professional services in the course

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laws regulation changes affect billing agreement - Liles Parker

Ever-Changing Federal and State Laws and Regulations are Transforming Third-Party Billing Contracts

(July 28, 2022): The business side of medicine has changed considerably over the last decade. Health care laws, regulations, and administrative policies are constantly evolving. A number of these changes have impacted health care practices, billing companies, and the third-party billing contracts executed between these parties. From its earliest beginnings, the majority of third-party billing

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State and Federal Hospice Audit and Investigation Efforts are Expanding in 2022

(May 12, 2022): Hospice agencies are again the focus of both state and federal investigators and prosecutors around the country. The number of hospice audits and investigations at both the state and federal levels have risen in 2022. This isn’t surprising given the ever-expanding level of beneficiary participation and cost of Medicare’s hospice benefit program.

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