OIG Update for Urology
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Specific to practices, the OIG is continuing to focus on Medicare oversight of “providerbased status” with a revised ruling. According to the work plan, “We (OIG) will determine the number of providerbased facilities that hospitals own and the extent to which CMS has methods to oversee providerbased billing.” Providerbased status allows facilities owned and operated by hospitals to bill as hospital outpatient departments and can result in a higher Medicare payment, including the equipment utilization rate. Private practice urologists who own diagnostic imaging equipment need to “remain vigilant about documenting their reasons for ordering those tests and review their own utilization rates,” according to Dr. Robert Dowling, vicepresident Medical Affairs and Policy, ION Solutions.
In addition, the OIG has removed language in its work plans for 2015 and 2016 around the scrutiny of evaluation and management services and possible inappropriate payments. The OIG also removed language around laboratory tests – billing characteristics and questionable billing – but retained language around annual analysis of Medicare clinical laboratory payments, adding referring/ordering Medicare services and supplies. The OIG also made changes to physicians and suppliers, removing language around noncompliance with assignment rules and excessive billing of beneficiaries, and place of service coding errors.
Dr. Dowling gives a full explanation of each of these revisions in a recent column published in Urology Times. To see the full article, click here.
