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Monitor Mondays

Monitor Mondays

Author: RACmonitor

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Join Chuck Buck every Monday when he welcomes RACmonitor contributing editors and special guests for the latest regulatory audit news and information from CMS, OIG and OMHA. And gain valuable context and perspective that can only be found when you’re listening to the long-running and popular Monitor Mondays. Register to attend live here: https://racmonitor.medlearn.com/racmonitor/podcasts/

332 Episodes
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Long a contentious edict from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Medicare Two-Midnight Rule can be simplified into three basic elements.For the first time, Monitor Mondays, along with esteemed physician advisor Benjamin Kartchner, will be outlining them, along with all that’s needed to undo the gordian knot of denials.During the next live edition of the venerable Internet radio broadcast, Dr. Kartchner will complete his discussion as to how detailed clinical updates, ...
Denials in healthcare are a problem.Recently, though, the problem seems to be getting worse, especially with the misapplication of the Two-Midnight Rule by Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, according to Nick Hut, senior editor for Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).Hut reports that MA plans are classifying hospital stays as outpatient observation visits at a significantly higher rate than traditional Medicare even though the rule is supposed to be applied the same way in both pro...
Sex, Lies and Turmoil

Sex, Lies and Turmoil

2024-10-2827:30

A pediatrician under investigation related to accusations that she had engaged in sexual relations with a male patient, having lied about it when applying for another healthcare position, was recently sentenced for making false statements.In another case, a federal contractor agreed to resolve False Claims Act allegations in connection with a government contract related to its storage of unsecured personally identifiable information of Medicare beneficiaries.Recognizing that it’s not only a b...
Could you and your care team be at risk when you upgrade a patient from observation to inpatient simply because the patient passed a second midnight in the hospital, based on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) contentious Two-Midnight Rule?And what about the expectation? How does expectation enter this equation? And finally, what should be present to change that expectation?During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, Ben Kartchner, MD, a prominent physician advisor, w...
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has reported that one of America’s largest urine drug-testing companies has agreed to pay $27 million to resolve allegations of unnecessary drug testing and illegal remuneration to physicians.The False Claims Act allegations resolved by this settlement were originally brought in three lawsuits filed by whistleblowers under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government – and to share in...
A major drug company’s attempt to turn 340B drug pricing program discounts into rebates made big headlines in recent weeks. Maureen Testoni, president and CEO of 340B Health, will review how this potentially major upheaval came about, how 340B stakeholders responded, and how the drugmaker backed off after the federal government threatened it with massive penalties.This debate is by no means over.The idea of imposing rebates in 340B is not a new one, and the concept has come back into prominen...
As violent crime has trended slightly downward throughout the United States over the last year, a wound to this country’s collective psyche that appears reluctant to close is workplace violence in America’s hospitals.Reporting the lead story during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be special assignment contributor Dennis Jones, senior director of revenue cycle at Jefferson Health.Jones returns to his beat to continue his reporting of this issue. Among those healthcare professiona...
Oak Street Health, headquartered in Chicago and a wholly-owned subsidiary of CVS Health since 2023, has agreed to pay $60 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to third-party insurance agents in exchange for recruiting seniors to Oak Street Health’s primary care clinics, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Reporting the lead story during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be Max Wollman, a pa...
You need to get paid properly for surgical procedures on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Inpatient-Only (IPO) List, according to Mary Beth Pace, vice president of care management at Trinity Health, and also the special guest during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays.Pace, in making the statement, was referring to rules and regulations set forth in the Federal Register for Medicare in 2024. She also alleges that some Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are not abiding by...
What’s wrong with this picture?With more than 10 years of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Two-midnight Rule now behind us, one would presume that most healthcare professionals should know what determines an inpatient status. But some don’t.That is why RACmonitor has invited renowned physician and attorney Dr. John K. Hall to report on the requirements and risks associated with inpatient order documentation during the next edition of Monitor Mondays.Other segments during...
A comprehensive new survey featuring responses from more than 1,500 U.S. patients reveals that they are not only frustrated by poor provider support, but also are experiencing tangible health setbacks – especially when waiting to refill prescriptions and being placed on hold while waiting to speak to a caregiver.Israel Krush, CEO and Co-Founder of Hyro, the healthcare vendor whose company sponsored the survey, is scheduled to be the special guest during the next live edition of the long-runni...
In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Debby, now Tropical Storm Debby, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced additional resources and flexibilities to support the affected states of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.Following President Biden’s emergency declarations and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra’s Public Health Emergency determination, CMS is working closely with these states to ensure continued a...
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has a new whistleblower reward initiative called the DOJ Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program.The Program, which seeks to fill gaps left by existing whistleblower reward programs, incentivizes whistleblowers to bring tips to the DOJ about types of healthcare fraud not already covered by the False Claims Act (FCA). According to Monitor Mondays special guest Mary Inman, the new Program raises the stakes for the entire healthcare industry, especially ...
The Inpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule for Acute Care and Long-Term Care hospitals in the 2025 fiscal year (FY) continues to generate interest from providers, payers, hospital administrators, vendors, and consultants. But what are the significant takeaways for stakeholders as they prepare for the government’s fiscal year, which begins Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024?Standing by to report the lead story during the next live edition of the long-running Monitor Mondays broadcast will be subje...
Denver-based DaVita Inc. has agreed to pay slightly more than $34 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA).The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reported in a news release that DaVita paid kickbacks to induce referrals to DaVita Rx, a former subsidiary that provided pharmacy services for dialysis patients, directing the payments to nephrologists and vascular access physicians.During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, famed whistleblower attorney Mary In...
Could the end be near for the administrative law judges of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS). What about the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA)? Could these entities be gone from the audit landscape?Case in point: the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) continues eviscerating executive powers. This time SCOTUS has limited the authority of administrative tribunals and the administrative law judges to adjudicate some cases—this according to a recent SCOTUS decision.While the ...
Have you ever wondered how professional movers carefully pack everything? From expensive china to precious crystal stemware, they seem to have a knack and knowledge for how to prepare.When it comes to healthcare, how safe is the transition from hospital to home if a patient cannot get the services they need at home when they are ready to transition?More and more, we are seeing challenges with home health care agencies not being available for our patients who need home care at discharge, accor...
For nearly four decades, a judicial principle known as “Chevron deference” has guided the federal courts as they reviewed litigation associated with federal agencies. Chevron deference allowed legislators to leave statutes somewhat vague, assuming that an agency full of government experts would sort out the details and promulgate effective regulation.But, according to a recent U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision, the principle is fundamentally flawed – in fact, fatally flawed. The decision t...
In a late-breaking press release, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced late Thursday that the agency had charged nearly 200 individuals accused with involvement in various healthcare fraud schemes estimated at $2.7 billion. Charges were brought against nurses, physicians, and others in a national sweep, and it was estimated that more than $900 million in false claims were submitted to Medicare for wound care grafts.Reporting on this major developing story during the next edition of ...
A recent federal court decision in New Jersey demonstrates the viability of a different kind of whistleblower – in this case, a privately defrauded party.The most common type of a whistleblower under the False Claims Act (FCA) tends to be a corporate insider who sees fraud committed against the government by their employer or a company they work with, and generally after many, many attempts at internal reporting, sues the company under the law and is eligible to share in the recovery.During t...
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