HAP Radiology Billing and Coding Blog

One of the fastest and easiest sources of emergency funding available to practices at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic was the Medicare Accelerated and Advanced Payment Program.  As we recently reported, the initial timetable called for repayment of those advances to begin 120 days after the advance was made. Repayment was to be accomplished through reduction of Medicare reimbursements otherwise payable to the practice currently, until the full amount of the advance was repaid.

The average cut of 11% in radiology reimbursement that is proposed by the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2021 (MPFS) is the continuation of a trend that spans more than a decade.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released their annual proposal for changes to the Medicare payment system for the coming year. The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Proposed Rule contains not only proposed adjustments to Medicare reimbursement but also proposed changes to the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for 2021 and beyond.

Since the end of March we all have been focused on the impact of the public health emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic, but slowly our attention is returning to the other ongoing issues of operating a practice.  Let’s review some important topics that still exist on our radar screens.

The first article in our three-part series covered workplace safety policies, changes to your office space, and workflow processes, while the second article discussed human resources and patient scheduling considerations.  In this final article, we look at ways to strengthen the return of patient volume to your practice through community collaboration and marketing.

The first article in our three-part series covered workplace safety policies, changes to your office space, and workflow processes.  Next, we will discuss the many aspects of human resource management and address patient scheduling in this new environment. 

On June 3, 2020, Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (PPPFA) that modifies the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that was put in place as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Security (CARES) Act.  The PPP is a potentially forgivable loan administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA).  This latest legislation changes some of the terms and requirements that will lead to loan forgiveness as we outlined in our recent article. 

There are many variables to consider in addressing the uncertainties that lie ahead. While we know there is a lot of excellent information available, our hope is that we have been able to curate some relevant guidance that will help your practice thrive again in this period of uncertainty.  Areas of focus for your practice should include:

The supply of health care today is directly affected by our care delivery systems. Hospitals have been working hard to meet the demand caused by the pandemic while preserving resources needed for safety. Additionally, in order to do their part in lessening the spread, they have had to quickly adapt to meet precautionary measures and reduce non-urgent and elective care.

The latest legislation designed to assist businesses during the COVID-19 public health emergency is known as the “Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act”, signed into law on April 24, 2020.  It provides $484 billion to supplement the programs initiated under the CARES^[1] Act, including $310 billion of additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA).  There have also been revisions to the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program and expansion of the HHS “Lost Revenue/Increased Cost” Grants.