Quote:
Originally Posted by Aces4
Possibly a billion dollars in false payments..yeah, couldn't be any fraud anywhere. I'd like to see a computerized tracking device for the care of Medicare patients. Hand the tracker to the patient for when they enter the office, time the MA or nurse spends in the room and actual time Dr. is in the room.
I had a pretty good Dr. but this Dr.'s. caseload is in overload. The last two yearly visits had me waiting in the room for 40 minutes after the scheduled appt., I get that. But then this Dr. spent 7-8 minutes with me for the yearly followup. I get that, the Dr. is behind. But when I see it come through Medicare charged as a long visit, it torques my jaw. The Dr. should be paying me for wasting my time and then overbilling.
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The usual billing codes have nothing to do with time. Physicians do not punch a time clock. There is no such thing as a "long" visit. The level of coding is determined by the extent of the medical history and physical exam along with the complexity of medical management. So basically, unless you have the progress note, know the E&M codes, and know how to apply them, you have absolutely no basis upon which to accuse him of "overbilling"
PS: and now we're up to $1 billion in "false" charges? Inflation?????