articleDec 14, 2018 | 37 min. read
FAQ: Unwrapping MIPS and the Final Rule: How to Prepare for 2019
Earlier this week, Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, WebPT President and Co-Founder, and Dianne Jewell, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, WebPT Director of Clinical Practice, Outcomes, and Education, hosted an hour-long webinar that unwrapped the many layers of MIPS and the 2019 physician fee schedule. Unsurprisingly, tearing through the layers of CMS’s latest gift revealed a crush of questions—many of which our experts didn’t have time to fully address. So, we compiled the most frequently asked ones for …
![Is Your Practice HIPAA-Compliant? [Quiz] Image](https://www.webpt.com/sites/default/files/images/resources/201812_blog_isyourpracticehipaacompliant.png)
articleDec 12, 2018 | 1 min. read
Is Your Practice HIPAA-Compliant? [Quiz]
Back in 1996—long before the days of social media and smartphones—Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as a means of governing the manner in which providers, insurers, and business associates collect, share, and use patient protected health information (PHI). Ultimately, it’s in everyone’s best interest to ensure that patient information remains private, but adhering to all HIPAA rules can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned provider—especially in the age of …
articleDec 6, 2018 | 8 min. read
7 Steps to Successfully Practice PT in a New State
Whether you’re suffering from chronic wanderlust, or you’re just looking for different weather, moving to a new state can be a refreshing change of pace. But while moving your belongings is a fairly simple process, if you want to take your PT job with you, you’ll need more than bubble wrap and tape. In fact, there’s actually a whole list of compliance requirements to consider before you can treat patients in another state—and despite what you may …
articleDec 3, 2018 | 5 min. read
8 Simple Rules for Creating a Medicare POC
“Simple” and “Medicare” are rarely used in the same sentence, but that doesn’t have to be the case—especially when it comes to developing physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology plans of care (POCs) and adhering to certification requirements. While these treatment outlines might seem daunting at first, there are totally easy-to-follow guidelines to ensure yours are always comprehensive and compliant. To that end, here are eight simple rules for creating a Medicare POC—so you can provide …
![Should My PT Practice Participate in MIPS? [Quiz] Image](https://www.webpt.com/sites/default/files/images/resources/201811_blog_shouldmyptpracticeparticipateinmips.png)
articleNov 29, 2018 | 1 min. read
Should My PT Practice Participate in MIPS? [Quiz]
In 2019, some physical, occupational, and speech therapists will be required to participate in Medicare's Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) —a mash-up of the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), Meaningful Use (MU), and Value-based Modifier (VM) programs. Others will be able to opt-in, and still others will be excluded from participating at all (except in a voluntary manner that leaves them ineligible to receive the payment incentive or adjustment). Not sure where your practice stands? Take this …
downloadNov 20, 2018
Defensible Documentation Toolkit
Is your documentation defensible enough to withstand scrutiny? Documentation is no one’s favorite, especially as increasing rules and regulations make it even harder to ensure your documentation is complete enough to withstand scrutiny. But, while documentation may not be the most-liked aspect of your job as a rehab therapist, it surely is a crucial one—for you and your patients. That’s why we’ve developed a comprehensive Defensible Documentation Toolkit—complete with 10 must-know defensible documentation tips, example notes, and …
articleNov 20, 2018 | 6 min. read
5 Medicare Compliance Issues for Cash-Based PTs
Cash-based physical therapy practices are all the rage these days, and with good reason. They give PTs the opportunity to focus on providing quality care—without the pressure of altering treatments or billing practices to keep insurance payers happy. At the same time, PTs can get into hot water if they blindly accept cash from anyone willing to pay. And things get especially hairy when it comes to Medicare patients. So, can a Medicare patient pay out of …
articleNov 20, 2018 | 7 min. read
What is Defensible Documentation?
We get it: no one actually enjoys documentation. It can be cumbersome and time-consuming—not to mention frustrating. Unfortunately, though, for a PT, OT, or SLP, defensible documentation is a necessary evil. It’s a good thing, then, that technology can help make the entire process smoother—and that there are resources available to help you ensure your documentation meets all defensibility standards. But, what are those standards? What, exactly, is defensible documentation? In short, it’s documentation that not only …
articleNov 12, 2018 | 6 min. read
Double Duty: How to Bill for PT and OT on the Same Day
In many cases, physical therapy and occupational therapy go together like peanut butter and jelly. PTs and OTs often share similar goals and interventions, treat the same types of patients in the same settings, and get confused by the billing rules that apply to our respective specialties. This confusion leads to quite a few questions, including this head-scratcher: how does one bill for OT and PT provided to a single patient on the same day? While the …
articleNov 9, 2018 | 5 min. read
Spot the Difference: Rules for Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage
Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have similar structures, because MA plans are required to (at minimum): offer the same benefits that traditional Medicare provides to its beneficiaries, and adhere to all CMS National and Local Coverage Determinations. However, there are some significant differences between the two . And that makes sense given that traditional Medicare is government-operated, while Medicare Advantage plans are operated by Medicare-approved private companies. Thus, many of the core Medicare requirements don't automatically …
Pages
-
Stay on top of the latest rehab therapy tips, trends, and best practices.