Kraft Healthcare Consulting's Kelly Miller named to Nashville Women to Watch
May 9, 2012
In May 2006, to coincide with National Women's Health Month, Nashville Medical News launched a new editorial feature honoring 10 women making a difference in healthcare in our community. It didn't take long for the concept to catch fire and become one of the most highly anticipated issues of the year. Across the region, healthcare professionals eagerly flip to the special insert to see who will be profiled each year.
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Kraft Healthcare Consulting's Mertie, Greene to speak at AAPC seminar in Northern Kentucky
Scott Mertie and Heather Greene of Kraft Healthcare Consulting will address nearly 100 Northern Kentucky American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) chapter members on May 2 at a seminar in Erlanger, Ky.
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Kraft Healthcare Consulting's Heather Greene receives two new certifications
Heather Greene, a coding and compliance specialist with Kraft Healthcare Consulting, recently added Certified Professional Medical Auditor (CPMA) and Certified Professional Coder (CPC) to her already impressive list of certifications.
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Proposed postponement of ICD-10 implementation
April 12, 2012
The Secretary of Health and Human Services on April 9, 2012 published the proposed rule announcing the implementation date for ICD-10. The date of October 1, 2013, has been moved back a year to October 1, 2014. This delay is in response to two concerns. First and foremost provider groups are concerned over the cost, flow and viability of the newly implemented software. The second issue is the inclusion of new procedures and diagnoses that will improve the quality of information available for quality improvement and payment purposes. This is a proposed rule, requiring a 30-day response period. The Final Rule for the implementation of ICD-10 is anticipated to be released in June of 2012. AHIMA's stance of hold steady and move forward has not changed; every provider will need to be ready for the implementation of ICD-10 in the very near future.
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CMS Updates SSI Data
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published the latest SSI Data for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRF) to their website. This information is for years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. This updated SSI Data is utilized in calculating Low Income Patient (LIP) payments.
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CMS 60-day rule
Last month, CMS issued a proposed rule for comments on "Reporting and Returning of Overpayments". This rule, if finalized, would require persons (providers and suppliers) to "report and return overpayments by the later of the date which is 60 days after the date on which the overpayment was identified; or any corresponding cost report is due, if applicable." CMS is proposing to implement section 1128J(d) of the Act for Medicare Part A & B providers and suppliers only at this time. This will be addressed at a later date for other "stakeholders" such as MAOs and Medicaid MCOs according to CMS.
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Are Post-Acute Care Transfers a Goldmine for RAC Audits?
March 9, 2012
What happens after a patient leaves a facility can have a huge impact on reimbursement.
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When and How to Use Modifier -25
Feb. 22, 2012
Modifiers are two-character alpha-numerics reported with a CPT code when appropriate. They provide Medicare and commercial payers with additional—and essential—information needed to process a claim. Modifiers provide the means by which the physician can flag a service that has been altered by some special circumstances without changing the basic CPT code description.
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CMS to review timeline for ICD-10
Feb. 15, 2012
CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner announced today that CMS will review the timeline for ICD-10 implementation. Tavenner noted that there is concern whether providers can complete the requirements to meet meaningful use, while simultaneously implementing protocols necessary to transition to ICD-10. CMS did not provide any information as to how long the agency would extend the implementation timeline. CMS will issue details in the following days on the rulemaking process to be implemented and timeline.
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Kraft Healthcare Consulting named a Top 300 Small Businesses in the South
Feb. 13, 2012
Kraft Healthcare Consulting, LLC (KHC) was named by Business Leader as a Top 300 Small Businesses in the South. They ranked 16 in Nashville and 113 in the South for 2011.
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Kelly Miller named Business Leader Women Extraordinaire
Feb. 13, 2012
Kelly Miller, senior consultant with Kraft Healthcare Consulting, LLC (an affiliate of KraftCPAs PLLC,) was named a Business Leader Women Extraordinaire for 2011.
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RACs Plan to Spotlight IRFs
Feb. 10, 2012
CMS has announced that their contracted Recovery Audit Contractors will focus their attention on Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) in 2012 to determine if IRFs are submitting data compliantly.
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New court ruling on Disproportionate Share Calculation
Feb. 6, 2012
Last month Catholic Health Initiatives – Iowa (CHI) received a summary judgment in their favor from the District Court for Washington D.C. related to their FYE: June 30, 1997 cost report. This judgment favored CHI's position on Medicaid days that, where the Medicare inpatient Part A benefits were exhausted, those days were still includable in the Medicaid portion of the Disproportionate Share (DSH) fraction.
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Scott Mertie, Soles4Souls team up for Haiti
Dec. 2, 2011
Scott Mertie, member-in-charge of Kraft Healthcare Consulting, LLC, made his fifth trip in as many years to the impoverished community of Bahon, Haiti, in November. But this time he travelled with a little extra luggage.
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Wall Street Executives Share Financial Insight with Nashville's Up-and-Coming Health Care Industry Leaders
Oct. 5, 2011
The Delegation to Wall Street hosted by Leadership Health Care (LHC) included two-days of briefings with top financial executives involved in shaping the nation's health care finance industry. Delegates heard from investment bankers, analysts, private equity investors and other key players involved in some of the nation's most significant health care transactions. Scott Mertie and Kelly Miller of Kraft Healthcare Consulting, LLC participated in this program. Full Story
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Medicare cost report due dates revised
Sep. 12, 2011
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided a cost report filing update for forms CMS 2552-10 (Medicare Hospital Report), CMS 2540-10 (Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility Report), and CMS 265-11 (Medicare Independent Renal Dialysis Facility Report). According to CMS, all providers with a cost reporting period of 12 months or greater, beginning on or after May 1, 2010 and ending on or after April 30, 2011, shall file their Medicare cost report utilizing Form CMS 2552-10. Full Story
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Electronic health records: Why a paper system is no longer an option
July 27, 2011
When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) joined the bandwagon of the paperless era with their Electronic Health Record (EHR) Initiative program for eligible healthcare professionals and facilities, it was a game-changer. While adoption of EHR systems was already underway … particularly in larger practices and hospitals … the vast majority of providers was still utilizing a paper system. Full Story
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For Succession's Sake, Evolve Your Practice into a Business
May 13, 2011
Mike Collins, CEO of Kraft's affiliate 2ndGeneration capital, was interviewed by Nashville Medical News for an article on business succession planning. Read Succession Planning article. Full Story
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Mertie appointed as vice chair of Healthcare Reform Educational Task Force
May 12, 2011
Scott Mertie, member in charge of Kraft Healthcare Consulting, LLC, has been appointed as vice chair of the Healthcare Reform Educational (HRE) Task Force of the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA). The HCR Task Force is one of three AHLA task forces that are composed of volunteer members who share a similar work setting or interest in specific areas of health law. As a member of this prestigious task force, Scott will play an important role in formulating plans and activities for the organization's members for the upcoming year. Full Story
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New regs take effect for hospitals
Feb. 14, 2011
It's 2011, and that means the implementation of the hospital outpatient and ambulatory surgery center final rules. These annual regulations, released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), were published November 24, 2010, in the Federal Register and the majority of the items in this update became effective January 1, 2011. Full Story
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Do you underestimate the importance of your Medicare cost report?
Feb. 7, 2011
As part of the Social Security Act in 1965, the federal government celebrated the birth of Medicare, a federally funded program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The program was designed to provide aid to individuals age 65 or over, as well as those disabled or with permanent renal failure. At inception, Medicare payments were intended to pay for the actual costs of providing the services covered by the program, regardless of hospital to hospital variation. Full Story
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Hospitals are missing opportunities with the Post-Acute Care Transfer Policy
June 7, 2010
Inpatient Prospective Pay (IPPS) hospitals are ordinarily entitled to a full Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) payment when Medicare patients are discharged to their home following a covered inpatient Part A stay. However, under the Medicare post-acute transfer policy, these hospitals may receive less than the full DRG payment when patients are discharged to certain post-acute care settings, rather than to their homes. Full Story
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Scott Mertie travels to England and Scotland for health care study mission
June 7, 2010
Scott Mertie, member-in-charge of Kraft Healthcare Consulting, LLC, recently traveled to London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland as part of a UK trade mission. Full Story
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Change of ownership has myriad of payment implications for healthcare providers
June 7, 2010
With the capital markets finally loosening slightly, the healthcare market is starting to see more activity in regard to hospital acquisitions. According to media reports, local companies such as LifePoint, Vanguard, Essent, and Community Health Systems, have been recently exploring hospital purchases. Full Story
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KraftCPAs affiliates, Mertie and Crumbo, accompany Governor on China and Japan trade missions
Nov. 20, 2009
Scott Mertie, member-in charge of Kraft Healthcare Consulting, LLC, and Kevin Crumbo, member-in-charge of KraftCPAs Turnaround & Restructuring Group, PLLC, recently accompanied Governor Bredesen and Economic Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber on individual trade missions to China and Japan. Full Story
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KraftCPAs launches new healthcare consulting affiliate
June 7, 2009
Nashville-based KraftCPAs PLLC has formed a new affiliate company, Kraft Healthcare Consulting LLC, which is being led by Member-in-Charge Scott R. Mertie. Full Story
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