Practice Management

As we approach the end of the year, take the necessary time to review your financial planning strategies. A lot can happen in a year.

"We strongly recommend that you obtain your practice QRUR regardless of your practice size and learn more about the report," write Ray Painter, MD, and Mark Painter.

Other pipeline developments discussed in this article include the initiation of an intravesical bladder cancer study, a gel treatment for ED that has met its primary endpoint, a patent awarded for the first rechargeable implantable SNM along with some other advancements.

"This is the step whereby practices can apply good, evidence-based, pathway-driven medicine to not only provide excellent outcomes for patients, but also be financially successful in the process," writes Henry Rosevear, MD.

It’s time to revisit billing for Medicare Part B drugs. A proposed demonstration project that every urologist should be aware of, a change in the “brown bag” rules since our last publication, and a continued loss of income by many offices are making the purchase and delivery of drugs less palatable for urology offices.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data: Part D Prescriber Public Use File for 2014 claims. Part of a broader effort to increase transparency about care in general, this dataset also gives very granular information about the prescribing patterns of providers and may be used by policy makers to further scrutinize the cost of prescription drugs in the United States.

In this "Money Matters" column, Joel M. Blau, CFP, and Ronald J. Paprocki, JD, CFP, CHBC, also discuss donor-advised funds.

Urologist Henry Rosevear, MD discusses his thoughts on PSA screening and the recent increase in patients presenting with metastatic disease.

The Painters also answer a question about billing for home health orders during the global period in this "Coding Q&A" column.

Robert A. Dowling, MD, dug into the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ recently released 2015 data from the "Open Payments" initiative, and summarizes the data on payments made to urologists.

"The marriage process, regardless of age, requires careful thought about a number of financial situations a couple will likely face," write Joel M. Blau, CFP, and Ronald J. Paprocki, JD, CFP, CHBC.

Urologist Henry Rosevear, MD, recalls some of his experiences working with government-sponsored health care programs.

In this installment in a series on MACRA, I will review the definition of APMs, how participating providers would be reimbursed under MACRA (as proposed), and the relevance to specialists, including urologists.

By now, most of you are relatively fluent in the urology diagnosis codes that affect payment for the services provided in the urology office. Of course, we are now facing the end of the ICD-10 “grace period,” and fears of denials for bad diagnosis codes are once again starting to circulate. This begs the question, what should you do now?

You can withdraw money from an IRA at any time and for any reason, but it's important to keep in mind that most IRA withdrawals are at least partially taxable.

Other products discussed in this roundup include a plasma vaporization device, a laser fiber safety device, and more.

In this "Coding Q&A" column, Ray Painter, MD, and Mark Painter also answer a question about how to code for cystoscopy with stent removal through the stoma in a patient with an ileal loop.

In this second installment in a series, Robert A. Dowling, MD, addresses who is covered by MIPS, how and when you will be measured, and how and when you will receive your payment adjustment.

Decisions regarding wills, living trusts, and power of attorney are critical when forming a blended family, according to Joel M. Blau, CFP, and Ronald J. Paprocki, JD, CFP, CHBC.

One of the greatest benefits of being covered under a high-deductible health plan is generally the ability to open a health savings account and receive tax-preferred treatment on money saved for medical expenses.

In a series of articles this year, Robert A. Dowling, MD, will examine what you need to know about the law, what the CMS proposed rule for implementation implies for the near and long-term future, and-when it is issued later this year-what the final rule means to your urology practice.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a proposed rule regarding the implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015. This article will summarize some of the details of the proposed rule, including an outline of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), one of the key components of MACRA.

The next few years may bring more change for urologists in a more compressed time frame than ever before. Could a perfect storm be brewing, and what should you be doing about it?

Medicare Part B charges and payments constitute a significant fraction of the typical urology practice’s income, and owners of these practices should be aware of the pertinent rules and regulations-and the consequences of failure to comply with them.

The Painters offer some suggestions on how to tackle phase II of ICD-10 coding.

"Money Matters" columnists Joel M. Blau, CFP, and Ronald J. Paprocki, JD, CFP, CHBC, discuss irrevocable life insurance trusts as well as what happens when someone dies without leaving a will.

The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 was signed into law on Dec. 18, 2015. The law renews a long list of tax breaks known as “extenders” that have been expiring on an annual basis.

In this article, I will describe some nuances of buy and bill that you should understand in your roles of small business owner and treatment provider, especially as it pertains to Medicare.