FWA Briefs

Examining the difference between diagnosis codes that are applied correctly for reimbursements or was done with the intent to increase the amount they are paid. We review some of the more common coding errors that are typically identified.

On May 19, 2021, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac) provided feedback to Congress regarding their opinions on the effectiveness of the overwhelming 200 healthcare policy changes that Congress and CMS instituted during the interval of January through July 2020, in response to the coronavirus public health emergency. Aside from the obvious and necessary benefits of these changes in response to the pandemic, MedPac raises concerns about the detrimental impact in the realm of fraud in healthcare: “…not all actors in the healthcare system are well-intentioned”.

The role of nutrition in chronic disease management is especially crucial, as it is a modifiable risk factor for many conditions such as chronic renal failure (CRF), diabetes mellitus (DM), obesity and coronary artery disease (CAD). Payers who bear significant long-term healthcare utilization burdens due to obesity and cardiovascular risk factors may determine that Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) preventive coverage is a cost-effective policy approach for their beneficiaries.