Issue: #21

September 2016

In This Issue

ICD-10 Transition

Employee Spotlight

Quick Links

Dear SMB Client,

Autumn Leaves. Warm Apple Cider. Pumpkin Spice and Pumpkin Patches. These are a few of SMB's favorite things about fall. As summer comes to an end, SMB is focusing on maximizing your reimbursements while lowering your Accounts Receivables. In this newsletter, we will review the security measures for your email address, give an ICD-10 update and highlight our Billing Specialist, Lynda Ohlde.

We hope you enjoy reading our newsletter.

Sincerely,

SMB

Email Security

By: Chad Bixler

Chad Bixler
Business Development

With all the news about email security recently, I thought it was timely to review the security measures available to you for your email address. The commercial grade email address provided by SMB Medical Billing is for you to use to securely communicate with SMB in an environment that is both HIPAA compliant and protected by Federal Law. You are responsible for all changes to and protection of passwords, call back phone numbers and alternative email addresses for your email account. If you have any questions about access to your email account, call the SMB Help Desk at: 866-514-0380.

Your main line of defense is a strong password. A strong password has 12 or more characters because longer passwords are more secure. It should not be obvious. Do not use personal information like your name, log on IDs, birthday, or passport ID number. You should not use sequences or repeated characters such as abcdefg, 123456 or qwerty. Use a password on this account that is different from your other accounts' password.

Change your password regularly. Once every 90 days is great, but at least once a year. Keep your password secure and never share it with anyone without a "need to know". Do not recycle passwords, but create new, unique passwords each time you change your password. Use antivirus software on your computer for a computer virus can allow someone to compromise your password.

Be careful if you get an email asking you to change your password or provide any personal information. Be cautious even if it appears to come from a legitimate company. Do not follow the link in the email to change your password. Instead, type the link to stevebixler.com: https://mail.stevebixler.com.

CMS is Ending ICD-10 Grace Period on

October 1, 2016

By: Tammy Coetzee


Tammy Coetzee VP of Corporate Communications Technology

Last year CMS announced that they were going to provide a grace period to last into this year in regards to the ICD-10 diagnosis codes reported. They were granting flexibility so everyone could get used to the codes and as long as the codes were in the right "family" they would be accepted.

Now that grace period is coming to an end and we are already starting to see the new edits they are adopting. This causes claims to deny if the correct code isn't used. Therefore, we need to make sure you are submitting codes to the greatest level of specificity you can. The LCD's are the same as when they came out last year, so as long as you are sticking to the correct coding it should be fine.

The biggest thing CMS will deny your claims for is for not using the correct code for laterality. So make sure you are specific in your coding as to whether it is the RT or LT side. Please do not use "unspecified site" codes.

As always, if an incorrect code is sent to your biller, your biller will let you know and ask for a better code to use. As you know, we are not coders, so you will have to code it and let us know what you would like billed.

Employee Spotlight: Lynda Ohlde


	Lynda Ohlde Billing Specialist

ABOUT ME AND MY FAMILY:

My husband Mike and I will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary in October. We have 2 children. My daughter, Emily is 12 and has started her first year of junior high in the 7th grade. She plays the piano and is a cheerleader. We have a son, Tanner, who will be 3 at the end of October. He loves trucks, trains, sports and being loud. We have a very active life running these 2 all around town. None of our extended family live in the area so we travel a lot on weekends to visit them in Salina KS, St Louis MO or Ft Myers FL. I have worked for SMB since 2008 as a Billing Specialist.

FUN(NY) FACTS:

I am an avid reader. I read about a book per week and typically have 2-3 books going at a time. I will read any genre except horror and welcome any recommendations!!!

I absolutely hate to cook. If I could build a house that didn't have a kitchen....microwave and coffee pot only--I would be satisfied.

I am a morning person, you can typically find me checking my email at 5am.

MY GOALS TO HELP YOUR PRACTICE:

My goals for your practice is to get you paid on all your claims in a timely manner. I always want there to be confidence that I am doing everything I can for your practice to maximize your revenue. SMB has been entrusted with your business and I want to honor that trust with hard work, dedication and commitment to doing my very best always for you.

From all of us at SMB, we hope you have a wonderful fall. Thank you for reading our quarterly newsletter.

Sincerely,

SMB