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Jan 05 - CMS Announces Interim Final Rule Creating New Standards for EFTs

Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an interim final rule with comment period which creates new standards for electronic funds transfers (EFT) and remittance advice transaction (RA) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of...

Jan 03 - CMS has Delayed the Recovery Auditor Pre-Payment Review Demonstration Program

Last week, CMS announced its decision to delay the Recovery Auditor Pre-Payment Review Demonstration Program until further notice. On its website CMS indicated that the delay was due to comments/suggestions received regarding the program and CMS' commitment to consider the...

Dec 30 - CMS Announces Delay of Power Mobility Device Demonstration Program

On December 29, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it would delay the start of the Prepayment Review and Prior Authorization of Power Mobility Devices (PMDs) Demonstration Program. CMS originally announced the demonstration program on November...

Dec 29 - CMS Implements 3-day Payment Window Policy for Wholly Owned or Wholly Operated Physician Practices

Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released Change Request 7502 relating to the 3-day payment window policy. For services on or after January 1, 2012, the 3-day payment window will apply when a patient is seen in...

Dec 23 - Ten Highlights from the Proposed Physician Payment Sunshine Act Rule

In the December 19, 2011 Federal Register, CMS published a Proposed Rule to implement the "Physician Payment Sunshine Act" portion of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), or health care reform, which requires drug, medical device, biological and medical...

December 20, 2011: Amy Fehn, a Partner at Wachler & Associates, P.C., was quoted in an article for Lawyers USA titled, "HIPAA audits have begun."

October 3, 2011: Andrew Wachler co-presented with Karen Dropping “The Changing Audit Landscape: MICs, MACs, RACs and ZPICs” at the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, NV.

October 2, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented “MICs, MACs & RACs: Strategies for Success” at the Health Care Association of Michigan (HCAM) & Michigan Center for Assisted Living (MCAL) Annual Convention & Expo in Mt. Pleasant, MI.

October 1, 2011: Amy Fehn presented “The New Landscape of Audits; MICs, MACs, RACs and ZPICs” at the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) – American College of Medical Coding Specialists (ACMCS) Joint Clinical Coding Meeting in Salt Lake City.

September 26, 2011: Andrew Wachler was quoted in an article in the American Medical News titled, "HHS removes public access to National Practitioner Data Bank."

September 22, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented “The New Audit Landscape: MICs, MACs, RACs and the Impact on Physician-owned Hospitals” at the Physician Hospitals of America (PHA) Annual Conference in Keystone, CO.

September 19, 2011: Andrew Wachler co-presented with Mark Reagan “MICs, MACs and RACs: Emerging Issues and Appeal Strategies” at the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living Annual Convention & Expo in Las Vegas, NV.

August 24, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "Strategic Approaches to Challenging Inpatient-Outpatient Denials at the ALJ Hearing," at the American Hospital Association (AHA) Webinar.

July 28, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "Strategic Approaches to Challenging Inpatient-Outpatient Denials at the ALJ Hearing" at the RAC Monitor Webinar.

May 14, 2011: Amy K. Fehn presented "HIPAA Requirements for ASCs" for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association in Orlando, FL.

May 12, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "RAC Audits 101" for the Healthcare Billing & Management Association in Orlando, FL.

April 27, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "Preparing For and Surviving a Third Party Payor Audit" for the Indiana Medical Society in Merrillville, IN.

April 13, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "The New Landscape of Audits: MICs, MACs, RACs, and ZPICs," with Susan Emanuel and Dawn Crump at the Heath Care Compliance Association's(HCCA) 15th Annual Compliance Institute in Orlando, FL.

April 12, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "What You Can Do When a Payor Doesn't Reimburse Your Claim & Addressing BCBSM Physician Office Infusion Therapy Audits," at the Michigan Society of Hematology and Oncology in Lansing, MI.

March 31, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "Advanced Sessions in Medicare Appeals," with Thomas E. Herrmann, James P. Kelly, and Lester J. Perling at the American Health Lawyers Association's (AHLA) Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues in Baltimore, MD.

March 24, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "The Changing Audit Landscape: Medicare, Medicaid and Third Party Payors," at the Michigan Medical Group Management Association's(MMGMA) Spring Conference in Mt. Pleasant, MI.

March 9-11, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "Medicaid RAC Appeals - Similarities and Differences with Medicare RAC Requirements and Processes," at the 5th Annual RAC Summit in Washington D.C.

March 7, 2011: Andrew Wachler was quoted in a American Medical News article discussing the legal aspects of HIPAA violations for failure to share records and not cooperating with an investigation.

February 23-25, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "Full Steam Ahead: Latest Developments in Medicare and Medicaid," with James G. Sheehan at the American Bar Association's (ABA) Emerging Issues Conference in New Orleans, LA.

February 9-11, 2011: Andrew Wachler presented "Medicare and Medicaid Audits: A Year in Review," at the American Health Lawyers Association's (AHLA) Hospital and Health Systems Law Institute in Las Vegas, NV.

December 6, 2010: Andrew Wachler presented with co-speaker, Peter Budetti, Deputy Administrator of Program Integrity, CMS, "Recent Program Integrity Initiatives in Light of PPACA: MICs, MACs, RACs and ZPICs," at the Washington Health Summit in Washington, D.C.

November 19, 2010: Andrew Wachler presented "Understanding RAC Audits" at the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) Annual Third Party Payor Day in Lansing, MI.

October 25, 2010: Andrew Wachler presented "Recovery Audit Contractors: Successful Strategies and Compliance Tips" at the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) 2010 Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA.

October 24, 2010: Andrew Wachler presented "False Claims and Overpayments" at the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA) Fundamentals in Chicago, IL.

October 13-15, 2010: At the HCAM/MCAL 2010 NADONA/LTC Annual Convocation in Frankenmuth, MI Andrew Wachler presented "RAC to the Future: Current Developments and Appeal Strategies."

September 28, 2010: Andrew Wachler presented "The New Landscape of Audits: MICs, MACs & RACs," at the RBMA Summit in Austin, TX.

May 24, 2010: Andrew Wachler presented with Lisa Ohrin, former Stark Regulator, "Diagnostic Imaging - A Comprehensive Approach: Anti-Markup Payment Limitations, IDTF Rules and Their Interplay with Stark and Fraud and Abuse Laws," at the Radiology Business Management Association's (RBMA) Radiology Summit.

May 24, 2010: Andrew Wachler presented with Lisa Ohrin "Diagnostic Imaging - Stark and Fraud and Abuse Laws Affecting Diagnostic Imaging Facilities," at the Radiology Business Management Association's (RBMA) Radiology Summit.

May 21, 2010: Andrew Wachler presented "How to Never Report Any Accidental Disclosures of Private Health Information (Legally) and Other Tales of HIPAA Compliance," at the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association's Annual Meeting.

July 2010: Amy K. Fehn participated in the forum, "Healthcare Policy: The New Law and Implications Moving Forward" at the Women Impacting Public Policy regional conference on July 27 in Detroit, MI.  The panel discussed the federal and state perspectives of the health care reform law and its impact on small businesses. 

July 2010: Amy K. Fehn was quoted in the article, "Health IT Incentives: Academy Calls for PA Eligibility" in the American Academy of Physician's Assistants publication, PA Professional.  Ms. Fehn commented on the regulations for the meaningful use of certified electronic health records.

June 2010:  Alicia B. Chandler was quoted in the article, "The Stark Law: What's at Stake for Healthcare Marketers" published in the latest issue of the Healthcare Insight.  In the article Ms. Chandler stressed the importance for healthcare marketers to consult Stark attorneys to ensure that their marketing programs do not create unnecessary risk for their clients. 

May 2010: Andrew Wachler was recently asked to co-present with Kimberly Brandt and Angela Brice-Smith at the American Health Lawyers Association's webinar, Understanding CMS's Recent Program Integrity Initiatives: RACs, MACs, MICs, and ZPICs, on May 19, 2010.  Kimberly Brandt is the Director of the Medicare Program Integrity Group for CMS, and Angela Brice-Smith is the Director of the Medicaid Program Integrity Group for CMS.  Andrew Wachler will provide a "private practice perspective" on the government's new program integrity initiatives. 

April 2010: Wachler & Associates, P.C. welcomes new associate, Jesse Markos. 

March 2010: The publication, For The Record, quoted Amy K. Fehn in the article, "Medicaid Integrity Program Promises New Headaches."

March 2010: Amy K. Fehn was quoted in an article in the Massachusetts Medical Law Reports titled, "Health providers facing stiff HIPAA regulations."

March 24, 2010: Amy K. Fehn has been named partner at Wachler & Associates, P.C. 

February 24, 2010: Andrew Wachler delivered a speech on "The New Landscape" of Medicare and Medicaid Audits at an AHLA Conference for the Hospitals and Health Systems Law Insittute and the Physicians and Physician Organizations Law Institute in Miami. 

February 18, 2010: Andrew Wachler co-presented with New York State Medicaid Inspector General, James G. Sheehan on RACs and the Medicaid Integrity Program at the ABA Emerging Issues in Health Law Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.   

January 29, 2010: Amy Fehn presented on the "Medicaid Integrity" Program at the HFMA Meetining in Johnston, Iowa. 

January 21, 2010: Andrew Wachler presented, "The New Audits Landscape: MICs, MACs and RACs" at the AHLA Conference on Legal Issues Affecting Academic Medical Centers and Other Teaching Institutions in Washington, D.C.

December 14, 2009: Amy Fehn presented "HIPAA: Case Notes and Documentation" at the Oakland County Private Practice Network & Support.