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How Health Plans Are Covering COVID-19 Testing and Treatment - 05/21/2020

Many health insurers in Texas are waiving patient costs associated with COVID-19. Last week in a news release, Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Insurance asked insurers and HMOs to cover testing consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, and telemedicine visits.

Use “Time, MDM” for Medicare Telehealth Coding - 05/20/2020

When coding for Medicare telehealth visits, you can use either medical decisionmaking (MDM) or time as the basis for your selection of office/outpatient evaluation and management (E&M) levels of service, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has clarified.

CME From Around the State - 04/03/2020

Check out other CME offerings from around the state.

AMA Creates CPT Code for Coronavirus Test - 03/17/2020

The American Medical Association has created a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code, 87635, to report laboratory testing services that diagnose the presence of the novel coronavirus.

You May Need to Refile Some Medicare Claims - 02/03/2020

Be on the lookout for Medicare claims you’ve filed since Oct. 1 in which procedure codes failed to process, causing a rejected claim. You will need to refile these claims.

Insurance Companies Have Denied My Doctor’s Orders, 25% of Texas Voters Say in New Poll - 01/29/2020

One in four Texas voters say their health insurance company has refused to cover what their physician ordered for them or their families, a new statewide survey has found.

Keep Your Records Straight and HIPAA-Compliant With TMA CME - 01/21/2020

TMA’s in-depth publication, Managing Your Medical Records, will help physicians and front office staff better understand the rules of consent, release, and disclosure. Get up to speed on everything from practical, efficient methods for record organization to best practices for record storage that’s HIPAA- and HITECH-compliant.

Improve Your Spiritual, Emotional, and Social Well-Being - 01/14/2020

The Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Physician Health and Wellness has developed CME courses that will help you stay positive, let go of angry thoughts, and relieve stress and burnout.

Register Now For The TMA 2020 Winter Conference - 01/13/2020

Attend the Texas Medical Association's 2020 Winter Conference, scheduled for Jan. 24-25 at the Hyatt Regency Austin and the Louis J. Goodman Texas Medical Association Building (Friday only) in downtown Austin. Online registration is now open.

Do You Give, and Receive, Enough Support From Your Community? - 01/07/2020

As social media and online communities continue to expand, it can be easy to lose your connection to the physical world. Yes, you might be connecting to more people online, but are you spending enough time with the community around you? The Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Physician Health and Wellness has created several CME courses to help.

Flu Season Continues; CDC Offers Free CME on Vaccines - 11/26/2019

If you’re looking for more ways to help prevent and control the spread of seasonal flu by using vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has teamed up with Medscape to offer free CME on the latest vaccine recommendations.

High Deductible Plans? There’s CME for That - 11/25/2019

Texas is No. 2 in the nation in the number of people enrolled in high-deductible health plans – and payment responsibilities have increasingly shifted from insurers to consumers. For practices today, effectively communicating a patient’s financial responsibilities is becoming more vital. The Texas Medical Association’s free webinars can help prepare you and your practice for those conversations.

Is Medicare’s Chronic Care Management Program for You? - 11/22/2019

Interested in the possibility of getting paid as much as $75,000, or even more, for something you already more or less do? Medicare now pays separately for chronic care management services. To help you decide if this new opportunity is right for your practice, TMA created a new online resource center.

Chronic Care Management: The Patient Agreement - 11/22/2019

Securing a patient’s informed and written consent is an important part of the Medicare Chronic Care Management Services program. Medicare requires it, and you’ll be sure your patients understand how it works.

A Physician’s Personal Take on the Ongoing Impact of Tort Reform - 11/21/2019

Explore the recent effects of tort reform in Texas from the perspective of a physician who was hit with – and eventually overcame – a major liability lawsuit in TMA’s e-book,  Tangled Sutures: A Tale of Triumph and Loss in a Professional Liability Lawsuit

Examine the Billing Cycle “Vitals” for Your Practice - 11/13/2019

The Texas Medical Association’s free webinar, What You Need to Know to Evaluate Your Billing Process, offers a step-by-step process and tools to assess your practice’s financial health and identify key areas for improvement. The webinar will show you how to use practice management reports to evaluate your staff’s productivity, your billing and collections processes, and even payer performance.

Updated White Paper Has Latest Information on Telemedicine in Texas - 11/12/2019

Updated this year, the Texas Medical Association's white paper, Texas Laws and Regulations Relating to Telemedicine, describes the new Texas legal and regulatory requirements that apply to a physician providing telemedicine medical services.

Learn The ABCs of the QPP With Free CME - 11/12/2019

The Texas Medical Association has heard from physicians who are just now tuning in to the 2019 Quality Payment Program (QPP) and don’t know where to begin to avoid the 7% Medicare payment penalty in 2021.

Removing the Pain from Prescribing Pain Meds - 11/07/2019

If you prescribe opioids for chronic pain, there are things you need to know to protect your patients as well as your practice, including knowing which patients need drug monitoring and what type of monitoring should be implemented. Thankfully, the Texas Medical Association’s new e-book, Monitoring Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain, serves as a brief resource for that information and more.

Timing for Annual Medicare Mammograms - 10/29/2019

Medicare counts 11 full months after the month in which the patient received her screening

Using Unlisted Codes for Workers' Comp Services - 10/29/2019

Using Unlisted Codes for Workers' Comp Services

Ousting the ‘F-Word’ From Your Practice - 10/29/2019

You do everything you can to keep your patients safe and healthy. But are you sure your practice is safe from fraud and abuse? Don’t wait for a costly government audit – or a criminal charge – to come knocking. Check out the Texas Medical Association’s e-book, Fraud and Abuse Prevention Simplified, which can help you learn to protect both your practice and patients.

Practice e-Tips on Coding - 10/24/2019

Get practice tips on all things coding. Learn about coding methods, correct coding, resources, coding related to Workers' Comp and more.

You’re a Doctor, Not a Business Magnate. But Why Not Be Both? - 10/23/2019

Don’t let the business of medicine bog down your practice. The Texas Medical Association’s publication Business Basics for Physicians can help provide the skills you need to run a successful medical practice.

Can Proper Business Procedures Minimize Practice Risk? - 10/17/2019

Taking the time to develop in-depth policies protects not only you and your staff but also your patients. Using specific, precise, and easy-to-understand language will minimize risk, improve the overall patient experience, and increase the likelihood your office will be paid for the care and services you provide.