Related Stories

Medicare Sunsets Beleaguered Appropriate Use Criteria Program - 03/14/2024

After longstanding opposition from the Texas Medical Association and others, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finally nixed the appropriate use criteria program for advanced diagnostic services as part of the 2024 Medicare physician fee schedule.


Physicians May Face Lower Payment as CMS Resumes Lab Data Collection - 03/11/2024

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will continue to collect data from physician-owned laboratories to inform private payer rates despite pushback from the Texas Medical Association.


Practice E-Tips on Billing and Collections - 02/20/2024

Practice E-Tips on Billing and Collections


Surprise! Balance Billing Still a Focus at the Capitol - 02/20/2024

A year after the house of medicine scored big wins on some of the state’s biggest insurance issues, the Texas Legislature is trying to dive further into what is and what isn’t working.


Staff Recruitment - 01/22/2024

Personalized recruiting of qualified staff for front office, billing, clinical, and management positions. We provide assistance with job descriptions, résumé review and evaluation, reference and background checks, on-site interviews and training.


Revenue Cycle Assessment Training - 01/22/2024

A TMA consultant will provide training to assist the practice in developing policies and procedures for effective billing and collections processes.


Revenue Cycle Assessment - 01/22/2024

A TMA consultant will conduct a review of your business office operations that focuses on front desk procedures, billing, collections and revenue cycle improvement. We will identify opportunities for improvement of billing processes and procedures.


Practice Operations Services - 01/22/2024

With the many challenges that face today's medical practices, business operations remain at the core of a practice's ability to be successful and profitable. Work with a TMA practice management consultant to identify and assess key or problematic areas of your practice.


On-site Training - 01/22/2024

This service for physicians and staff is customized for your practice’s specific needs. Discover what these hands-on training sessions cover.


Human Resources Services - 01/22/2024

While having sound and consistent hiring practices will help your practice attract candidates, keeping them takes a lot more effort. A TMA practice management consultant can assist with human resource challenges.


Financial Management Services - 01/22/2024

Having sound financial policies and processes can help your practice attain a steady cash flow, maintain healthy collection ratios, increase staff efficiencies, and boost your overall bottom line.


Embezzlement Risk Review - 01/22/2024

Medical practices are especially vulnerable to embezzlement because they are typically cash businesses run by a close-knit staff that the physician tends to regard as “family.” You can protect your practice by establishing a formalized system of controls for monitoring money.


Custom Services - 01/22/2024

In today’s complex health care environment, no two practices are exactly alike. Let TMA Practice Consulting customize an innovative solution for you.


Spending Growth Rate for Physician Services Slows - 01/09/2024

Although spending on physician and clinical services increased 2.7% year-over-year to $884.9 billion in 2022, the spending growth rate fell, due in part to a slowdown in the use of such services and in physician prices. In comparison, spending on physicians and clinical services grew 5.3% in 2021.


Your Billing and Collections Checklist for 2024 - 12/19/2023

TMA’s Reimbursement Services staff work year-round with physicians and health plans to help make sure you get paid correctly and on time. They’ve put together a list of practical actions you can take at the start of 2024 to keep your billing and collections on track throughout the year.


Bipartisan Legislation Would Prohibit Electronic Funds Transfer Fees - 12/08/2023

Recently introduced federal legislation could spare physicians from electronic funds transfer (EFT) fees, which payers routinely charge as a condition of electronic payment.


How to File a Medicare Extended Repayment Plan - 12/06/2023

  Extended repayment plans (ERPs) are an option for returning overpaid money to Medicare. Ideally, you should request an ERP immediately after receiving the initial demand letter. However, you can request an extended payment plan any time while the overpayment is outstanding. 


CMS Strengthens Price Transparency for Hospitals - 11/29/2023

A new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services final rule aims to strengthen hospital price transparency regulations for 2024, a move physicians hope will address weaknesses in prior policy that hindered them and patients from making informed health care decisions.


TMA Pushes for Elimination of Excessive Electronic Funds Transfer Fees - 09/22/2023

Payers routinely charge physicians the fees as a condition of electronic payment, often without consent. Alongside declining physician payment, the fees add to the threat to practice viability, and ultimately patients’ access to care. Read more.


Starting a Practice - 08/30/2023

Setting Up or Closing a Practice


Three Steps to a Tech Contract You Can Live With - 08/30/2023

When you are shopping for a new technology vendor for your practice, signing a contract is the easy part. The real work starts well in advance and continues as long as the contract is in force.


Practice e-Tips on Practice Operations - 08/30/2023

Billing Consulting HIPAA Forms Marketing Office Staff OSHA Patient Service Policies & Procedures Resources Billing Billing Medicare for Locum Tenens Billing Tip


Here’s What Medicare Pays for Flu Shots This Season - 08/23/2023

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently published 2019-20 payment rates for personal flu vaccines and their administration. The effective dates for these rates are Aug. 1, 2019, to July 31, 2020.


Is Medicare’s Chronic Care Management Program for You? - 08/21/2023

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.


CMS to Recoup Chronic Care Management Payments - 08/21/2023

Some Texas physicians and outpatient facilities might have to refund payments they received for chronic care management services performed during 2015 and 2016 under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, federal officials said.