Medicare Rules

Medicare compliance is not an easy task. There are, literally, hundreds of rules that we as therapists and LifeCare as a company need to follow and must follow for every patient, every visit and every note that is signed and bill that is submitted. It can be overwhelming but it is important to know the basics and, without further ado, here is the short list.

THERAPISTS CAN NEVER EVER...

• Charge for documentation or travel time

• Charge for any indirect time (parking the car, cleaning supplies, etc.)

• Charge for "paper" reports (to Medicare)

• Change the date of service to make it billable

• Change the time of a service to make it billable

• Sign or bill for a service you did not provide

There is a difference between errors, waste, abuse and fraud and the risks and consequences can vary. Never take chances with your license and with your patient care. If you ever are not sure, you can always reach out to me in confidence to discuss. (631-697-8070) . It is always better to not know and learn the answer versus not know and do the wrong thing.

and... just to balance...

Here's a list of things therapists can always do...

• Smile at your patient, the mirror and one another;

• Share great treatment ideas;

• Give yourself a pat on the back for the oh-so-hard and oh-so-rewarding work we do.

Let me know how I can help.