Medicare Audit Support
Introduction
Undergoing a Medicare audit is daunting even when a Medical Practitioners is not aware of any guidelines they have breached. There has been limited medical education on the legalities of legal billing and controversy around the interpretation of the Medicare Benefits Schedule.
Business for Doctors was the first established business to offer ethical and legal MBS teachings and provide doctors with a framework of best clinical and medical practice within this framework.
With better understanding of the MBS, Business for Doctors Education may result in Doctors been flagged for a Medicare Audit. As part of the medical education we provide details on the audit process and the possible outcomes.
Aim:
- To provide peer to peer support while colleagues undergo medical support
- To educate (re-educate) in ethical and legal MBS billings
- Identify weaknesses and strengths in clinical documentation
- In conjunction with the Doctors Medical Defence Organisation.
Education:
MBS education is available in most capital cities and regional areas throughout the year, as well as at the annual Business for Doctors conference. In addition, many workshops in business compliment the MBS teachings- marketing and advertising meeting the ACCC, TGA and APHRA legislative requirements.
Doctors are provided updates via social media discussion that occur on a quarterly basis. Any legislative changes are also topics raised for discussion.
Information is provided free of charge to medical practitioners in the Business for Doctors social media page from the ASKMBS team with hundreds of emails collated into an easy to read format. There are accessible online and we encourage practitioners to print and provide them for practice managers and staff to support their change in billing processes.
Audit Support Team:
Business for Doctors has engaged a team of health professionals who are active in the MBS and clinical practice who can provide support and education to BFD members.
Core Medicare Education – workshops
Dr April Armstrong
Dr Lily Vrtik
Dr George Forgan-Smith
Dr Nick Tellis
Mr Nico Materac
Practice Managers and Clinical Nurses
Ms April Ratajczak (RN)
Mrs Lisa Klingner – to practice manager
Medicare Audit support – Legal
Dr Melanie Tan
Ms Sarah Bartholmeucz
Medicare Audit support Medical
Team Leader
Dr April Armstrong (GPO)
General Practice
Dr Ralph Chapman
Additional Peers
Dr Dianne Milnes – Paediatrics
Dr Imogen Patterson – Urology
Dr Yun Hung – Neurology
Dr Alan TSE – anaesthetics
Xavier Yu – Radiologist
The Audit Support Process:
Business for Doctors audit support offers Doctors the opportunity to engage with the services in addition to those available via the MDO. We ask all doctors to contact their MDO initially.
Process:
Step 1
In order to be certain we have confidential requests for assistance please use the online request for assistance form. This will include you speciality and preferred audit support person who will be allocated depending on availability.
Step 2
Your audit support person will email you and arrange a telephone contact to discuss the case.
Step 3
Supporting documentation
We ask you to provide written documentation from Medicare or a written detailed document on any telephone conversations in regards to the audit if you have not yet received any written notification
Step 4
a) Self-Audit – we provide you with the information you require for a self-audit and ask you to document findings of this audit
b) BFD audit review – we can provide an audit of records with the assistance of the practice manager and provide you a report outlining concerns (should there be any)
Step 5
a) Self-audit details are provided to BFD and we will provide you with a recommendation which you should discuss with your MDO
b) The audit report provided should be discussed with your MDO
Step 6 – Interview
a) We will provide a support person by telephone to document the conversation and provide a written report back to the clinician
b) You will provide us with a script or recording of the interview and we will provide you with written interpretation of the interview.
Step 7: – Outcomes
a) you will advise us the outcome of the Medicare audit
Step 8 – Education
a) We will provide online learning material and access to an MBS workshop and one on-site visit to a practice of your choice in the 12 months following the audit. (Duration of visit 2 hours)
Fees:
Initial fee $4000
Inclusions: 10 hours of audit support @$200 per hour
Online learning material – $500
MBS workshop – $500
Site Visit 2 hours – $1000
Additional Fees
1. Legal Team $400 per hour
2. Medical Support team $250 per hour
3. Non-clinical support $150 per hour