Note from the Editor: Planning a week of education at 2020 RIS

by Nicole Votta

It’s time to start planning your trip to the 2020 Revenue Integrity Symposium (RIS), to be held October 6–7 in Westminster (Denver), Colorado. As you’re looking at your calendar, planning for coverage while you’re out of the office, and preparing to make your case to your manager, consider making it a full week of education with a pre- or post-conference. Take a look at the options—and the available discounts—to find the perfect agenda for you.

Are you interested in taking a deep dive into Medicare’s patient status rules and the role of the utilization review (UR) committee? Try this year’s pre-conference event, the Medicare Boot Camp®—Utilization Review Version, to be held October 4–5. During this intensive two-day educational session, you’ll gain detailed insight into:

• How observation coverage rules interact with the 2-midnight benchmark
• The differences between post-discharge versus concurrent patient status reviews
• When self-denial is appropriate to take advantage of Part B payment for an inpatient case

Two post-conference options, running concurrently, will help you and your team round out your week of education.

Reimbursement for provider-based departments has changed rapidly and, with lawsuits over CMS’ most recent changes pending, there’s no guarantee how things will shake out. That’s why having a solid grasp on PBD billing and compliance is critical for any organization that includes this type of facility. Sign up for the Medicare Boot Camp®—Provider-Based Departments Version post-conference, to be held October 8–9, to learn how to gauge the financial impact of recent changes. You’ll also come away knowing how to:

• Accurately calculate reimbursement for on- and off-campus PBDs under both the OPPS and PBD site-specific MPFS rate
• Determine when ancillary services such as drugs and testing are paid separately
• Properly apply Modifiers -PO, -PN, -25, and -JG

Are you tasked with your organization’s denials management program? Get expert guidance on preventing denials and focusing appeals efforts for success at the Medicare Boot Camp®—Denials and Appeals Version post-conference, to be held October 8–9. As margins narrow and Medicare steps up audit and denial activity, organizations need sound, practical information on overturning denials. You’ll leave class ready to:

• Explain the latest claim audit and appeal issues based on official guidance
• Implement policies to support efficient appeals and identify appropriate denials to appeal
• Prepare for CMS audits

Registering now for the main conference and your choice of pre- and post-conference events will help you save on the overall cost of attendance. The early bird discount deadline is August 28. The discount gives registrants $100 off their conference registration. NAHRI members receive an additional $100 discount. NAHRI members can call customer service at 615-724-7200 to receive their exclusive discount. Not a NAHRI member? Call customer service to learn how you can join now and save on your registration.

When you register for RIS and any of the three pre- or post-conferences, you’ll also get a 15% discount on your order. Remember to share the pre- and post-conference information with your colleagues in other departments who may be interested in attending. If several individuals from your facility plan to attend the conference, you may be able to tap into our special group discount. You can register a group of five for the price of four.

Still have questions about the pre- and post-conferences, discounts, or conference registration in general? Contact customer service at 615-724-7200. Our full, main conference agenda will be available later this month.