Keeping Your Payment Options Open
Hearing care professionals share strategies for implementing flexible payment options to expand patient access and support practice growth.
Category: Medicare & Insurance
Medicare & Insurance
Latest
Medicare & Insurance
Latest
Senators Reintroduce Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has reintroduced the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act to eliminate barriers preventing Medicare beneficiaries from directly accessing care from audiologists.
Medicare & Insurance
Latest
ESCO Expands Insurance Solutions
ESCO is introducing a Business Owner’s Policy, workers' compensation, and cyber security insurance as part of its latest insurance offerings.
SelectQuote Partners with Hearing Benefits Provider
The SelectHearing program will be offered through Population Health, whose members will have access to hearing education, products, and dedicated hearing consultants, according to the announcement.
Read More
ASHA Releases 2022 MPFS for Audiologists and SLPs
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) announced that its 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) resources for audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are now available on the Medicare outpatient payment webpage.
Read More
‘KHN’ Article Looks At True Cost of Medicare Advantage Plans
In a recent article on the “Kaiser Health News (KHN)” website, author Phil Galewitz examines the true cost of added coverage for hearing, vision, and dental care in Medicare Advantage plans.
Read More
Hearing Exams with Hearing Aid Benefits" data-lazy-src="https://hearingreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/dreamstime_m_102029139-627x376.jpg"/>UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Plans Promote $0 Hearing Exams with Hearing Aid Benefits
In a press release from UnitedHealthcare announcing the details of its 2022 Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans, the healthcare company stated the following with regard to hearing coverage under the plan:
Read More
How to Manage in Managed Care
While provider participation in managed care remains optional, managed care is now an integral part of US healthcare. Hearing care as a supplemental benefit will continue to grow in private and public health plans. Author Carrie Meyer, AuD, says it is critical that audiologists and hearing aid specialists understand the dynamics of managed care and become well informed to make the best decisions for their practices and their patients in this rapidly changing healthcare environment. Part 1 of this 3-part series is a primer on health insurance and managed care.
Read More
Expanding Access to Hearing Care
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published the ‘World Report on Hearing’ complete with a multi-faceted strategy for increasing access to hearing healthcare. HR interviews Amyn Amlani regarding his opinions on matters such as Medicare and financing options.
Read More
UnitedHealthcare Hearing Introduces Virtual Care Option
The capability, known as Right2You, builds on the home-delivered hearing health care model developed by UnitedHealthcare Hearing, adding a virtual care component that is designed to help reduce the need for in-person appointments for hearing aid adjustments and support.
Read More
Medicare Payments for Hearing Care Procedures: A 14-year Review
This 14-year review of Medicare reimbursement and demographic data by audiology leaders Ian Windmill, PhD, and Barry Freeman, PhD, is designed to help inform budgetary or productivity decisions within hearing care practices and support initiatives related to payments at the state or federal level.
Read More
‘Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021’ Becomes Law
There were several audiology-related provisions included in the Act, which include Medicare payments and billing.
Read More
ASHA Releases ‘2021 Medicare Fee Schedule for Audiologists’
The report includes a 6% decrease in payment for audiology services due to changes to office-based outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) procedure codes that provide payment increases for primary care services.
Read More
Starkey Executives Attended 2020 Medicare Advantage Summit
Starkey President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Chief Health Officer Archelle Georgiou, MD, and Chief Innovation Officer Dave Fabry all presented information to educate participants about the strong connection between hearing and overall health.
Read More
UnitedHealthCare Launches 2021 Medicare Advantage Plans
UnitedHealthcare announced the launch of its 2021 Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans, showcasing “affordable coverage, exclusive benefits, expanded plan access, and a simplified member experience that connects people to quality care— when and where they need it.”
Read More
AMA Releases 2021 CPT Code Set
These foundational modifications were designed to make E/M office visit coding and documentation simpler and more flexible, according to the AMA. The changes to CPT codes ranging from 99201-99215 are proposed for adoption by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on January 1, 2021.
Read More
Individuals with Hearing Loss Allege Health Plan Discriminated Against Them in Denial of Coverage
A federal appeals court who heard the case determined that “insurance companies cannot discriminate against disabled people by broadly denying coverage for the types of treatment they need,” according to the article, but said the plaintiffs may not be entitled to coverage because “not everyone with a hearing loss is disabled.”
Read More
Amplifon Hearing Health Care Earns NCQA Accreditation
In awarding its credentialing accreditation, NCQA conducted a review process of Amplifon that focused on several key areas, including internal quality improvement, appropriateness of agreements and collaboration with clients, peer review process, credential verification, and monitoring of sanctions and complaints.
Read More