CMS to Release Comparative Billing Reports for Cardiology Services

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced it will release a national provider Comparative Billing Report (CBR) targeting Cardiology Services. The CBRs will be released to a maximum of 5,000 providers on April 23, 2012.

The CBRs are produced by Safeguard Services under contract with CMS and will provide comparative data to help show how these individual providers compare to other providers within the same field. These comparative studies are designed to help providers review their coding and billing practices and utilization patterns, and take proactive compliance measures. Providers should view CBRs as a tool, rather than a warning, as a way to aid them in properly complying with Medicare billing rules. It is also important to understand that CBRs do not contain patient or case-specific data, but rather only summary billing information as a method of ensuring privacy.

If you are a recipient of a CBR for Cardiology Services, or are among the other provider types that have been identified to receive CBRs (i.e. ordering DME, physical therapists, chiropractors, ambulance, hospice, podiatry, and sleep studies), please contact an experienced healthcare attorney at Wachler & Associates at 248-544-0888 to discuss evaluating the CBR analysis and development of an appropriate compliance plan that will reduce audit risks.