FastEMC

Are you getting a Future Date Warning Message when you try to add a future service date?

Here is what you need to do:

From the main FastEMC 5010 Menu, select 5-FastEMC Utilities, B-Add/Modify Batch File, then

Press ENTER, ESC and answer Y to the "Create Batch File NOW" question.

Exit your FastEMC software all the way back to the desktop, then open your shortcut and go back to add the claim.

That should do it.  This happens every 5 years and we slide the century forward 5 more years.  It helps when entering the patient age so it will fall in the right century.  If you have not created a new batch file in the last 5 years, then this fix will automatically change the settings and move them 5 years forward.

 

All providers are required by HIPAA to protect Patient Health Information.  For users for FastEMC this means the following things should be the responsibility of the Provider.

1. Make sure any computers with FastEMC are login and password protected.  This controls access to the data.

2. Make sure the computers are secured from theft.  Make sure the computers log off users after a time or that computers are returned to LOGIN when not in use.

3. Make backups of your data regularly.  Keep backups of data secured from theft.  If the backup is on a media such as a thumb drive, lock it in a safe or some other such place to keep it from being stolen.

4. Reasonable care must be taken with any reports or paper copies that contain PHI also.  Be sure to shred reports instead of just tossing in the trash.

5. Get Business Associates agreements with any party not a direct employee of your practice that would be given access to your PHI besides the PAYER or Clearinghouse.  You can find samples of these kinds of agreements from the AMA or other medical associations.

The paper claim format for CMS is changing in April 2014.  Be sure to do an update to make sure you have the final version on your system.  We did do a patch on the layout on 3/6/14 to fix a small issue.

 

Your claims travel a bit before they reach their destination at the Payer.  But here is the process and what happens along the way.

You type a claim into FastEMC on your computer.  The claim is added to your next Transmission file.  You connect to your clearinghouse/payer and upload the Transmission file  Within a few minutes, they generate a report called a ANSI 997 or a File Acknowledgement Report.  The file was run through a very basic edit to see if it was formed correctly.  If rejected at this point, it never goes anywhere else, so your first report would indicate if it was accepted.  This is an all or nothing step.  If there is a problem, the entire file is tossed out.

There is a big buzz about ICD-10.  the diagnoses ICD-9 codes currently in use will be abandoned and the new ICD-10 codes will be required.  Changing this list will be big for the coders and payers.  FastEMC is ready.  But in the next year, it will be important to start doing a little study to bring your practice up to speed on this change.  The new codes are structured very different.  We will be giving you more information as the time for this change approaches.

New Diagnosis Guidelines for Illinois Medicaid Transportation Providers

Transportation - A diagnosis code is required on all 5010 claims. If the diagnosis code is provided by the treating physician or other practitioner, enter the code(s) as you would any Diagnosis code(s) both in the Diagnosis codes shown at the top line of the screen, and then identify the code on the service line that identifies the need for that service. (In ANSI speak that puts it in HI*BK segment of the 2300 loop).

If there is no diagnosis code available, transportation providers can use a default ICD-9 code of 799.9.

Note: Effective 10/01/2014, the new ICD-10 code set will be implemented, thus making the ICD-9 code value invalid. A valid ICD-10 code must be used on all claims with a service date of 10/01/2014 and after.

How to keep a good record of your Transmissions

It is very important to keep track of the progress of your processed claim batches. Each batch is assigned a batch number and it is printed on your Transmission Report along with a Chart to use for your notes.

1. Note the date the batch was uploaded in the chart.
2. Note when the clearinghouse sent acknowledgement receipt and it was accepted and approved.
3. Write down when you receive an EOB for that batch.
4. Finally, and this is the most important step. Note when you have received payment for that batch.

The chart has columns to allow for batches that might be sent to different clearinghouses or Payers.

Yes, FastEMC offers full support for the National Provider Identifier. Starting with HCFA ANSI 8.04 and UB ANSI 8.03, FastEMC also added a stop date for legacy identifiers to comply with NPI-only standards that some payers, including Medicare, have mandated. Before you start submitting claims without legacy identifiers, you should check your provider file to make sure that the identifier for your tax ID (either E for employer identification number or S for Social Security number) matches your NPI registration. Visit our NPI Corner for more information.

You need to be running FastEMC HCFA ANSI 8.0 or UB ANSI 7.20 in order to send the NPI. In order to be fully compliant with Medicare's new NPI-only standard (effective 5/23/08), you will need to be using HCFA ANSI 8.04 or UB ANSI 8.03.

UB92 — Code Not Applicable

Code	Specialty	Code	Specialty	Code	Specialty	Code	Specialty
01	General Practice	28	Colorectal Surgery (Proctology)	58	Medical Supply Comp w/Pharmacist	81	Critical Care (Intensivists)
02	General Surgery	29	Pulmonary Disease	59	Ambulance Services Provider	82	Hematology
03	Allergy Immunology	30	Diagnostic Radiology	60	Public Health or Welfare Agency	83	Hematology/Oncology
04	Otolaryngology	32	Anesthesiologist Assistant	62	Psychologist	84	Preventative Medicine
05	Anesthesiology	33	Thoracic Surgery	63	Portable X-Ray Supplier	85	Maxillofacial Surgery
06	Cardiology	34	Urology	64	Audiologist	86	Neuropsychiatry
07	Dermatology	35	Chiropractic	65	Physical Therapist	89	Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist
08	Family Practice	36	Nuclear Medicine	66	Rheumatology	90	Medical Oncology
09	Interventional Pain Mgmt.	37	Pediatric Medicine	67	Occupational Therapist	91	Surgical Oncology
10	Gastroenterology	38	Geriatric Medicine	68	Clinical Psychologist	92	Radiation Oncology
11	Internal Medicine	39	Nephrology	69	Clinical Laboratory	93	Emergency Medicine
12	Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMM)	40	Hand Surgery	70	Multi-specialty Clinic or Group Practice	95	Interventional Radiology
13	Neurology	41	Optometry	71	Registered Dietitian/Nutrition	96	Optician
14	Neurosurgery	43	Certified Registered Nurse Assistant (CRNA)	72	Pain Management	97	Physician Assistant
16	Obstetrics Gynecology	44	Infectious Disease	73	Mass Immunization Roster	98	Gynecology/Oncology
18	Ophthalmology	45	Mammography Screening Ctr.	74	Radiation Therapy Centers	A0	Hospital
19	Oral Surgery (dental only)	46	Endocrinology	75	Slide Preparation Facilities	A1	Skilled Nursing Facility
20	Orthopedic Surgery	47	Independent Diagnostic Testing (Lab)	76	Peripheral Vascular Disease	A2	Intermediate Care Nursing Facility
22	Pathology	48	Podiatry	77	Vascular Surgery	A3	Other Nursing Facility
24	Plastic and Recon Surgery	49	Ambulatory Surgical Center	78	Cardiac Surgery	A4	Home Health Agency
25	Physical Medicine and Rehab	50	Nurse Practitioner	79	Addiction Medicine	A5	Pharmacy
26	Psychiatry	57	Individual Certified Prosthetist-Orthotist	80	Licensed Clinical Social Worker	A6	Medical Supply Company w/ Respiratory Therapist

While many EMR and practice management systems claim to offer billing functions, this feature has often been added as an afterthought. Here at FastEMC, we specialize in electronic medical claims (hence the EMC) and have been HIPAA compliant longer than anybody else in the industry! It's what we do best.     --- ICD-10 codes - NO PROBLEM ---

FastEMC is not a full EMR application though we do offer patient scheduling and account. However, FastEMC can be coupled with virtually any EMR application that you already own or plan to purchase. When you integrate FastEMC with your EMR application, you'll still have all the benefits that come from using our software, including our great claims management and tracking functionality.

The function of an EMR is to track the charting and treatment side of the business.  These are not necessarily the same thing.  It will slow down the doctor to add billing functions when he/she does their treatment posting.  It will slow down the billing department to include charting in the functions they are responsible to post.

Your service plan subscription includes all software maintenance, updates, and unlimited toll-free support. Keeping your software current is critical to staying compliant with government and payer requirements. Your service plan gives you a low-cost, worry-free solution. You won't have unexpected charges or expenses, and you will always have the latest software available to you. That way, you'll be ready for the next big change. And the next one. And the next one after that.

Similar packages can cost $4,000 or more for each version, and they do not include the inevitable updates or your actual claims processing fees. FastEMC provides real value. You get all the power of this feature-rich software at a fraction of the cost of most other packages.

At FastEMC we believe that by following the current healthcare trends and charging a lot for our software and subsequent upgrades, we will only frustrate our customers and inhibit many customers from staying current by upgrading. By including all of your software costs, plus upgrades, in your monthly subscription fee, we guarantee that you will have access to all updates, patches, fixes, and new government requirements without having to plan for the additional costs. A fixed, predictable monthly cost will help both of our businesses run more smoothly.

Not necessarily. Although FastEMC is a HIPAA-compliant solution, using FastEMC alone does not necessarily make your practice compliant. You must adhere to Federal guidelines in all areas of your business. For more information about who the act covers and what your specific obligations are visit the HHS FAQ page or CMS HIPAA Homepage.

Yes. FastEMC stores and transmits your data following all HIPAA data and security regulations. In fact, FastEMC has been trasmitting HIPAA compliant claims longer than anyone else in the industry! Plus your monthly fee includes all on-going software updates to ensure that you continue to comply with new guidelines.