The Healthcare and Payer System – from the Consumer Side
On April 2, my 92-year-old father sustained a fall in his assisted living facility (ALF), which resulted in an emergency department evaluation. Fortunately, he hadn’t
On April 2, my 92-year-old father sustained a fall in his assisted living facility (ALF), which resulted in an emergency department evaluation. Fortunately, he hadn’t
One of the many management topics at the conference of the Association of Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialists (ACDIS) is having written CDI policies and procedures
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) just issued the above proposed rule—Managed Care Access, Finance and Quality. Before digging into the rule, I
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) just keep putting out the data, and we want to keep you aware of both the data
AHIMA makes policy recommendations for SDoH. Last month the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), in partnership with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at
Rural health is in trouble. EDITOR’S NOTE: In this final installment of a three-part series as to why rural health is in trouble, more of
Prevention of readmission denials improves case mix index (CMI), reimbursement, and quality metrics. As a consultant, I am like the FBI – if you invite
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first writing in a three-part series by Dr. John Zelem about the unique and daunting challenges currently faced by rural
Two key efforts in this vein include leveraging an EHR system and developing a sound policy or procedure. When it comes to clinical documentation integrity
New changes are coming for reporting obstetrics. “OB (obstetrics) CDI (clinical documentation integrity) will never be the same,” according to Dr. James S. Kennedy, president
Credentialing physicians is seen as essential to ensure proper billing and reimbursement. As a healthcare provider or practice, you must ensure that your physicians are
Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” -Archimedes The current structure of

Federal auditors are intensifying their focus on inpatient psychiatric facilities, using advanced data analytics to spotlight outliers and pursue high‑dollar repayments. In this high‑impact webcast, Michael Calahan, PA, MBA, Compliance Officer and V.P., Hospital & Physician Compliance, breaks down what regulators are really targeting in IPF-PPS admissions, documentation, treatment and discharge planning. Attendees will learn practical steps to tighten processes, avoid common audit triggers and protect reimbursement and reduce the risk of multimillion-dollar repayment demands.

In this timely session, Stacey Shillito, CDIP, CPMA, CCS, CCS-P, CPEDC, COPC, breaks down the complexities of Medical Decision Making (MDM) documentation so providers can confidently capture the true complexity of their care. Attendees will learn practical, efficient strategies to ensure documentation aligns with current E/M guidelines, supports accurate coding, and reduces audit risk, all without adding to charting time.

Join Ronald Hirsch, MD, FACP, CHCQM for The PEPPER Returns – Risk and Opportunity at Your Fingertips, a practical webcast that demystifies the PEPPER and shows you how to turn complex claims data into actionable insights. Dr. Hirsch will explain how to interpret key measures, identify compliance risks, uncover missed revenue opportunities, and understand new updates in the PEPPER, all to help your organization stay ahead of audits and use this powerful data proactively.

Stay ahead of the 2026-2027 audit surge with “Top 10 Audit Targets for 2026-2027 for Hospitals & Physicians: Protect Your Revenue,” a high-impact webcast led by Michael Calahan, PA, MBA. This concise session gives hospitals and physicians clear insight into the most likely federal audit targets, such as E/M services, split/shared and critical care, observation and admissions, device credits, and Two-Midnight Rule changes, and shows how to tighten documentation, coding, and internal processes to reduce denials, recoupments, and penalties. Attendees walk away with practical best practices to protect revenue, strengthen compliance, and better prepare their teams for inevitable audits.

Sepsis sequencing continues to challenge even experienced coding and CDI professionals, with evolving guidelines, documentation gaps, and payer scrutiny driving denials and data inconsistencies. In this webcast, Payal Sinha, MBA, RHIA, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, CCDS-O, CRC, CRCR, provides clear guideline-based strategies to accurately code sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock, assign POA indicators, clarify the relationship between infection and organ dysfunction, and align documentation across teams. Attendees will gain practical tools to strengthen audit defensibility, improve first-pass accuracy, support appeal success, reduce denials, and ensure accurate quality reporting, empowering organizations to achieve consistent, compliant sepsis coding outcomes.

Expert presenters Kathy Pride, RHIT, CPC, CCS-P, CPMA, and Brandi Russell, RHIA, CCS, COC, CPMA, break down complex fracture care coding rules, walk through correct modifier application (-25, -57, 54, 55), and clarify sequencing for initial and subsequent encounters. Attendees will gain the practical knowledge needed to submit clean claims, ensure compliance, and stay one step ahead of payer audits in 2026.

Accurately determining the principal diagnosis is critical for compliant billing, appropriate reimbursement, and valid quality reporting — yet it remains one of the most subjective and error-prone areas in inpatient coding. In this expert-led session, Cheryl Ericson, RN, MS, CCDS, CDIP, demystifies the complexities of principal diagnosis assignment, bridging the gap between coding rules and clinical reality. Learn how to strengthen your organization’s coding accuracy, reduce denials, and ensure your documentation supports true medical necessity.

Denials continue to delay reimbursement, increase administrative burden, and threaten financial stability across healthcare organizations. This essential webcast tackles the root causes—rising payer scrutiny, fragmented workflows, inconsistent documentation, and underused analytics—and offers proven, data-driven strategies to prevent and overturn denials. Attendees will gain practical tools to strengthen documentation and coding accuracy, engage clinicians effectively, and leverage predictive analytics and AI to identify risks before they impact revenue. Through real-world case examples and actionable guidance, this session empowers coding, CDI, and revenue cycle professionals to shift from reactive appeals to proactive denial prevention and revenue protection.
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