Introduction

Welcome to ruralhealthclinic.com, the website for Healthcare Business Specialists, LLC (HBS). HBS is a Chattanooga, Tennessee based professional consulting firm dedicated solely to the operational excellence of rural health clinics. We prepare RHC Medicare Cost Reports, Annual Evaluations, RHC Certifications and startups, and conduct seminars and webinars related to the operations of rural health clinics (PL 95-210).

Healthcare Business Specialists, LLC is owned and founded by Mark R. Lynn, CPA (inactive) who has literally prepared thousands of RHC Medicare Cost reports over his 35 year healthcare career including almost 30 years with HBS. With experience in large healthcare organizations such as HCA and Erlanger Health Services, auditing hospitals and nursing homes for the Comptroller of the Treasury, and being in administration of small and rural hospitals, Mr. Lynn is a wealth of information regarding the healthcare system and how rural health clinics fit this complex healthcare system.

To contact Mark R. Lynn, CPA (Inactive) call 833.787.2542 or text 423.243.6185 or email at marklynnrhc@gmail.com. We look forward to working with you on your Rural Health Clinic needs. If you would like to find out more about RHCs, we recommend joining the following Facebook closed Group which includes about 600 members.

RHC Information Exchange Group on Facebook

"A place to share and find information on RHCs."

RHC Cost Reporting for 12/31/2024: Navigating the Tightrope of Medicare Cost Reports

In a recent interview, Philippe Petit, the renowned high-wire artist, shared a personal insight about the music he listens to while performing his daring walks. Interestingly, it's the same piece I find myself playing when preparing Medicare cost reports for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). The connection between the two activities might seem surprising, but the similarities are undeniable. In recent years, the process of completing a Medicare cost report has come to feel very much like walking a tightrope—where balance, precision, and a bit of nerve are all essential.

As many of you are aware, Medicare cost reporting has grown significantly more complex in recent times. I often compare it to making soup. In the past, you could simply add all the necessary ingredients—costs and visits—and the result was a hearty soup with plenty to go around. Back then, costs typically exceeded the low Medicare caps, which hovered around $85 per visit, ensuring a comfortable margin.

However, today's landscape has changed. With numerous services now paid on a fee schedule and the Medicare caps nearly doubling to $139, the process has become far more intricate. When we strain out the costs that aren't covered under the All-Inclusive Rate (AIR), we're often left with a much thinner soup—sometimes so thin that the cost per visit doesn't meet the Medicare caps. This shortfall can result in substantial paybacks to Medicare, an outcome we all want to avoid.

Mixing metaphors, the risk of falling off the tightrope and facing a large payback to Medicare is very real. The key to avoiding this is careful planning throughout the year. Regularly checking on your cost per visit and planning strategically can help optimize your 2024 settlement and 2025 interim rate.

To help RHCs navigate this challenging terrain, Healthcare Business Specialists is hosting a webinar titled:

RHC Cost Reporting Planning for 2024 and 2025: How to Optimize Your Medicare Rate

In this session, our team of experts—Mark Lynn, Dani Gilbert, Page Chambers, and Trent Jackson—will guide you through the essential steps RHCs can take in 2024 to optimize their Medicare rates and potentially avoid paybacks. Topics will include the importance of interim cost reports, proper accrual of expenses, tracking costs not included in the All-Inclusive Rate, understanding the impact of entity type on owner compensation, depreciation calculations, claiming bad debts, and more.

The presentation are located here

The recording of the presentation is located here

Webinar Details:

Title: RHC Cost Reporting Planning for 2024 and 2025: How to Optimize Your Medicare Rate
Date: September 26, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM EDT

Registration Link:

Register Here

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Enhance Patient Care and Increase Revenue by Integrating Clinical Pharmacy Services with NO UPFRONT COSTS

We invite you to discover how integrating clinical pharmacy services can significantly improve patient outcomes and boost your CMS reimbursements. VitalSync Health is excited to offer you a comprehensive solution to seamlessly incorporate these valuable services into your clinic's operations.

Why Consider Clinical Pharmacy Services?

1. Improved Patient Care: Enhance medication management and overall health outcomes for your rural population.

2. Increased Revenue: Tap into significant CMS incentive payments for providing value-based care.

3. Streamlined Operations: Our platform integrates multiple ancillary services, simplifying your workflow.

Join Our Informative Webinar

Date: September 24, 2024

Time: 1:00 PM EDT Duration: 45 minutes

Location: JOIN HERE https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4535334173339160922

Presenters:

§ Lavance Northington, CEO, VitalSync Health

§ Dr. Stacy Ramirez, Direct of Clinical Pharmacy, VitalSync

In this webinar, you'll learn:

1. How to implement clinical pharmacy services without any upfront costs

2. Steps to design and implement an effective program

3. Strategies for leveraging our platform for ongoing monitoring and improvement

4. Methods to ensure compliance and maximize CMS reimbursements and incentive payments

5. Ways to improve patient engagement, outcomes and satisfaction

6. Techniques to integrate our services seamlessly into your existing workflow

By integrating clinical pharmacy services, your rural health clinic can take a significant step towards becoming a Patient-Centered Medical Home, ultimately leading to better care and improved health outcomes for your community.

Don't miss this opportunity to transform your clinic's services and enhance your patients' lives. Register for the webinar today at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4535334173339160922

We look forward to helping you revolutionize your patient care approach.

To find the recording of the webinar click here

To download the slides to the presentation clinic here.

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) in RHCs

7/31/2024: Here are some resources for rural health clinics that are developing Intensive Outpatient programs.

Billing Requirements for Intensive Outpatient Program Services for Federally Qualified Health Centers & Rural Health Clinics MLN Matters Number: MM13264

Implementing a Remote Monitoring Program in a Rural Health Clinic

with VitalSync Health and Throughcare Webinar

April 11, 2024

Unlock the potential of enhanced Medicare reimbursements for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) with our pivotal webinar, designed to guide you through the expanded utilization of HCPCS code G0511. Starting in January 2024, Medicare's updated guidance provides RHCs a golden opportunity to deliver superior, value-based chronic care management services to underserved rural populations. This expansion not only broadens the scope of reimbursable services under G0511 but also marks a significant stride towards facilitating comprehensive care management, including Chronic Care Management (CCM) for patients requiring 20 minutes or more of clinical staff time per month.

Previously, RHCs were limited to billing G0511 for a singular care management service per patient each month. The 2024 modifications revolutionize this approach by permitting multiple billings for distinct, qualified services per month, as long as they are medically necessary and meet all billing requirements. This development underscores the importance of precise billing practices and the strategic implementation of care management services, ensuring that RHCs can maximize their reimbursement potential while enhancing patient care.

In collaboration with Vitalsync Health and Lavance Northington, we are excited to offer an insightful one-hour webinar, shedding light on how RHCs can effectively implement remote patient monitoring (RPM) and integrate cutting-edge strategies into their care delivery models. This session will delve into:

Billing Strategies: Explore innovative ways to incorporate remote monitoring, interactive communication, and data reporting into a cohesive therapy plan that aligns with the expanded G0511 guidelines.
Remote Monitoring Equipment: Learn how to establish a successful RPM program, enabling patients to monitor their health with provided equipment, such as blood pressure cuffs, weight scales, glucose monitors, and pulse oximeters, facilitating continuous care beyond clinic walls.
Chronic Care Management: Learn how a unified RPM and CCM solution enables providers to deliver personalized treatment plans to patients, increase patient, engagement and adherence, gain real-time access to data for timely interventions, and increase CMS reimbursement for both RPM and CCM billing.
Social Determinants of Health: Address the crucial factors affecting health outcomes and strategies to reduce hospital visits and alleviate patient stress, thereby improving overall wellbeing.
Telehealth Use in Rural Healthcare: Discover how Telehealth and RPM can transform the accessibility and efficiency of rural healthcare, overcoming common barriers and enhancing the patient-provider connection.

Attendees are eligible for one hour of CEUs from the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) at a Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional (CRHCP) level, provided they watch the webinar LIVE, and engage in 3 of 4 poll questions.

Vitalsync Health, renowned for its innovative “white glove” services, partners with physician practices to transition from traditional care models to a comprehensive, coordinated approach. This collaboration aims to improve patient outcomes, strategize on patient population management, reduce overall care costs, generate new revenue, and achieve 5-star quality ratings.

Dan Godla from Throughcare will provide a recorded message on the recent guidance provided by CMS on G0511 in the RHC Fact Sheet.

Join us to navigate the intricacies of Medicare’s G0511 expansion and leverage the full potential of remote patient monitoring to elevate care in rural health clinics.

Please register for Implementing a Remote Monitoring Program in a Rural Health Clinic with VitalSync Health on April 11, 2024 1:00 PM EDT at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1380939763288600149

To find Dan Godla’s from ThoroughCare presentation click here.
To find Lavance Northington ‘s presentation on Remote Monitoring click here.
To find the Administrative slides click here
To find the recording of the webinar click here

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RHC Cost Reporting for 12/31/2023

February 4, 2024: It is that time of year again. This cost report season looks to be the most demanding yet. Due to significant modifications within the Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program introduced by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), there has been a notable increase in the National Statutory Upper Payment Limits. These adjustments have escalated the per visit reimbursement rate to $139 in 2024, with an increase to $190 by 2028. Furthermore, the program has expanded to include various services that do not fall under the All-Inclusive Rate, necessitating their exclusion from the cost-per-visit calculation. These changes underscore the heightened influence of cost reports on financial settlements, both positive and negative, as well as the increased complexity and time required for their preparation. To ensure the timely and accurate completion of your cost report, we strongly advise that all requisite information be uploaded to your designated portal by May 1, 2024. Failure to meet this deadline may compromise our ability to guarantee the timely filing of your report.

To help you accumulate the information needed to file an accurate and timely cost report we have provided the following resources and will have a webinar on February 6, 2024 to go over the requirements. Provided below is a 3-page Cost Report checklist, a 24-page checklist and supporting workpapers that should be completed for us to have all the information needed to file the cost report, or if you prefer an Excel file to complete the workpapers is included as well.

RHC Medicare Cost Report Checklist (3 page PDF)

Cost Reporting for Rural Health Clinics - What is needed to file an accurate and timely cost report

In this webinar, Mark Lynn, CPA (Inactive), CRHCP, CCRS and Dani Gilbert, CPA, CRHCP, Page Chambers, CIA, CRHCP, and Trent Jackson, CCRS will go over cost reporting for Rural Health Clinics. Topics covered will include information needed to be compiled for preparation of the cost report, electronic filing of cost reports using MCREF, allowable expenses on the cost report, increased upper limits for RHCs, counting visits including how to treat telehealth, CCM, and other services not included in the calculation of the All-Inclusive Rate, Medicare Bad Debts, and flu, pneumococcal, COVID-19 vaccines, and MAB infusions/injections. The webinar will go over the process for gathering information to file cost reports with Healthcare Business Specialists so no continuing education credits for CRHCP since is a client The webinar will last one hour and some time for questions will be available.

Please register for Cost Reporting for Rural Health Clinics - What is needed to file an accurate and timely cost report on Feb 6, 2024 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/885934129964292700

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Chronic Care Management Webinar with Dan Godla from ThoroughCare, Inc.

Do you need information on how changes to G0511 and Chronic Care Management services affect RHCs in 2024 and do you need Continuing Education Credit for your Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional Certification? Here is a quick, free way to do both.

Update on Chronic Care Management covered services in RHCs for 2024 with Dan Godla from ThoroughCare, Inc.

In this webinar Dan Golda from ThoroughCare, Inc will discuss updates to Medicare's Chronic Care Management covered services in RHCs for 2024. The Chronic Care Management services which can be provided and paid for to RHCs is substantially different in 2024 with several new services being paid for in the RHC environment. This is a great opportunity to provide necessary services to our rural, underserved patients as well as open new revenue streams for RHCs. The webinar will be 45 to 60 minutes and there is no charge. This webinar qualifies for one hour of continuing education credits for Certified Rural Health Clinic Professionals (CRHCP) from the NARHC if at least 3 of the 4 poll questions are answered during the session.

Please register for Update on Chronic Care Management covered services in RHCs for 2024 with Dan Godla from ThoroughCare, Inc. on Feb 15, 2024 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3613965414804474454

Dan Godla from ThoroughCare, Inc. will be presenting on Chronic Care Management on February 15, 2024

RHC Cost Reporting & Billing Webinars

Healthcare Business Specialists is pleased to provide several webinars over the next few months or so as we strive to keep rural health clinics informed of changes to the RHC program. We are pleased to partner with other entities that have important information to share with the RHC community. More information regarding these webinars can be found at www.ruralhealthclinic.com or go to our Facebook Group called the Rural Health Clinic Information Exchange:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1503414633296362/

You can find a 3-page listing of the webinars and the registration links here.

RHC Cost Reporting - What to do before Year-End

In this webinar, Mark Lynn, CPA (Inactive), CRHCP, CCRS, Dani Gilbert, CPA, CRHCP, Page Chambers, and Trent Jackson will go over important year-end Rural Health Clinic cost reporting deadlines, how to ensure you optimize your reimbursement in an environment of increased Medicare caps for Independent or Freestanding RHCs. We will discuss the importance of writing off Medicare bad debts on or before 12/31/2023 in order to file them on the Medicare Cost Report. Please register for RHC Cost Reporting - What to do before Year-End on Nov 14, 2023 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2850484329874010197

You can find the recording of the presentation here
To download a PDF of the Powerpoint presentation click here

New to RHC - For New RHCs or Clinics considering becoming an RHC

In this webinar, Mark R. Lynn, CPA (Inactive), CRHCP, CCRS will present information to providers interested in becoming a rural health clinic (RHC) or RHCs new to the RHC program. It will provide basic information on conditions of participation, reimbursement, billing, and cost reporting. We will discuss advantages and disadvantages of the program and identify resources to help you become RHC compliant and obtain RHC reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid. This 45-minute webinar is designed for people new to the RHC program or have become interested in converting their medical clinic into a rural health clinic under Public Law 95-210. We will discuss the nine conditions of participation, some basics of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, provide a timeline for certification, and provide some basic benchmarking information from provider based and independent RHCs.

Please register for New to RHC - For New RHCs or Clinics considering becoming an RHC on Nov 28, 2023 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6552984183422388565

You can find the slides for the presentation here

You can find a recording of the session here.

RHC Billing Primer – How to find billing information for RHCs and basic principles of RHC Billing

In this webinar Mark Lynn from Healthcare Business Specialists will provide new RHCs the building blocks to begin billing as a rural health clinic. This webinar is designed for clinics new to the RHC program and have not billed as an RHC previously. The webinar will have an RHC Billing Pre-test, direct RHCs to billing resources, explain how to charge for services and to collect the correct co-pay and deductible amounts, issues with NPI numbers, commonly used acronyms, when to obtain a Medicare Secondary Payor questionnaire, and when to complete the 838 Credit Balance Report.

Please register for RHC Billing Primer – How to find billing information for RHCs and basic principles of RHC Billing on Nov 30, 2023 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4849655954043958616

To view a recording of the webinar click here
To download a PDF of the presentation please click here.

RHC Billing 101 – The Basics of Medicare billing for independent and provider-based RHCs with Amanda Dennison, MBA, CPC, CRHCP

Amanda Dennison, MBA, CPC, CRHCP, Senior Consultant from Blue & Co. will go over billing basics for RHCs including claim forms, incident to, definition of a visit, bill types, revenue codes, Medicare Advantage billing, and ancillary services. Medicaid billing will not be covered in this or any of the sessions. This session is sponsored by Blue & Co.

Please register for RHC Billing 101 – The Basics of Medicare billing for independent and provider-based RHCs with Amanda Dennison, MBA, CPC, CRHCP on Dec 5, 2023 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3018262107910897494

To view the recording of the webinar click, here.
To download a PDF of the presentation, click here.

RHC Billing 201 Lunch and Learn with Patty Harper RHIA, CHC, Principal, InQuiseek Consulting

In RHC Billing 201 Patty Harper, RHIA, CHC, Principal with InQuiseek Consulting will pick up where RHC 101 left off with more basics of RHC billing including billing examples, negative reimbursement, deductibles, coinsurance, chronic care management, telehealth billing, incident to billing, modifiers, condition codes, occurrence codes, Medicare secondary billing, etc. Sponsored by InQuiseek Consulting.

Please register for RHC Billing 201 Lunch and Learn with Patty Harper RHIA, CHC, Principal, InQuiseek Consulting on Dec 7, 2023 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7385582766596485212

To view the recording of the webinar, click here
To download a PDF of the presentation, click here.

RHC Billing 301 – Advanced Subjects - Charles James, Jr., North American HMS

In this webinar Charles James from North American Healthcare Management Services will go over some advanced topics with billing examples, preventive services, mental health services, Telehealth, Chronic Care Management, etc. Sponsored by North American Healthcare Management Services.

Please register for RHC Billing 301 – Advanced Subjects - Charles James, Jr., North American HMS on Dec 12, 2023 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6827726850548732761

To view the recording of the webinar, click here.

To download a PDF of the presentation, click here.

RHC Cost Reports - What to do before year-end Part II

In this webinar Healthcare Business Specialists will discuss what RHCs can do to optimize cost report reimbursement and accurately submit information to support the cost report expenses claimed. Trent Jackson will go over Medicare Bad Debts which must be written off before the end of the RHC's fiscal year before they can be claimed. We will go over related party transactions and how ownership of the clinic affects reimbursement.

Please register for RHC Cost Reports - What to do before year-end on Dec 8, 2023 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/459192775214098016

To view the recording of the webinar, click here.

To download a PDF of the presentation, click here.
To download the Bad Debt Presentation, click here.

RHC Billing Test - An RHC Billing test of principles of how to bill Medicare RHC claims

In this webinar Mark Lynn will go over a RHC Billing test, explain how to charge for services and to collect the correct co-pay and deductible amounts, explain negative reimbursement, commonly used acronyms, when to obtain a Medicare Secondary Payor questionnaire, when to complete the 838 Credit Balance Report, Category II CPT codes, proper posting of claims and Medicare contractual adjustments.

Please register for RHC Billing Test - An RHC Billing test of principles of how to bill Medicare RHC claims on Dec 13, 2023 1:00 PM EST at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5402960992043480667

To view the recording of the webinar, click here.

To download a PDF of the presentation, click here
To download the RHC Billing Test, click here.
To download the RHC Test Answer key, click here.

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RHC Update SEminars in NOvember 2022

After taking a few years off due to Covid-19, Healthcare Business Specialists is again providing our one day update seminar for RHCs in Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. This one-day seminar is designed to update rural health clinic administrators, billing personnel and providers on relevant changes to the RHC program regarding billing, cost reporting, PRF funds, grants, certification and other administrative changes to the rural health clinic program. If you are a client of Healthcare Business Specialists (HBS) you may send two people to the seminars free of charge, additional people above 2 from each client will be charged $100 and for non-HBS clients the fee is $100 for this seminar. Lunch will be provided by our sponsors which are Azalea Health (www.azaleahealth.com), Main Street Health (www.mainstreetruralhealth.com) and Kentucky Medical Billing Associates, Inc. The seminar will start at 9:00 AM with registration beginning at 8:30. The seminar should be over sometime between 3:00 PM and 330 PM. There is no required registration on site if you are registered ahead of time, just sign in that you are here. If you do need to cancel, please let us know ahead of time and if you have paid and need to cancel we will refund you if you notify us ahead of time.

Here the registration links for each of the seminars

Somerset, Kentucky on November 3, 2022: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=h9cmzvdab&oeidk=a07ejack6bt07354263
Jackson, Tennessee on November 9, 2022: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=h9cmzvdab&oeidk=a07ejcb55gwd8edcf3a
Nashville, Tennessee on November 10, 2022: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=h9cmzvdab&oeidk=a07ejafh4ke7c7bc134
Birmingham, Alabama on November 17, 2022: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=h9cmzvdab&oeidk=a07ejb776wtf04f572a

Use the QR Code to register for the seminar you would like to attend.

Emergency Preparedness Resource Page

We have added an Emergency Preparedness Resource page provides templates, policies and procedures, presentations, webinars, and just about every resource your RHC will need to comply with the CMS Emergency Preparedness Regulations on November 15, 2017. Here is the link to the page or just go to resources. Remember we will cover EP for two hours in our Fall RHC seminars.

http://www.ruralhealthclinic.com/emergency-preparedness

RHC Information and Training Resources

We have formed a Facebook group to share information and ask questions regarding RHCs. This site will include links to documents and current (daily) updates regarding RHCs, Medicare, billing, and other important topics to RHC providers and personnel. Here is the link:

RHC Information Exchange Group on Facebook

"A place to share and find information on RHCs."

We conduct and record webinars on a frequent basis. Those webinars on cost reporting, billing, regulations, annual evaluations, and certifications or startups are included on a Youtube channel for RHCs to view.

YouTube Channel with RHC training videos

Recorded Webinars on RHC Billing, Cost Reporting, Certification, and Annual Evaluations

Services

links

REsources

Introduction

RHC Cost Reporting for 12/31/2024: Navigating the Tightrope of Medicare Cost Reports

RHC Cost Reporting Planning for 2024 and 2025: How to Optimize Your Medicare Rate

Enhance Patient Care and Increase Revenue by Integrating Clinical Pharmacy Services with NO UPFRONT COSTS

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) in RHCs

Implementing a Remote Monitoring Program in a Rural Health Clinic

with VitalSync Health and Throughcare Webinar

RHC Cost Reporting for 12/31/2023

Chronic Care Management Webinar with Dan Godla from ThoroughCare, Inc.

RHC Cost Reporting & Billing Webinars

RHC Cost Reporting - What to do before Year-End

New to RHC - For New RHCs or Clinics considering becoming an RHC

RHC Billing Primer – How to find billing information for RHCs and basic principles of RHC Billing

RHC Billing 101 – The Basics of Medicare billing for independent and provider-based RHCs with Amanda Dennison, MBA, CPC, CRHCP

RHC Billing 201 Lunch and Learn with Patty Harper RHIA, CHC, Principal, InQuiseek Consulting

RHC Billing 301 – Advanced Subjects - Charles James, Jr., North American HMS

RHC Cost Reports - What to do before year-end Part II

RHC Billing Test - An RHC Billing test of principles of how to bill Medicare RHC claims

RHC Update SEminars in NOvember 2022

Emergency Preparedness Resource Page

RHC Information and Training Resources

YouTube Channel with RHC training videos