Monitor Mondays

Monitor Mondays

By: RACmonitor

Language: en-us

Categories: Education, Government, Health, Fitness, Medicine

Join Chuck Buck every Monday when he welcomes RACmonitor contributing editors and special guests for the latest regulatory audit news and information from CMS, OIG and OMHA. And gain valuable context and perspective that can only be found when you’re listening to the long-running and popular Monitor Mondays. Register to attend live here: https://racmonitor.medlearn.com/racmonitor/podcasts/

Episodes

The Whistleblower Update
Dec 15, 2025

Whistleblower attorney Max Volman will return to the next Monitor Monday broadcast to report the latest news about whistleblowers. 

As we have learned, often “whistleblowers” are not insiders reporting wrongdoing; they tend to be outside the offending organization.

Register now to listen to Max Voldman’s exclusive report.

Broadcast segments will also include these instantly recognizable features:

●       Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will be making his Monday Rounds. 

●       The RAC Report: Healthcare attorney Knicole Emanuel, partner at the law firm of Nelson Mullins, w...

Duration: 00:30:37
The Fatal Blow: “Statistically Valid Extrapolation”
Dec 08, 2025

For years, federal audit contractors have treated statistical extrapolation as the unassailable engine driving massive overpayment demands. 

The premise sounds reasonable enough: review a small sample of claims, calculate an error rate, and multiply across the entire population to produce a "statistically valid" overpayment figure.

In a perfect world, this approach might hold up. 

But healthcare isn't a perfect world. 

It's a domain where coding is inherently subjective, documentation varies dramatically by provider, and even seasoned experts routinely disagree on the same chart. In this environment, extrapolation doesn't multiply truth—it ampli...

Duration: 00:29:25
The Feds Blow the Whistle: A $45 Million Wound Care Settlement
Dec 01, 2025

The False Claims Act (FCA) suit was initiated by the U.S. government, not a traditional whistleblower. Nonetheless, the recent $45 million settlement with a Florida physician and his wound care group – Vohra Wound Physicians Management LLC – resolved allegations that group knowingly submitted claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary yet lucrative surgical procedures, when routine non-surgical wound management had actually been done.  

During the next live edition of the long-running Monitor Monday Internet broadcast, famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman will report the details of the amazing case, as a not-so-subtle reminder that crime doesn’t pay.

Broadca...

Duration: 00:31:50
Providers Appear More Aggressive in Defending Revenue
Nov 24, 2025

It’s raining RACs.  And many other third party auditors. It seems like every submission of medical records is being scrutinized for omission and commission. Then enter artificial intelligence (AI). The use of AI in auditing, although relatively new, is here to stay.

How is your facility faring compared to your peers? More audits? Less auditing? More denied claims? More money being recouped?

Now you can see for yourself how you’re doing comparing to others. Thanks to the annual benchmark study performed by MDaudit and shared here on Monitor Monday, you will be able to ju...

Duration: 00:27:44
New Audit Traps Revealed in the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
Nov 17, 2025

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. And while that’s not breaking news, the important news is that you and your team could benefit by understanding its hidden traps – so you can protect your revenue. 

During the next live edition of Monitor Monday, senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen will reveal the latest developments in Medicare audit reforms and statistical extrapolation, including the Medicare Program Integrity Manuel (MPIM) standards, plus how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing audit selection for 2025.

You and your team will receive expert analysis and pract...

Duration: 00:28:24
New Sepsis Definition Could Help You Achieve Denial Avoidance
Nov 10, 2025

Recently, a new version of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was introduced.

Known as SOFA-2, this new definition aligns with organ dysfunction measurement in critically ill adults with current clinical practices, especially those diagnosed with sepsis.

Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on Oct. 29 and available at  https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2840822, this revised tool updates the original 1996 SOFA score, which had remained unchanged despite evolving treatment modalities and technologies. 

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, Dr. James S. Kennedy will discuss this SOFA-2 re...

Duration: 00:30:12
DME Supplier Pays $37 Million to Resolve FCA Allegations
Nov 03, 2025

Durable medical equipment (DME) supplier Semler Scientific Inc., along with a former distributor, Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc. and its related companies, have agreed to pay $37 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly causing and conspiring to cause the submission of false claims to Medicare for photoplethysmography tests performed using the FloChec and QuantaFlo devices, in connection with the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), according to a report from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

For analysis and context, Mary Inman, partner in the law firm of Whistleblower Partners...

Duration: 00:30:12
A New Drug Crisis Soon Facing American Hospitals
Oct 27, 2025

America’s hospitals will soon face an unprecedented rebate-based prescription drug model, come Jan. 1 – that’s when there will be as many as 10 major drugs subject to Medicare price caps. This development is expected to create administrative and financial challenges for hospitals, which will have to pay the commercial price for such drugs while waiting for the rebates.

For analysis and context, Maureen Testoni, president and CEO for 340B, will be the special guest during the next live edition of Monitor Monday. She will also review a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, featured in a recent Senate...

Duration: 00:31:09
The Lowdown on the Shutdown
Oct 20, 2025

This marks the third week of the federal government shutdown: an epic failure of congressional leaders from both political parties who couldn’t agree on how fund the government for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.

And now many experts inside and outside of government believe this could be the longest shut down in history, surpassing the previous recordholder, which occurred, ironically, during the first term of President Donald Trump.

Reporting on the nuances of the federal government shutdown during the next edition of Monitor Mondays will be veteran ICD10monitor correspondent Timothy Powell. Powell is...

Duration: 00:28:18
During Case Management Week: Unpacking Healthcare Cuts
Oct 13, 2025

You’re invited to go behind the scenes and listen as case managers tell their stories – of long hours, little sleep, and always being ambushed by a bell ringing for help.

These unsung heroes of healthcare are receiving their moment in the sun during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, with a special 60-minute broadcast. The first half of the venerable weekly Internet broadcast will continue to bring you the news and information you’ve come to rely upon.

During the second segment, Patti Velky, American Case Management Association’s Board President, will report on the s...

Duration: 00:59:14
Court Vacates RAVD 2023 Final Rule
Oct 06, 2025

Recently, a federal court vacated the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2023 Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) Final Rule.

This action is reshaping the landscape for Medicare Advantage compliance. The rule had authorized contract-level extrapolation and eliminated the longstanding fee-for-service (FFS) adjuster — two changes that dramatically increased the potential scale of overpayment recoveries.

Reporting this developing story during the next live edition of Monitor Monday will be senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen,

The weekly broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will...

Duration: 00:29:41
Into a Rabbit Hole: Medical Loss Ratio Fraud Detected in Managed Care Program
Sep 29, 2025

A recent case filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reveals how an insider was able to detect fraud in a large managed care organization (MCO).
Although the topic of medical loss ratio (MLR) might be arcane to some, when the subject involves millions of dollars of potential fraud, it quickly becomes a large blip on the government’s fraud detection radar.
More on this topic will be reported during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays. That’s when whistleblower attorney Max Voldman returns to the long-running Internet broadcast to report on how a paye...

Duration: 00:28:55
Whistleblowers Bring Total Knee Replacement DME to its Knees
Sep 22, 2025

Three whistleblowers brought a durable medical equipment (DME) provider to its knees.


In two separate cases, the whistleblowers targeted Exactech, a manufacturer of total knee replacement (TKR) systems, resulting in a settlement of $8 million to resolve alleged violations of provisions of the False Claims Act (FCA).
Famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman, partner in the law firm of Whistleblower Partners, LLP, will report the excoriating details of the settlement during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays.


The weekly broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD...

Duration: 00:28:14
When Whistleblowers Can’t Whistle
Sep 15, 2025

Healthcare compliance just shifted fundamentally.
Traditional whistleblowers who needed inside access are being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI)-powered relators who mine public datasets and flag statistical anomalies that could signal fraud.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) logged 979 qui tam cases in 2024, many of which were reportedly triggered by mathematical outliers, rather than insider tips. Government agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), have already recovered $820 million using algorithmic detection.
During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen will reveal a possible solution for hospitals, health...

Duration: 00:29:55
Audit Alert: Who’s Auditing AI?
Sep 08, 2025

Consider this a wake-up call.

As artificial intelligence (AI) quietly becomes part of the audit trail, healthcare leaders must ask a new question: who’s reviewing the reviewers?

During the next live edition of the venerable Monitor Mondays broadcast, contributing editor Sharon Easterling will break down why auditing AI tools are no longer a tech issue – they’re a documentation integrity and compliance priority.

Although this is an important topic for all healthcare professionals, register now to learn why it’s particularly relevant for those in compliance and revenue integrity.

The weekly b...

Duration: 00:30:28
Is the UPIC Fraud Prevention System Broken?
Aug 25, 2025

The Unified Program Integrity Contractors (UPICs) are household names in healthcare compliance.

But their track record tells a troubling story, according to senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen. These Medicare fraud enforcement contractors are using controversial extrapolation techniques that providers successfully challenge over 60 percent of the time on appeal.

Cohen, who will be the special guest during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, said he will examine how the 2016 consolidation created five regional enforcement powerhouses, along with why their statistical methodologies are devastating practices based on flawed assumptions. Cohen intends to show how misaligned incentives...

Duration: 00:30:29
A Reign of Terror for Providers
Aug 18, 2025

There just might be a reign of terror being experienced at many of America’s hospitals and health systems. Professionally delivered patient care apparently seems to be getting hijacked by auditors compelled to deny claims of omission.

Aided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and abated by auditors private and public, the lingua franca appears be an entanglement of descriptors, namely “inpatient versus outpatient.”

During the next live edition of the venerated Monitor Monday broadcast, several of the most recognized names in healthcare will not add to the confusion, but offer advice for those...

Duration: 00:30:02
Invalid Prescriptions Trigger CVS Omnicare Whistleblower Lawsuit
Aug 11, 2025

Although the lawsuit was filed by a pharmacist in New Mexico, a federal judge in New York has ordered CVS Omnicare to pay $949,000 to settle a False Claims Act (FCA) case.

According to news sources, the Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) allegedly prescribed drugs to individuals in long-term residential facilities that were not supported by valid prescriptions and then submitted claims for reimbursement for those prescriptions to Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. Although a jury trial was held last spring, with the judge rejecting post-trial arguments by Omnicare, it is understood that Omnicare plans to appeal.

Reporting...

Duration: 00:28:21
340B: Fighting Back Against Big Pharma
Aug 04, 2025

Federal legislation has been introduced that is intended to help the beleaguered 340B Health organization via an effort to ban pharmaceutical companies from restricting access to the drug pricing discount program of the same name, through community and specialty contract pharmacies.

Reporting this lead story as well as other updates from Congress and the Trump Administration during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be Maureen Testoni, CEO for 340B Health and a frequent guest on the long-running broadcast. Testoni represents more than 1,600 hospitals and health systems participating in the 340B drug pricing program.

...

Duration: 00:28:09
The Changing Audit Landscape
Jul 28, 2025

The rugged audit landscape has changed – and not for the better.

Today, there are more potential pitfalls and traps to capture the unprepared and impact them with huge fines and possible incarceration. In fact, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has erected a legal fortress to protect their audit process. It’s not the same old ballgame – it’s a new one, with lots of new players.

It’s also why the producers of Monitor Mondays have invited senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen to return to the broadcast to describe how you and your team can l...

Duration: 00:28:44
An OPPS Oops?
Jul 21, 2025

The Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Proposed Rule for the 2026 fiscal year has been released.

Tucked inside the Proposed Rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the agency’s recommendation to phase out the Inpatient-Only List (IPO) over the course of the next three years.

Reporting the lead story on this development during the next edition of Monitor Mondays will be longtime panelist Ronald Hirsch, MD.

The weekly broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Risky Business: Healthcare attorney David Glaser, shareholder in t...

Duration: 00:30:00
Medicaid Madness
Jul 14, 2025

It’s a Medicaid Madness mess.

For many years, Medicaid has been providing support for America’s most vulnerable populations. But now, Medicaid finds itself as a pawn, being manipulated for political gain between two opposing forces: those who view the program as a means to an end to reduce government spending, and those who hold the opposite point of view.

Who will be the winners and losers? During the next live edition of the venerated Monitor Mondays, senior healthcare consultant Dennis Jones will report on how hospitals can save money in the face of the...

Duration: 00:29:30
Chevron Deference: What Difference Has a Year Made?
Jul 07, 2025

Looking back and looking ahead, we must reckon with a major shift in America’s judicial landscape: the elimination of the so-called Chevron Deference. Last year, at about this same time, physician and attorney Dr. John K. Hall was the special guest here on Monitor Mondays, and he began his segment explaining the legal concept.

Now, more than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision overturning 40 years of judicial precedent and upending statutory construction and enforcement, we must ask, has anything really changed?

Dr. Hall will return to examine the changes – or may...

Duration: 00:29:35
Breaking News: A Major Regulatory Shift
Jul 07, 2025

The Transparency in Coverage (TiC) Final Rule represents one of the most significant regulatory shifts in healthcare pricing since the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen will walk you and your team through the comprehensive labyrinth of changes.

Recent enforcement developments, including President Trump’s Executive Order 14221, directing actual hospital price disclosure within 90 days, also signal an intensified regulatory environment requiring proactive compliance strategies.

The venerable broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Roun...

Duration: 00:28:52
Fraud, Waste, and Abuse: The 2025 Triple Crown
Jun 23, 2025

Call it a trifecta, triumvirate, or the Triple Crown of 2025.

“Fraud, waste, and abuse” is the current triple-negative buzzword in America’s lexicon. And it’s being used to describe lots of things. But when that phrase is used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), what does it actually mean?

You’ll learn during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays.

That’s when senior healthcare consultant Dr. Drew Updike – the broadcast’s special guest – will report on how the Acting HHS Inspector General (IG) Julie...

Duration: 00:31:52
Compliance Quicksand: Sepsis
Jun 16, 2025

Clinical denials by payers for sepsis continues. The problem: the definition of the enigmatic condition does not meet their propriety definitions.
Enter Dr. James Kennedy, who will be the special guest during the next live edition of the long-running Monitor Mondays broadcast. Dr. Kennedy will report on his recent conversations with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics, in which the agency described its protocols in amending the Index and Table to fit new diseases and terminology.
The venerable broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ro...

Duration: 00:30:15
Medicaid Madness
Jun 09, 2025

The nation’s Medicaid program has seen better days. Recently, the federal government’s program to provide healthcare coverage to America’s low-income and vulnerable citizens was used as a bargaining chip as congressional Republicans were in the throes of budget negotiations, facing the daunting task to pass what President Trump calls his “big, beautiful bill:” a package of tax breaks disproportionately favoring the wealthy and spending cuts. The bill, which last week passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, is now making its way through the Senate.
Then there was the announcement this midweek that the Deputy Adm...

Duration: 00:31:13
Whistleblower Update: Rheumatologist Sentenced to Jail, Must Forfeit Maserati and Other Possessions
Jun 02, 2025

During the next edition of Monitor Mondays, famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman, partner at Whistleblower Law, will provide an update on a whistleblower case that some consider “beyond bad.”

You’ll learn why a Texas rheumatologist who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release was ordered to forfeit more than $28 million, plus 13 real-estate properties, a jet, and a Maserati GranTurismo sports car.

Inman, long considered one of the nation’s foremost whistleblower attorneys, will be the program’s special guest during the next live edition of the venerable Internet broadcast, coming up...

Duration: 00:29:27
Tariffs: The Impact on Drugs
May 19, 2025

Welcome to a strange new world.

Recent tariffs announced by the Trump Administration are likely to impact drug manufacturing, since many drug components are produced outside the U.S., in nations such as in India, giving rise to state laws. Many states limit overseas involvement relative to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Florida, for example, prohibits the offshoring of certain patient data, requiring such storage to be within the U.S.

Responding to this emerging crisis, the producers of RACmonitor and Monitor Mondays have invited Lexi Morrison, director of operations at MedPharma...

Duration: 00:30:00
Speak No Evil: Asking Docs to Weigh In Became a $202 Million False Claims Act Settlement
May 12, 2025

On the surface, it was the perfect scam: kickbacks to docs in exchange for public speaking engagements, in order to induce them to prescribe drugs.

That’s apparently what Gilead Sciences thought.

But a whistleblower blew the whistle, and Gilead admitted to paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to high prescribers of their HIV drugs to serve as speakers at programs at luxury restaurants.

Famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman, partner at Whistleblowers Partners, LLP, will report the savory details during the new live edition of Monitor Mondays, coming up at 10 a.m. EST on...

Duration: 00:33:18
340B In the Crosshairs
May 05, 2025

Once again, the venerable 340B Drug Pricing Program finds itself in the crosshairs of critics – this time, from the U.S. Congress.

Recently, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a report outlining his office’s investigation into the program.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, 340B Health CEO Maureen Testoni will return to the broadcast to offer her response to the senator’s investigation.

The long-running broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice...

Duration: 00:28:01
Audit Alert: Immigration in Healthcare
Apr 28, 2025

Nearly every day, on any news service, images of people being quickly led away is chilling as the current Administration continues its sweep of rounding up and deporting suspected illegal immigrants.

Thus, in this current climate of increased audits, investigations and scrutiny on immigration, it is essential that healthcare organizations sponsoring foreign nationals for employment, ensure that documentation, policies, and practices are updated and fully compliant.

During the next live edition of the venerable Monitor Mondays live Internet radio broadcast, seasoned immigration attorney Matthew Webster will walk you through such essential issues as H-1B...

Duration: 00:29:58
FY 2026 IPPS: Hospital Strategy for Risk Adjustment, Equity, and Reimbursement
Apr 21, 2025

The fiscal year (FY) 2026 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule introduces significant reforms to hospital reimbursement, risk adjustment, and performance measurement.

Key changes include the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) transition to HCC Version 28, the use of the Community Deprivation Index (CDI) for socioeconomic risk adjustment and expanded inclusion of Medicare Advantage data in quality metrics.

Launching in 2026, the proposed rule mandates episode-based payments with enhanced pricing accuracy. Hospitals must adapt by updating financial models, realigning quality strategies, and fostering cross-departmental collaboration. These changes emphasize equity, accountability, and transparency, all of which is...

Duration: 00:29:20
HHS, CMS Latest Apparent Battlegrounds for Social Wars Being Waged by Trump Administration
Apr 14, 2025

A flurry of national news reports continues to document the large-scale restructuring taking place at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where 10,000 jobs were reportedly slashed earlier this month, a move also impacting the workforce at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). An estimated 300 CMS workers are expected to be affected by this action, while NPR reported that the HHS teams focusing on sexual violence prevention were also eliminated – on the first day of April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Also recently, RACmonitor and Monitor Mondays have come into possession of a CMS...

Duration: 00:30:38
Caught in the Crossfire: How to Avoid Pay-and-Chase Enforcement Tactics
Apr 07, 2025

A recent case, United States v. Junyi Liu, reveals how a $23 million fraud scheme exemplifies vulnerabilities in America’s healthcare system – as you’ll discover when senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen joins the next Monitor Monday broadcast.

You’ll also learn about the challenges legitimate providers face when navigating complex regulations – and more about the government’s aggressive “pay-and-chase” enforcement tactics, plus why innocent practitioners often get caught in the crossfire.

During the next live edition of the venerable weekly Internet broadcast, Cohen will also report on potential policy reforms.

The long-running broadcast will also includ...

Duration: 00:31:29
Wound Care: An Open Source for Audits
Mar 31, 2025

No matter the approach one might take for debridement, wound care continues to be an attractive source for audits – they inevitably arise and fester. Case in point: Wachler and Associates, a prestigious law firm in Michigan, currently is representing clients in some 18 wound care audit cases.

That is why RACmonitor, producers of Monitor Mondays, has invited Andrew “Drew” Wachler, founder of Wachler & Associates, to be the special guest during the next live edition of the venerable weekly Internet broadcast.

The long-running broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Breaking News: Famed whistleblower attorney...

Duration: 00:29:56
Advanced Beneficiary Notice: A Doctors’ Day Observance
Mar 24, 2025

National Doctors’ Day is actually Sunday, March 30, but the one-day nationwide observance is getting an early celebratory start during the next live edition of the venerable Monitor Mondays broadcast.

Joining our esteemed panelists will be three well-known physicians: Drs. Stephanie Van Zandt, Clarissa Barnes, and Juliet Ugarte Hopkins. And each doc will have an “open mic” during the 30-minute live Internet broadcast.

The long-running weekly broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will be making his Monday Rounds.

• The RAC Report: He...

Duration: 00:30:41
At the Intersection of CDI and the False Claims Act
Mar 17, 2025

A clinical documentation integrity (CDI) professional who “knowingly … acts in reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the information” may ultimately run into issues related to the federal False Claims Act (FCA).

The Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Compliance Program on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS).gov website lists several CMS compliance programs designed to educate and support Medicare providers in “understanding and applying” FFS policies. If the hospital compliance department is not monitoring these resources, it would be prudent for CDI leadership to do so, according to CDI expert Cheryl Ericson, who will be the special gu...

Duration: 00:30:15
Why Complications are Complicated
Mar 10, 2025

Hospitals routinely measure, analyze, and track adverse patient harm events, collecting information about and reporting on certain types of such events in order to meet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) program and state legal requirements.

Prior work plans of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed that hospitals reported few harm events to state reporting systems.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, Dr. James Kennedy, president of CDIMD, will unwrap the January 2025 OIG proposal (OEI-06-18-00401) to evaluate hospital quality reporting...

Duration: 00:31:43
DEVELOPING STORY: No Public Comment Allowed for HHS Rulemaking
Mar 03, 2025

Across America, in sprawling university teaching facilities and in picturesque rural hospitals, administrators are dealing with a powerful tool called statistical extrapolation.

When auditors say that they’re using statistical “sampling” to review your Medicare claims, what they are often doing is using extrapolation – which could take what might appear to be minor discrepancies in your billing and turn them into major financial obligations.

To learn more about extrapolation and what it means for you and your team, the producers of RACmonitor have invited senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen to be the special guest during the next...

Duration: 00:32:41
Hot Off the Presses: Latest Issues Impacting Medicare Home Health Care, Hospice, and Medicaid Services
Feb 24, 2025

During the next edition of Monitor Mondays, special guest Bill Dombi, senior counsel with Arnall, Golden, and Gregory, will offer an update on the hot-button issues affecting home healthcare, hospice, and long-term home care. These issues include the latest developments related to the Medicare Hospice Special Focus Program, the impact of the Medicare home health payment model, Medicare Advantage (MA) claim denials in post-acute care, and increasing threats to Medicaid support.

The venerable weekly Internet broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will be ma...

Duration: 00:29:41
1.2 Billion in Fraudulent Claims for Wound Care Procedures
Feb 17, 2025

Evoking the age-old adage of having “skin in the game,” a Phoenix, Arizona couple last month entered a plea of guilty to one of the largest healthcare frauds in U.S. history.

The couple pleaded guilty to criminal charges involving the submission of $1.2 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and other insurers for wound care procedures. The husband-and-wife team have agreed to pay more than $600 million in restitution and face over 20 years in prison, according to famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman, who will return to Monitor Mondays for its next edition.

The venerable broadcast will...

Duration: 00:30:37
Major Challenges Facing American Hospitals Explained
Feb 10, 2025

Challenges in reimbursement, benchmarking, and quality reporting are being experienced in many American hospitals. Why is this problem arising?

Our special guest during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will have answers. Penny Jefferson, a seasoned healthcare professional who serves as the Director of Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) Services at the University of California at Davis Medical Center, will report on why misinterpretation of the admission types appears to be the culprit, impacting compliance, payment, and patient safety indicators (PSIs).
The broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD...

Duration: 00:29:58
Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare: Three Critical Areas You Need to Know About
Feb 03, 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming as commonplace in healthcare as billing audits.
It’s ubiquitous.
And that is why the producers of Monitor Mondays have invited senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen to explore the intersection of AI and healthcare. So, during the next live edition of the venerable live weekly Internet broadcast, Cohen will address key concerns for compliance professionals, including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) requirements, data governance, and responsibility in AI-driven decision-making.
The broadcast will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will...

Duration: 00:28:24
Stargate Promises New Advancements in Medicine. Compliance Unclear
Jan 27, 2025

Earlier this week, in the wake of the inauguration of President Donald Trump, a major announcement was made that some hope will lead to new advances in healthcare: “Stargate,” a private venture to build in the U.S. hyperscale data centers for artificial intelligence (AI). The strategic goal is to make the United States the world’s leader in AI.

Larry Ellison, founder of the relational database company Oracle, indicated that much work in this project will be focused on healthcare, including the promise of better medical diagnostics and imaging, personalized medicine, remote monitoring, and telehealth for patien...

Duration: 00:28:52
Major False Claims Act Settlement Snags New York’s Independent Health
Jan 13, 2025

New York health insurer Independent Health and its former executive reached a settlement that will amount to up to $100 million with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and a whistleblower over False Claims Act allegations that they made Medicare members appear sicker than they really were to get more money from the government, a practice known as risk adjustment fraud.

Betsy Gaffney, former CEO of now-defunct vendor DxID, agreed to pay $2 million to resolve allegations she helped DxID mine patients’ medical records for diagnoses that risk-adjust, nudging doctors to approve them up to a year after th...

Duration: 00:30:41
May I have the Envelope: 2024 Healthcare Heroes to be Revealed
Dec 16, 2024

“He’s making a list, checking it twice…”

With a nod to the legendary Tin Pan Alley composer Haven Gillespie, who penned the lyrics to the iconic holiday song, senior healthcare consultant Ronald Hirsch, MD has been making his own list of healthcare professionals all year, paying close attention to their deeds in the field of healthcare.

Calling them “Hirsch’s Heroes,” an annual tradition that began in 2015, Hirsch will reveal those to whom he has bestowed the esteemed honor during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays.

Other broadcast segments will include these instantl...

Duration: 00:28:43
Health Insurers in the Spotlight in the Wake of CEO Slaying
Dec 09, 2024

Have you ever had your insurance company deny payment for your claim?

Have you ever had your insurance company stall or deny a pre-authorization?

How long did it take to get the authorization for the medication you’ve been using to keep yourself alive for the past few years? Was it maddening?

During the next edition of Monitor Mondays, physician and attorney Dr. John K. Hall will examine the frustration that modern health insurance has become – especially in the context of the recent fatal shooting of a prominent health insurance chief executive officer (CEO...

Duration: 00:28:41
National Audit News Roundup
Dec 02, 2024

It’s raining recovery auditors.

More denials. More grief. More lost revenue and more palpable anxiety.

The seemingly unending war between payers – private and public – and providers continues unabated. The ubiquitous Two-Midnight Rule and the contentious subject of observation versus inpatient status have become an indelible part of America’s healthcare system.

And that is why the producers of RACmonitor have dedicated the next live edition of the venerable Monitor Mondays Internet broadcast to be the go-to source for the latest audit and regulatory news: a veritable feast of valuable information for you and your...

Duration: 00:28:54
How E&M Code Misuse Triggered an FCA Settlement
Nov 25, 2024

$23 million: that’s the amount that the University of Colorado Health, also known as UCHealth, has agreed to pay to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to its seeking and receiving payment from federal healthcare programs for visits to its emergency departments.

The university, headquartered in Aurora, was accused of falsely coding certain Evaluation & Management (E&M) claims submitted to the Medicare and TRICARE programs.

Reporting the lede story during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman, partner in the law firm of Whistleblower Partners.

Broadcast se...

Duration: 00:22:23
New Healthcare Survey Reveals Need for Continuous Financial Risk Monitoring
Nov 18, 2024

As we continue to monitor and review the latest healthcare news, we are always pleased when word of a new study comes to our attention – especially when the study is within the purview of MDaudit.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, the CEO for MDaudit, Ritesh Ramesh, will report the latest results of a new national study – and how the salient takeaway points could help you and your team as you grapple with the dynamic environment of America’s healthcare system.

Broadcast segments will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds...

Duration: 00:29:39
Simplifying the Two-Midnight Rule: Simple as 1, 2, 3
Nov 11, 2024

Long a contentious edict from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Medicare Two-Midnight Rule can be simplified into three basic elements.

For the first time, Monitor Mondays, along with esteemed physician advisor Benjamin Kartchner, will be outlining them, along with all that’s needed to undo the gordian knot of denials.

During the next live edition of the venerable Internet radio broadcast, Dr. Kartchner will complete his discussion as to how detailed clinical updates, assessments, and rationale for continued hospitalization can preemptively address payer scrutiny and reduce denials while optimizing reimbursement for patient ca...

Duration: 00:30:19
Denials Going from Bad to Worse
Nov 04, 2024

Denials in healthcare are a problem.

Recently, though, the problem seems to be getting worse, especially with the misapplication of the Two-Midnight Rule by Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, according to Nick Hut, senior editor for Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).

Hut reports that MA plans are classifying hospital stays as outpatient observation visits at a significantly higher rate than traditional Medicare even though the rule is supposed to be applied the same way in both programs.

And Hut believes the situation is likely to be getting worse because UnitedHealthcare is targeting provider coding...

Duration: 00:28:52
Sex, Lies and Turmoil
Oct 28, 2024

A pediatrician under investigation related to accusations that she had engaged in sexual relations with a male patient, having lied about it when applying for another healthcare position, was recently sentenced for making false statements.

In another case, a federal contractor agreed to resolve False Claims Act allegations in connection with a government contract related to its storage of unsecured personally identifiable information of Medicare beneficiaries.

Recognizing that it’s not only a bad idea, but also a crime to lie to a government agency, Monitor Monday’s own attorney and physician Dr. John K. Hall...

Duration: 00:27:30
The Two-Midnight Rule: Presumption of Risk
Oct 21, 2024

Could you and your care team be at risk when you upgrade a patient from observation to inpatient simply because the patient passed a second midnight in the hospital, based on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) contentious Two-Midnight Rule?

And what about the expectation? How does expectation enter this equation? And finally, what should be present to change that expectation?

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, Ben Kartchner, MD, a prominent physician advisor, will thread the needle of this controversial regulation to give his perspective on how the two-midnight expectation can...

Duration: 00:26:48
False Claims Act Violation: Unnecessary Drug Testing Flags Feds
Oct 14, 2024

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has reported that one of America’s largest urine drug-testing companies has agreed to pay $27 million to resolve allegations of unnecessary drug testing and illegal remuneration to physicians.

The False Claims Act allegations resolved by this settlement were originally brought in three lawsuits filed by whistleblowers under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties to bring suit on behalf of the government – and to share in any recovery. 

Reporting on this major story during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be fa...

Duration: 00:26:56
340B Drug Rebates: Old Debate Revived, But Shot Down
Oct 07, 2024

A major drug company’s attempt to turn 340B drug pricing program discounts into rebates made big headlines in recent weeks. Maureen Testoni, president and CEO of 340B Health, will review how this potentially major upheaval came about, how 340B stakeholders responded, and how the drugmaker backed off after the federal government threatened it with massive penalties.

This debate is by no means over.

The idea of imposing rebates in 340B is not a new one, and the concept has come back into prominence recently amid the ongoing implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, which wi...

Duration: 00:27:58
Violence in America’s Hospitals
Sep 30, 2024

As violent crime has trended slightly downward throughout the United States over the last year, a wound to this country’s collective psyche that appears reluctant to close is workplace violence in America’s hospitals.

Reporting the lead story during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be special assignment contributor Dennis Jones, senior director of revenue cycle at Jefferson Health.

Jones returns to his beat to continue his reporting of this issue. Among those healthcare professionals most at risk for workplace violence are nurses and those who work in emergency rooms. In fact, a 20...

Duration: 00:28:04
Whistleblower Report: Oak Street Health Agrees to Pay $60M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Liability in Medicare Advantage Patient Recruitment Scheme
Sep 26, 2024

Oak Street Health, headquartered in Chicago and a wholly-owned subsidiary of CVS Health since 2023, has agreed to pay $60 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to third-party insurance agents in exchange for recruiting seniors to Oak Street Health’s primary care clinics, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Reporting the lead story during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be Max Wollman, a partner in the Washington office of Whistleblower Partners, LLP.

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims br...

Duration: 00:28:41
Exposing Challenges to Getting Paid by Medicare Advantage
Sep 16, 2024

You need to get paid properly for surgical procedures on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Inpatient-Only (IPO) List, according to Mary Beth Pace, vice president of care management at Trinity Health, and also the special guest during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays.

Pace, in making the statement, was referring to rules and regulations set forth in the Federal Register for Medicare in 2024. She also alleges that some Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are not abiding by some of those rules and regulations. Pace says all MA plans need to abide by the IPO and...

Duration: 00:29:00
How to Ensure Correct Inpatient Status
Sep 09, 2024

What’s wrong with this picture?

With more than 10 years of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Two-midnight Rule now behind us, one would presume that most healthcare professionals should know what determines an inpatient status. But some don’t.

That is why RACmonitor has invited renowned physician and attorney Dr. John K. Hall to report on the requirements and risks associated with inpatient order documentation during the next edition of Monitor Mondays.

Other segments during the weekly Internet broadcast will include these instantly recognizable features:

Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirs...

Duration: 00:30:12
New Study Reveals America’s Big Hang-up with Healthcare
Aug 26, 2024

A comprehensive new survey featuring responses from more than 1,500 U.S. patients reveals that they are not only frustrated by poor provider support, but also are experiencing tangible health setbacks – especially when waiting to refill prescriptions and being placed on hold while waiting to speak to a caregiver.

Israel Krush, CEO and Co-Founder of Hyro, the healthcare vendor whose company sponsored the survey, is scheduled to be the special guest during the next live edition of the long-running Internet broadcast Monitor Mondays, produced by RACmonitor.

Hyro’s “Voice of the Patient” survey and accompanying report highligh...

Duration: 00:28:58
Federal Officials Announce Medical Relief in Wake of Hurricane
Aug 19, 2024

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Debby, now Tropical Storm Debby, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced additional resources and flexibilities to support the affected states of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Following President Biden’s emergency declarations and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra’s Public Health Emergency determination, CMS is working closely with these states to ensure continued access to critical healthcare services.

Importantly, CMS is offering state waivers and other support to help healthcare providers in the impacted regions maintain operations and...

Duration: 00:27:15
There’s a New Sheriff in Town: New DOJ Program Intends to Snare Even More FCA Fraudsters
Aug 12, 2024

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has a new whistleblower reward initiative called the DOJ Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program.

The Program, which seeks to fill gaps left by existing whistleblower reward programs, incentivizes whistleblowers to bring tips to the DOJ about types of healthcare fraud not already covered by the False Claims Act (FCA). According to Monitor Mondays special guest Mary Inman, the new Program raises the stakes for the entire healthcare industry, especially among those who typically ignore or disregard internal reports concerning whistleblowers.

Other segments during the next edition of the...

Duration: 00:28:37
FY 2025 IPPS: The Clinical Report
Aug 05, 2024

The Inpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule for Acute Care and Long-Term Care hospitals in the 2025 fiscal year (FY) continues to generate interest from providers, payers, hospital administrators, vendors, and consultants. But what are the significant takeaways for stakeholders as they prepare for the government’s fiscal year, which begins Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024?
Standing by to report the lead story during the next live edition of the long-running Monitor Mondays broadcast will be subject-matter expert Dr. James Kennedy.
Other broadcast segments will include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM...

Duration: 00:31:07
“Do the Crime, Pay the Fine:” DaVita to Pay$34 million to Resolve Allegations of Illegal Kickbacks
Jul 29, 2024

Denver-based DaVita Inc. has agreed to pay slightly more than $34 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA).
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reported in a news release that DaVita paid kickbacks to induce referrals to DaVita Rx, a former subsidiary that provided pharmacy services for dialysis patients, directing the payments to nephrologists and vascular access physicians.
During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman will report the details on this amazing story, focusing on the provisions of the Anti-Kickback Statute that prohibit anyone to induce...

Duration: 00:27:28
End of the Road for the ALJs?
Jul 22, 2024

Could the end be near for the administrative law judges of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS). What about the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA)? Could these entities be gone from the audit landscape?

Case in point: the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) continues eviscerating executive powers. This time SCOTUS has limited the authority of administrative tribunals and the administrative law judges to adjudicate some cases—this according to a recent SCOTUS decision.

While the actual case relates to administrative hearings at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the limitations likely transcend that agency.

...

Duration: 00:30:07
Handle with Care: Taking Steps for Safe Transitions
Jul 15, 2024

Have you ever wondered how professional movers carefully pack everything? From expensive china to precious crystal stemware, they seem to have a knack and knowledge for how to prepare.

When it comes to healthcare, how safe is the transition from hospital to home if a patient cannot get the services they need at home when they are ready to transition?

More and more, we are seeing challenges with home health care agencies not being available for our patients who need home care at discharge, according to Mary Beth Pace, vice president of care management at...

Duration: 00:29:12
No More Chevron? What Happens Next?
Jul 08, 2024

For nearly four decades, a judicial principle known as “Chevron deference” has guided the federal courts as they reviewed litigation associated with federal agencies. Chevron deference allowed legislators to leave statutes somewhat vague, assuming that an agency full of government experts would sort out the details and promulgate effective regulation.

But, according to a recent U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision, the principle is fundamentally flawed – in fact, fatally flawed. The decision throws it out in its entirety. This has the potential to upend years of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Me...

Duration: 00:29:25
Special Alert: DOJ Cracks Down on Nearly 200 Involved in Major Healthcare Fraud Schemes
Jul 01, 2024

In a late-breaking press release, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced late Thursday that the agency had charged nearly 200 individuals accused with involvement in various healthcare fraud schemes estimated at $2.7 billion. Charges were brought against nurses, physicians, and others in a national sweep, and it was estimated that more than $900 million in false claims were submitted to Medicare for wound care grafts.

Reporting on this major developing story during the next edition of Monitor Mondays will be famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman, partner in the law firm of Whistleblower Partners, LLC.

Broadcast segments...

Duration: 00:28:55
How a Different Type of Whistleblower Created a Lesson Worth Learning
Jun 24, 2024

A recent federal court decision in New Jersey demonstrates the viability of a different kind of whistleblower – in this case, a privately defrauded party.

The most common type of a whistleblower under the False Claims Act (FCA) tends to be a corporate insider who sees fraud committed against the government by their employer or a company they work with, and generally after many, many attempts at internal reporting, sues the company under the law and is eligible to share in the recovery.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman, pa...

Duration: 00:28:57
The Human Touch at the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Denied Claims
Jun 17, 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is fast becoming a fixture in healthcare revenue cycle management (RCM), where finance leaders are desperate for ways to relieve understaffed departments struggling under unprecedented volumes of third-party audit demands and rising denial rates without sacrificing accuracy or precision.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, the CEO for MDaudit, Ritesh Ramesh, will report on why keeping humans in the loop is the best strategy for preventing negative outcomes.

Broadcast segments will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Juliet Ugarte Hopkins, MD, substituting for Dr. Ronald Hirsch, wi...

Duration: 00:28:50
OIG On the Prowl: Semi-Annual Report to Congress
Jun 10, 2024

They’re looking for fraudsters, going on the prowl for bad actors, as revealed in the latest semi-annual report to Congress compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG). In this latest report, the government watchdog identified more than $2.76 billion in expected recoveries and receivables.

Providing analysis and context for the OIG report released June 3 during the next edition of Monitor Mondays will be James S. Kennedy, MD, a subject matter expert who will review highlights and offer suggestions for remaining compliant.

Broadcast segments will also in...

Duration: 00:31:15
Jail Time, or Hefty Fine?
Jun 03, 2024

Most healthcare investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) result in settlements. Many times, the complete details of the settlements in underlying government cases are not fully disclosed. But sometimes, a provider ends up at trial. And when that happens, it often offers insights into what it takes to get hit with hefty fines – and possible prison time, if you lose the case.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, physician and attorney Dr. John K. Hall will review two recent convictions against individual physicians, and offer suggestion for avoiding big payouts and incarceration.

...

Duration: 00:28:40
New Medical Technologies: Are They Audit-Proof?
May 20, 2024

A deep dive into microbiology can reveal an up-close look at the cells that make up organs of the human body – and corresponding cancer treatments that leave no trace of damage.

The science of medicine appears to be moving at the speed of light lately. But will new healthcare technologies be audit-proof? Monitoring these escalating changes and their impact on America’s delivery of healthcare services during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be RACmonitor investigative reporter Edward M. Roche.

Broadcast segments will also include these instantly recognizable features:

Monday Rounds: C...

Duration: 00:27:01
Healthcare Whistleblower Roundup: Recent Settlements Reach Nearly $10 Million
May 13, 2024

Two recent settlements to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act – both involving the virulent COVID-19 – are the latest in a series of actions that will be reported on during the next edition of Monitor Mondays by famed whistleblower Mary Inman, who also notes that her company, Whistleblower Partners, LLP, is poised to announce another major case pending the unsealing of court documents expected this week.

Among the two cases, one involves the U.S. and California versus ReNew Health Group, LLC and two of the firm’s executives. The settlement alleges that the company knowingly submit...

Duration: 00:28:21
The AI Arms Race in Healthcare Auditing: Handicapping Winners and Losers
May 06, 2024

The arms race is heating up.

On one side there are healthcare providers, and on the opposing side, an army operated by the auditors. Who will be the winners and losers?

Are you safe? And how do you protect your facility from claim denials and takebacks, especially when auditors are using artificial intelligence (AI)?

RACmonitor investigative reporter Edward M. Roche will return to Monitor Mondays this coming Monday to report on the escalating AI arms race. Roche, who just completed an exclusive three-part series for RACmonitor on AI auditing, will also report on...

Duration: 00:29:07
The Value of Peer-to-Peer Discussion
Apr 29, 2024

Do you have peer-to-peer (P2P) discussions?
Are they useful? Are they valuable? And how do you know?
Our own physician and attorney, Dr. John K. Hall, will offer his unique take on the value of P2P interactions and how you should measure it during his appearance as Guest Panelist on the next upcoming edition of Monitor Mondays.
Broadcast segments will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will be making his Monday Rounds.

• The RAC Report: Healthcare attorney Knicole Emanuel, partner at t...

Duration: 00:28:09
The Two-Midnight Rule: Navigating Treacherous Medicare Currents
Apr 22, 2024

Like seasoned harbor pilots navigating tugboats through natural and manmade hazards, physician advisors each day face the daunting task of guiding their hospitals through a labyrinth of Medicare rules and regulations.

Reporting on those conditions during the next edition of Monitor Mondays will be the vice chair of the recently concluded national conference of the American College of Physician Advisors, Stephanie Van Zandt. In that role, Dr. Van Zandt had a front-row seat to the history-making conference that concluded Thursday in Coronado, Calif. Dr. Van Zandt is expected to report on the key Medicare policy issues that...

Duration: 00:27:49
Defense Strategies Against AI Audits
Apr 15, 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) software is now in the “hype phase” of adoption.

It promises to increase the efficiency of medical audits. But also, AI is being touted as being able to handle much more data, examine many more cases, and instantly make decisions regarding medical necessity or inadequate documentation.

The number of audits can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled. Why take samples for review when AI can audit every single claim submitted? Providers can expect a deluge of demands for recoupment, all delivered with exquisite and compelling prose.

But is AI as accurate or as t...

Duration: 00:40:16
Medicare Advantage “Schemes” in the DOJ Crosshairs
Apr 08, 2024

The recent $37 million settlement against Cigna regarding enhancing risk adjustment factor (RAF) scores —along with related litigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)— highlight the aggressiveness of the federal government to crack down on entities for non-compliant billing practices.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, Dr. James Kennedy will unpack the challenges entities have with this hot billing compliance issue. Dr. Kennedy will also recommend an approach that attempts to clarify what facilities and physicians can do to mitigate their risks.

Broadcast segments will also include these instantly recognizable features:

•...

Duration: 00:31:06
Whistleblower Update: $300 Million in Alleged Fraud
Apr 01, 2024

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has joined a whistleblower lawsuit that accuses Martin’s Point Health Care, along with five other providers in other states, of defrauding the government of more than $300 million, pertaining to allegations that the providers inflated patients’ risk scores to obtain higher payments to which they were not entitled from the government’s military health plan.

Broadcast segments will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will be making his Monday Rounds.

• The RAC Report: Healthcare attorney Knicole Emanuel, p...

Duration: 00:31:19
How to Achieve a Clear Vision for Hospital Price Transparency
Mar 25, 2024

Since its launch in January 2021, the Hospital Price Transparency Rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been a vexing issue for many of America’s hospitals. Despite enforcement efforts from CMS, implementation for many providers has been onerous – so much so that when the latest requirements were issued by CMS, one could imagine provider executives simply giving up, rationalizing that non-compliance was the cost of doing business.

But now there’s a chance for your team to achieve a clear vision for implementing the arduous tasks of compliance. During the next live edition of Monito...

Duration: 00:29:21
The Fix is in: Hospital Price Transparency Rule
Mar 18, 2024

Many of America’s hospitals continue to be challenged as it pertains to complying with the requirements from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for implementing the agency’s rule on hospital price transparency. And that is why RACmonitor and Monitor Mondays are producing a three-part series, in collaboration with ClaraPrice, to help providers fix this vexing problem, including addressing the onerous requirement for hospitals to produce their own machine-readable files (MRFs).

Specifically, CMS is requiring hospitals to display their standard charge information in a CMS template layout, following data specifications and a data dictionary.
But...

Duration: 00:28:32
Empowering the Bedside Physician to Lower Observation Rates
Mar 11, 2024

America’s hospitals are currently facing a critical challenge: a flood of patients placed under observation, leading to lost revenue and operational disarray. Amid the confusion, questions arise. Even seasoned bedside physicians struggle with uncertainty in determining patient status upon admission.

But fear not! There is hope in this chaotic landscape, unlocked by empowering the bedside physician to invoke the full potential of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Two-Midnight Rule.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, Dr. Stephanie Van Zandt from BayCare Health System in Florida will report on an innovative fo...

Duration: 00:30:32
Hospital Price Transparency Rule: An Important Update
Mar 04, 2024

There was a time when everyone in healthcare compliance and revenue cycle management was scrambling to implement the Hospital Price Transparency Rule.

Now, nearly four years later, it’s back.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2024 Final Rule for Price Transparency marks the biggest change to the rule requirements since it initially took effect in January of 2021.

The new mandate introduces a three-phase approach that began in January and will continue with new requirements effective in July, with additional requirements starting in January 2025. New technical mandates will introduce new challenges for hospitals, po...

Duration: 00:28:53
Updated Episode | Chevron Deference: What Happens if There’s No Deference?
Mar 04, 2024

What happens if the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) dismantles decades of government agency discretion? Recent cases at SCOTUS indicate that this could happen. But what would be the consequences?

During the next live edition of the long-running Internet radio broadcast Monitor Mondays, RACmonitor’s own physician and attorney Dr. John K Hall will consider the ramifications of the demise of the so-called “Chevron Deference” currently enjoyed by federal agencies.

Broadcast segments will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will be making h...

Duration: 00:28:36
Chevron Deference: What Happens if There’s No Deference?
Feb 26, 2024

What happens if the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) dismantles decades of government agency discretion? Recent cases at SCOTUS indicate that this could happen. But what would be the consequences?

During the next live edition of the long-running Internet radio broadcast Monitor Mondays, RACmonitor’s own physician and attorney Dr. John K Hall will consider the ramifications of the demise of the so-called “Chevron Deference” currently enjoyed by federal agencies.

Broadcast segments will also include these instantly recognizable features:

• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will be making h...

Duration: 00:27:56
Artificial Intelligence: Examining Promises, Skepticism, and Ethical Implications
Feb 19, 2024

The implementation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) is one of several hot-button issues to be explored during the next live edition of the Monitor Mondays, the long-running Internet broadcast produced by RACmonitor.

Other high-level considerations to be reported include leveraging AI in regulatory compliance, creating physician notes from doctor-patient conversations, and how AI could bridge knowledge gaps.

Reporting on these latest developments in healthcare technology will be senior healthcare consultant Sharon Easterling. Since 2012, Easterling has played a pivotal role in supporting companies as they integrate natural language processing (NLP...

Duration: 00:30:48
What’s the Score with Your Physicians? Don’t Miss MIPS
Feb 13, 2024

The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) uses a composite performance score to determine if eligible physicians will receive a payment bonus, a payment penalty, or no payment adjustments. So, what’s the score for your physicians? Do they know?

During the next live edition of the long-running Monitor Mondays, Leigh Poland, vice president of coding services for AGS Health, will report on why it’s essential for all eligible clinicians to report their score to prevent a 9-percent downward adjustment for all Medicare Part B claims paid two years from the reporting year.

Broadcast segments will...

Duration: 00:30:00
How CERT Data Is Used to Target Providers
Feb 05, 2024

Auditors use the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) study from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a way to target individual providers for potential recoupment. For example, if you get paid millions of dollars for some procedure codes or DRGs that have high error rates, it increases the likelihood that those specific codes and/or DRGs will be audited. Why? Because, statistically speaking, whatever the error rate reported by CERT is can help estimate the potential improper payments made to a given provider and/or organization.

During the next live edition of the venerable Monitor...

Duration: 00:30:55
How to Protect Your Facility from CERT Audits
Jan 29, 2024

What’s important to know about the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) program from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is that auditors rely upon the results to target specific providers for recoupment audits.

The more you know about CERT and the study results, the better position you will be in when it comes to understanding both the general risk of an audit and the specific areas that might be at risk within your organization, according to senior healthcare analyst Frank Cohen. Cohen, long associated with Monitor Mondays, will return to the famed weekly Internet broadcast th...

Duration: 00:32:46
U.S. Forced to Comply with International Healthcare Law: Fact or Fiction?
Jan 22, 2024

Will the World Health Organization (WHO) be given the power to impose restrictive pandemic measures on countries, including the United States? Will it be legally binding? What are the challenges and opportunities for healthcare providers in the United States, and how will this be enforced?

The member states of the WHO have been working on a plan of action when faced with the next pandemic. Negotiations are underway now, and their outcome will be submitted to the 77th WHO Assembly in May.

RACmonitor investigative Edward M. Roche will report the latest on this possible international...

Duration: 00:30:32
Look Out, Look Ahead
Jan 08, 2024

No more eggnog. Toss the champagne bottles. The good times are over, and now it’s back to business. But not business as usual. 

As the rest of the nation’s healthcare professionals clocked in for overtime, claims auditors were scrutinizing medical records, looking for the slightest inconsistency upon which to pounce. Now, nearly four weeks since its last news broadcast, Monitor Mondays will return this coming Monday with a cadre of the smartest minds in healthcare auditing. You’ll hear auditing news you won’t find anywhere else – except here and in RACmonitor.

Broadcast segments wi...

Duration: 00:55:46
2023 Healthcare Heroes to be Revealed
Dec 04, 2023

“He’s making a list, checking it twice…”

With a nod to the legendary Tin Pan Alley composer Haven Gillespie, who penned the lyrics to the iconic holiday song, senior healthcare consultant Ronald Hirsch, MD has been making his own list of healthcare professionals all year, paying close attention to their deeds in the field of healthcare.

Calling them “Hirsch’s Heroes,” an annual tradition that began in 2015, Hirsch will reveal those to whom he has bestowed the esteemed honor during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays. So far, 15 distinguished individuals have been named “Hirsch’s Heroes...

Duration: 00:29:56
America’s Healthcare System: A Gordian Knot
Nov 27, 2023

RACmonitor investigative reporter Edward M. Roche, an intrepid regular monitor of America’s healthcare system, will return to Monitor Mondays for its next upcoming edition to report on how and why America’s healthcare system has tied itself into a Gordian Knot of complexity: interwoven strands of conflicting rules and regulations, different payments for the same services, and a cumbersome patchwork quilt of facilities, big, small, and smaller. Roche, who recently introduced to Monitor Mondays listeners the concept of “smart hospitals,” will also take a stab at answering a key question: just how smart are they?


Other br...

Duration: 00:28:01
At the Intersection of AI and Medical Record Audits
Nov 20, 2023

The annual 2023 MDaudit Benchmark Report has been published, and it is relevatory in its analysis of articial intelligence (AI) and its impact on payment and revenue integrity. According to the report, the primary topic of discussion for the next live edition of the long-running Monitor Mondays Internet broadcast, the implications of AI are immense when predicting its application to audit workflows – which is expected to impact outcomes for both providers and payers.

MDaudit CEO Ritesh Ramesh will appear as the special guest on Monitor Mondays to discuss the latest findings from the annual survey and how AI ma...

Duration: 00:30:14
False Claims Act Roundup: 2023 Was a Very Good Year for the Feds
Nov 13, 2023

To quote the titular lyrics of the song popularized by Frank Sinatra for his very first No. 1 hit, “it was a very good year.”

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that more than $2 billion in False Claims Act settlements and judgments were reported in the 2023 fiscal year.

According to the DOJ, government and whistleblowers were “party to 351 settlements and judgments,” the second-highest number ever recorded in a single year.

Providing a roundup of those settlements and judgments during the next live edition of Monitor Mondays will be famed whistleblower attorney Mary Inman, a...

Duration: 00:28:22
The Two-Midnight Rule Remains Too Confounding
Nov 06, 2023

The Two-Midnight Rule was first announced 10 years ago, October 2013, by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Even today, though, the Rule remains an ongoing source of confusion for physicians as well as revenue cycle and finance experts.

However, it also will take on new importance, as CMS promises that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will begin to follow the Rule in 2024.

During the next live edition of the popular and long-running Internet broadcast Monitor Mondays, physician and attorney Dr. John K. Hall will summarize the current state of the Two-Midnight Rule and offer insights of...

Duration: 00:31:17
Violence in America’s Hospitals
Oct 30, 2023

Violence in America’s hospitals is an issue that is squarely on the minds of hospital administrators and staff. And the violence seen in our society has increasingly encroached into the medical workplace. This violence can be verbal, it can be physical, it can be disturbing, and it can be deadly. The escalation and prevalence of violence in hospitals has had a major impact on employees, patients, and families.

During the next live edition of Monitor Mondays, senior healthcare executive Dennis Jones will report on new regulatory initiatives, individual hospital actions, and one sweeping policy by a st...

Duration: 00:26:21