Corporate Compliance Newsletters

APC Answer Letter APC Payment Insider Briefings on APCs Briefings on Coding Compliance Strategies Briefings on HIPAA Health Care Auditing Strategies Health Information Compliance Insider JustCoding.com Laboratory Compliance Insider Mammography Regulation and Reimbursement Report Strategies for Health Care Compliance

Comply with FDA regulations and interpret the Mammography Quality Standards Act with Mammography Regulation Report.

Subscribe »

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

Mammography Regulation and Reimbursement Report

Issue 3, December 26, 2003

• MQSA long-term study shows trend between technical improvements and image qualit

  The data collected in the first decade of MQSA inspections show a reduction in extended-cycle...

Issue 12, December 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Researchers say ductal lavage should remain in clinical trials

  New studies show that ductal lavage (DL)-the method of collecting epithelial breast cells by...

• Common thread fuels early detection firm's success

  Before mammogram digitization and computer-aided detection (CAD), there were four women looking to...

Issue 11, November 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Radiologists must talk the talk

  The one place a radiologist never wants to be is in the defendant's chair in a medical malpractice...

• An eye on the future: Optical mammography nears approval

  Years of exploration and research in optical mammography may soon be coming to fruition because...

• Use proper technique to guarantee the accuracy of ultrasound breast imaging

  Having an ultrasound can be an effective tool for diagnostic breast imaging, but only if the...

• Audit planning and the 10 myths holding you back

  The Mammography Medical Outcomes Audit (MMOA) is intended to be an ongoing process that is powered...

Issue 10, October 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Digital credibility still being debated as mammography studies continue

  Predicting the future of digital mammography is like looking at a mammogram with an untrained eye...

• Radiologic assistant position slated as solution for staffing shortage

  Loma Linda received a grant from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) to develop...

• Modifications to MQSA guidance on Help System #6

  In response to comments it received, the FDA has changed the MQSA Final Regulations Modifications...

Issue 9, September 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Fourth edition of BI-RADS will bring new categories and lexicons

  The updated American College of Radiology (ACR) BI-RADS® will contain the most changes since its...

• Practice makes perfect for ACR accreditation applications

  After going through the American College of Radiology (ACR) accreditation process more than 10...

• Improve your patient-tracking process with help

  The MQSA requires every certified mammography facility to establish a system to collect and review...

Issue 8, August 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• After closing, patients concerned about missing records

  If you are planning to stop providing mammography, the FDA now requires you to notify certifying...

• Improve mammography image quality with self-review

  The possibility of missing a breast cancer on a mammogram is a radiologist's biggest nightmare...

• Use a 'TACTICAL' approach to patient complaints

  Teach staff how to fix problems and turn the complainer into a loyal, satisfied patient who will...

• ACR accreditation: Make it happen the first time

  More mammography facilities than ever before are passing the American College of Radiology's (ACR...

• Breast cancer patient questions radiologists' interpretations of mammograms

  In November 2000, Kathy McKinney-Tovar was diagnosed with breast cancer. She claims she was...

Issue 7, July 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Nine centers share procedures

  Editor's note: MRR asked the following sites questions about orders, coding, and modifier use. They...

• Troubleshooting tips from a Vermont hospital

  For years, Copley Hospital in Morrisville, VT, used Kodak's clear clean-up film to pick up "crud...

• Sites heal mammo burnout, shortage issues

  There's a way to help you retain staff and recoup money in mammography. Here are seven retention...

Issue 6, June 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• As density numbers drop, quality team scurries to troubleshoot

  A health system in Louisiana offers mammography at three different facilities. Each facility...

• 42 breast, mammo coding clues

  Here is a compilation of 42 tips to help you fine-tune billing, coding, documentation, and ordering...

• States fine, shut down five sites after FDA review

  The following runs down other penalties issued in 2002, according to state and FDA reports released...

• New rule for groups with 30% mammo business

  If more than one-third of your radiology business is dedicated to mammography, you may need to give...

Issue 5, May 12, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Nagging speck issues irk centers

  To say mammography is a loss-leader is being generous. With his center's first set of violations in...

• Locum credentialing glitch prompts film review

  Health care organizations should verify the credentials of all radiologists, including locum...

• Two tips to improve biopsy reimbursement rates

  Are payers inappropriately denying claims for biopsies performed in your practice? Radiology...

• Deadline set on mammo modality rule

  The FDA has asked several major continuing medical education (CME) providers to categorize the...

• Detroit centers put mammo on hold

  Sinking finances may force the Detroit Medical Centers (DMC), a lifeline to the city's poor, to...

Issue 4, April 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Minnesota site dodges fine

  Changes assessment review policy on FDA order It took federal letterhead and some hard-nosed...

• False claims worry hospital trio

  Study raises medical necessity issues Legal officials for hospitals in three midwestern...

Issue 3, March 1, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Five new guidelines in quality law

  Due to conflicting opinions in the mammography community over the testing of devices that prevent...

• Privacy requests flood MO office

  Inundated with requests from mammogram patients to restrict information disclosures, Anna Finchman...

• FDA citation may haunt physician in malpractice case

  A key piece of evidence may prove costly to the physician and possibly the technologist named in a...

• Aggressive audits boost detection and cancer analysis

  By understanding and comparing the data in your mammography medical audits, you can better...

Issue 2, February 21, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

Issue 1, January 21, 2003 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

Issue 11, November 12, 2003

• 'Temporary' relief: Use locum tenens to fill vacancies

  If a physician leaves your practice, whether for vacation or retirement, and you don't find a...

Issue 10, October 8, 2003

• Follow five steps to create a practical, profitable fee schedule

  Your fee schedule determines your reimbursement and guides many factors at your practice-the number...

Issue 2, February 21, 2003

• Desert faces storm of FDA violations

  A fall 2002 inspection at Desert Advanced Imaging Center in Palm Springs, CA, revealed quality...

• GA practice violates referral law

  Four owners of a radiology practice in Georgia decided last year to wait to see who generated the...

• Getting milked over carrier probes

  Physicians can save money and put the kibosh on government’s revenue cowNew government...

• Planes, trains, and credits

  Large Indiana group’s tech investment pays offIf the continuing education (CE) program will...

• When power goes, make sure patients stay put

  Safety and compliance tips during power interruptionsYou can’t afford this: The power goes...

Issue 1, January 21, 2003

• Denver hospital exceeds resident cap to beat shortage

  “Younger MDs don’t want to work the same amount as some of us older MDs do,”...

• Digitization cometh

  Coding and documentation tips and traps If you want a boring old screening mammo coded, Melody...

• Recall rate low at San Fran group

  Collect films in advance to reduce false positivesEmployees at the San Francisco...

• Tilted paddle could stop overcompression

  Expert gives tips on how to position without leaving bruisesIt’s softer, kinder, and heck...