For 2009, the retirement plan limits are as follows:
Annual Additions $49,000
Elective Deferrals $16,500
Catch up Contributions $5,500
Maximum Covered Compensation $245,000
Social Security Wage Base $106,800. If you have a profit sharing plan formula integrated with social security, be sure to review whether the formula still makes sense as the social security wage base increases.
© 2008 Parsonage Vandenack Williams LLC
For 2009, there are 291 new codes, 375 revised codes and 95 deleted codes.
Consider a year end analysis related to coding. Be sure you are ready for the 2009 changes. Generate lists showing procedures and reimbursement levels. Use the information in contracting. Review coding changes. As a group, review and discuss changes and the impact on your practice. Disactivate discontinued codes. Be sure new codes are available. Communicate coding changes to everyone involved in the process.
© 2008 Parsonage Vandenack Williams LLC
If a physician (or physician’s office) is going to email patients, due consideration should be given to HIPAA implications as well as medical malpractice issues. Whenever drafting an email, consider what the email could look like posted as evidence in a courtroom. Adopt a policy concerning email communications and stick with the policy.
Consider the following:
Encrypt email for secured communications.
Save emails to your medical record. You do not want to be in a position ever where a patient can produce an email from you but you don’t have a copy of it.
Include a confidentiality notice on all email.
Include the minimum necessary information in an email.
Never write emails when you are tired or angry. Save your email as a draft. Review once more before sending.
Do not copy others on emails to patients unless it is to your office administrator who is responsible for diligently saving the email.
Do not use email as a replacement for office visits.
Require patients to agree to the use of email for communications. Provide the patient a policy specifying what email can be used for.
© 2008 Parsonage Vandenack Williams LLC
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