AStaying up to date with practice management, coding, and billing issues can be challenging for any busy medical practice. Many ophthalmologists rely on the AAO (http://www.aao.org/) for the information they need to ensure their practices' clinical and financial success, but they may also benefit from consulting the three authoritative, free, online resources described in this article.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
The official Web site of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS; http://www.cms.gov) has been revised several times over the past few years and features excellent information for medical practices. The home page currently includes a list of the agency's top 10 links and provides a short description of some of the useful information contained therein.

Manuals
Through this section, visitors can download electronic manuals or order print versions that cover subjects such as benefit policy, national coverage determination, and claims processing, to name a few.

Medicare Coverage Database
This link takes visitors to a searchable database containing coverage information about local and national carriers. National coverage information is updated continuously (real time), and local coverage information is updated weekly.

Transmittals
This section announces changes in policies and procedures that the CMS plans to incorporate into the online manual system.

Medicare Provider-Supplier Enrollment
Providers, physicians, and other suppliers can download information on Medicare enrollment.

MLN Matters Articles
This link takes visitors to the Medicare Learning Network (MLN) resource center, where they can download timely and easy-to-understand educational materials regarding new or revised Medicare program policies.

CMS Forms
Although most of the information on this site pertains to long-term nursing facilities, this page also provides access to forms on the Department for Health and Human Services' and the Social Security Administration's Web sites.

Quarterly Provider Updates
This section outlines proposed changes to Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Updates are published quarterly to inform the public about new regulations, major policy changes, and revisions to the CMS' manuals.

MLN Products
Visitors can order educational materials for use with patients, providers, and staff through this link. Information of interest to glaucoma specialists can be accessed by clicking on the Ophthalmology Resource Information option in the products menu. Other ophthalmic subjects addressed in this section include physician fee schedules, glaucoma screening, age-related macular degeneration, and visual rehabilitation for elderly patients with low vision or blindness.

Medicare Coverage—General Information
This section provides information about various National Coverage Determination policies, including clinical trials, medically unlikely edits, and more.

Health Plans—General Information
Links on this Web page highlight the operational and regulatory aspects of the Medicare Advantage program.

Updates
Individuals who are interested in receiving updates about the CMS' latest initiatives via email can subscribe at www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/mailinglists/. The following mailing lists are recommended for provider practices:
• Medicare Learning Network;
• MLN Matters Articles;
• Medicare Providers; and
• Open Door Forums.

The AMA
Some of the most useful information for physicians on the AMA's Web site (http://www.ama-assn.org) can be found under the professional resources tab.

Current Procedural Terminology Codes and Resources
This section provides general information about Current Procedural Terminology codes and describes the process by which codes are adopted and amended. Visitors can also access announcements of errata and information about newly released Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System codes.

Practice Management Tools
This section contains an atlas of the human body, information on physician reimbursement, a “Doctor Finder” search engine, and more. Physicians do not have to be members of the AMA to qualify for inclusion in the national “Doctor Finder” database.

Health Information Technology
In addition to providing basic information about electronic medical records and other technology-based approaches to managing clinical information, this section includes tips for selecting a vendor and incorporating information technology into an established practice.

Legal Issues
Visitors can access short summaries of current legal issues in healthcare as well as obtain advice about regulatory compliance, medical staff, and notable physician-litigation cases. The model managed care contract, which can be found in the Legal Issues' Business and Management subsection, provides guidance on dealing with common contract provisions and highlights clauses that physicians should be aware of before they enter legal agreements.

Although most of the information of the AMA's Web site is available to the general public, access to some resources is restricted to members of the association.

Office of the Inspector General of the US Health and Human Services
The Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) home page (http://oig.hhs.gov) is an important source of information for preventing and detecting fraud. In addition to supplying links to bulletins, alerts, and an exclusion database, this site also contains guidance for physicians who may be considering investing with medical device manufacturing and distribution entities. This information can help physicians avoid potentially fraudulent activities that can result in fines, Corporate Integrity Agreements, or exclusion from participation with government insurance programs.

Federal Register Notices
Visitors can download PDF files on topics such as special fraud alerts, guidelines for evaluating whether states' false claims acts meet the OIG's minimum requirements, HIPAA alerts, and much more.

Publications
This part of the Web site includes the current and previous fiscal years' work plans for all of the major departments of the OIG such as the CMS. A list of projects includes information on the background of specific issues and reasons for an OIG inspection.

Fraud Prevention and Detection
The topics covered include advice for dealing with fraud in specific situations (Advisory Options); compliance guidelines for physicians, hospitals, nursing facilities, and other healthcare entities (Compliance Guidelines); a searchable database of individuals and entities excluded from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and Federal Healthcare Programs (Exclusion Program); and information for practices seeking continued participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and other Federal healthcare programs after settling a previous violation (Corporate Integrity Agreements).

Conclusion
The Web sites discussed in this article can provide updated authoritative information for many practices' legal, regulatory, coding, and billing issues. To appreciate the wealth of information these Web sites provide, it is important to become familiar with each of them. I hope this summary will help readers begin their search.

Maggie M. Mac, CMM, CPC, CMSCS, CCP, ICCE, is a consulting manager with Pershing Yoakley & Associates in Clearwater, Florida. She may be reached at (727) 442-7110; mmac@pyapc.com.