By outsourcing billing needs to MedicalBillersandCoders.com, physicians can get sufficient time to prepare for audits. MBC has a well-trained, experienced team that offers effective RCM services to 42 specialties across all the states in the US including EHR consultancy, denials management, and HIPAA compliance. http://goo.gl/q7fOoG

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Top 5 Ways to Protect your Practice from Meaningful Use Audits in 2014
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invested more than $19 billion in the
Meaningful Use (MU) incentive payments in 2013. In 2014, the agency is planning to
increase its auditing activities as it is inching closer to its $27 billion budget. Since Medicaid
incentive program audits are carried out by each state in the US, it has become important
for physicians to be prepared.
Industry Facts
 CMS is set to perform post-payment and pre-payment audits on 5-10%
of providers, choosing them randomly
 According to the HIMSS 2014 website, one provider was asked to return
$31 million in MU incentive payments due to an error in EHR application
If you have attested and received incentive payments, you should be prepared for the
upcoming audits. Here are top five ways to protect your practice or hospital from a
potential MU Audit in 2014:
1. It helps to perform a pre-audit and be prepared because some doctors are randomly
chosen for such audits. Physicians cannot eliminate the possibility of being audited.
For some, the process involves a simple exchange of few documents whereas for
others the audit process can go on for months.
2. Physicians need to accomplish a list of tasks in order to comply with the demands of
an audit. They should send a timely response after receiving an audit letter.
Generally, auditors allow 14 days for responding to an audit notice. Physicians
shouldn’t engage auditors on their own or just send across a statement in response
to certain documents.
3. The legwork of MU should be verified by physicians themselves rather than relying
on the practice managers. They can take make use of the resources for audit
preparation provided by the CMS. Providers also need to look through their EHR to
find out reports or documentation they will require during the audit process.

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www.medicalbillersandcoders.com
Copyright ©-2014 MBC. All Rights Reserved2
4. Doctors need to ensure their EHR certification and monitor any upgrades to the
system. This will help them ensure that the certification status doesn’t get affected.
They need to talk to their vendor to seek assistance in preparing for the audit using
their EHR system.
5. Once physicians are aware of the documents they need to collect, they should start
training their staff for gathering relevant information throughout the EHR reporting
period. Paper as well as electronic copies of all documentation related to MU
attestation should be stored safely.
The preparation for an MU audit can be a daunting task. Ignoring the MU requirements,
not having sufficient documentation and having an undocumented MU strategy will not
help physicians in protecting their EHR incentives from recoupment. However, with the
right processes and information in place, they can eliminate the worry of facing auditors.
Preparing for MU Audits with MBC
If monetary constraints or lack of time is stopping you from preparing for MU audits,
outsourcing can prove to be a beneficial option. By outsourcing billing needs to
MedicalBillersandCoders.com, physicians can get sufficient time to prepare for audits. MBC
has a well-trained, experienced team that offers effective RCM services to 42 specialties
across all the states in the US including EHR consultancy, denials management, and HIPAA
compliance.