Meditech - Howie Bartz

Results of Widespread Prepayment Review of Claims for Lumbar-Sacral Orthoses, HCPCS Codes L0631/L0637

DME MAC Jurisdiction A has completed the widespread prepayment review of claims for Lumbar-Sacral Orthoses (HCPCS codes L0631 and L0637). These findings include claims processed primarily from June 2015 through August 2015.

The review involved prepayment complex medical review of 1,068 claims submitted by 357 suppliers. Responses to the Additional Documentation Request (ADR) were not received for 500 (47%) of the claims. For the remaining 568 claims, 17 claims were allowed and 551 claims were denied resulting in a claim denial rate of 97%. The overall CDR was 95.5%.

https://howiebartz.wordpress.com/2015/11/03/results-of-widespread-prepayment-review-of-claims-for-lumbar-sacral-orthoses-hcpcs-codes-l0631l0637/

Results of Widespread Prepayment Review of Claims for Lumbar-Sacral Orthoses, HCPCS Codes... DME MAC Jurisdiction A has completed the widespread prepayment review of claims for Lumbar-Sacral Orthoses (HCPCS codes L0631 and L0637). These findings include claims processed primarily from June...

Treatment Options to Manage Pain from Compression Fractures

A medical procedure known as a kyphoplasty or vertebral augmentation is very effective for patients with a spinal compression fracture. Patients usually wake up from the procedure with significantly less pain than they had before. However, there may still be some minor pain or discomfort, so physicians often prescribe a back brace for additional support.

You can purchase a brace at a medical supply store, but it requires a prescription for a proper lumbosacral orthosis device. “Usually the braces that are sold in the pharmacies are not sufficient to treat the compression,” Dr. Samuel says.

Read more here: http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/09/brittle-bones-can-lead-back-pain-especially-menopause/

Why Brittle Bones Can Lead to Back Pain -- Especially After Menopause Have you ever bent over to grab something only to be paralyzed by sharp back pain? If you haven't had a fall or experienced any other trauma and you're beyond age 60, another possible reason is a compression fracture. It's more common in postmenopausal women, but it can happen in men too.

How Much Do Spinal Steroid Injections Ease Low Back Pain?

Spinal epidural injections of steroids may relieve low back pain from a ruptured disc, but only briefly, a new study shows and the injections offer no significant relief for pain related to narrowing of the spaces around the spinal cord, the researchers say.

Some earlier studies have reached similar conclusions, but others have shown some benefit. Meanwhile, the use of epidural steroid injections has been increasing in the face of contradictory guidelines for physicians.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/24/us-health-backache-steroids-idUSKCN0QT2CX20150824

Spinal injections of steroids temporarily ease low back pain (Reuters Health) - Spinal epidural injections of steroids may relieve low back pain from a ruptured disc, but only briefly, a new study shows. And the injections offer no significant relief for pain related to narrowing of the spa