Practice Management

We're beginning to see an increase in activity from FL attorneys regarding patients being billed when the injury was a Work Comp related visit. In our case, we rely on our hospital system to provide us with the correct information as to whether or not a patient injury is Work Comp related or not. All patient demographics are provided by the hospital system. In the event that we are not notified, but later are sued (due to literally accidentally and unknowingly billing a patient, and potentially turning a patient over to collections later), does anyone have any feedback on how you have or are handling patient suits like this and have you been successful in defending your position that you weren't notified of the Work Comp injury status? If anyone is willing to discuss offline, I'd be happy to give you a call. Otherwise, a direct email would be very much appreciated!

Thanks,
Scott Fortson
727-744-4176

------------------------------
Scott Fortson
Executive Director
Radiology Associates of Clearwater
Clearwater FL
(727) 441-3711
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 1/24/2023 12:27:00 PM
From: Scott Fortson
Subject: Feedback regarding patient billing and FCCPA (related to Work Comp)

We're beginning to see an increase in activity from FL attorneys regarding patients being billed when the injury was a Work Comp related visit. In our case, we rely on our hospital system to provide us with the correct information as to whether or not a patient injury is Work Comp related or not. All patient demographics are provided by the hospital system. In the event that we are not notified, but later are sued (due to literally accidentally and unknowingly billing a patient, and potentially turning a patient over to collections later), does anyone have any feedback on how you have or are handling patient suits like this and have you been successful in defending your position that you weren't notified of the Work Comp injury status? If anyone is willing to discuss offline, I'd be happy to give you a call. Otherwise, a direct email would be very much appreciated!

Thanks,
Scott Fortson
727-744-4176

------------------------------
Scott Fortson
Executive Director
Radiology Associates of Clearwater
Clearwater FL
(727) 441-3711
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 1/24/2023 2:10:00 PM
From: Janene Markuske
Subject: RE: Feedback regarding patient billing and FCCPA (related to Work Comp)

Hi Scott,

Down here in Miami, we get hit with a couple of these lawsuits every year, mostly for old DOS or for the one site for which we have paper demo's. The cases are frustrating because we, as the rad group, are not in control of anything. We tend to settle on them because it's just not worth the cost of going to court or paying our own attorney. Usually, we can settle for $2.5k or $5k without getting my attorney involved. We are dealing with one case in court right now that has been filed as a class action. It's frivolous, but they demanded a huge amount of money and then refused to settle.

We did go over MSN's policies with them to ensure that absolutely no W/C balances are getting billed to patients. I even went so far as to tell MSN that I don't want any patients billed if there is a W/C denial on file as well as if there is a generic/unknown W/C on file. It's just not worth the risk. 

I'll see you this weekend at Florida RBMA if you want to chat more about it. 

	Janene W. Markuske (she/her) Executive Director | IntelliRad Imaging 305-712-7229, ext 5       786-833-0244 jmarkuske@intelliradimaging.com 11760 SW 40th St, Suite 703, Miami, FL 33175 www.intelliradimaging.com

Original Message:
Sent: 1/24/2023 12:27:00 PM
From: Scott Fortson
Subject: Feedback regarding patient billing and FCCPA (related to Work Comp)

We're beginning to see an increase in activity from FL attorneys regarding patients being billed when the injury was a Work Comp related visit. In our case, we rely on our hospital system to provide us with the correct information as to whether or not a patient injury is Work Comp related or not. All patient demographics are provided by the hospital system. In the event that we are not notified, but later are sued (due to literally accidentally and unknowingly billing a patient, and potentially turning a patient over to collections later), does anyone have any feedback on how you have or are handling patient suits like this and have you been successful in defending your position that you weren't notified of the Work Comp injury status? If anyone is willing to discuss offline, I'd be happy to give you a call. Otherwise, a direct email would be very much appreciated!

Thanks,
Scott Fortson
727-744-4176

------------------------------
Scott Fortson
Executive Director
Radiology Associates of Clearwater
Clearwater FL
(727) 441-3711
------------------------------

Mindy - no indication whatsoever in the demographics, no calls from the patient and no prior notification from the attorney until yesterday when we received a summons of a Pre-trial Jury Date on 2/10.

------------------------------
Scott Fortson
Executive Director
Radiology Associates of Clearwater
Clearwater FL
(727) 441-3711
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-24-2023 14:24
From: Mindy Smith
Subject: Feedback regarding patient billing and FCCPA (related to Work Comp)

Are you guys able to prove that you were not even aware work comp was on file?  As I understand it, you are given the option to reply to the initial accusation with proof from your interface records that it wasn't even on the referral.  Now, once you are informed and you keep billing that is different.  But, you should be able to respond to the complaint timely and prevent any suit from being filed by discontinuing your contact.

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Original Message:
Sent: 1/24/2023 2:10:00 PM
From: Janene Markuske
Subject: RE: Feedback regarding patient billing and FCCPA (related to Work Comp)

Hi Scott,

Down here in Miami, we get hit with a couple of these lawsuits every year, mostly for old DOS or for the one site for which we have paper demo's. The cases are frustrating because we, as the rad group, are not in control of anything. We tend to settle on them because it's just not worth the cost of going to court or paying our own attorney. Usually, we can settle for $2.5k or $5k without getting my attorney involved. We are dealing with one case in court right now that has been filed as a class action. It's frivolous, but they demanded a huge amount of money and then refused to settle.

We did go over MSN's policies with them to ensure that absolutely no W/C balances are getting billed to patients. I even went so far as to tell MSN that I don't want any patients billed if there is a W/C denial on file as well as if there is a generic/unknown W/C on file. It's just not worth the risk. 

I'll see you this weekend at Florida RBMA if you want to chat more about it. 

	Janene W. Markuske (she/her) Executive Director | IntelliRad Imaging 305-712-7229, ext 5       786-833-0244 jmarkuske@intelliradimaging.com 11760 SW 40th St, Suite 703, Miami, FL 33175 www.intelliradimaging.com

Original Message:
Sent: 1/24/2023 12:27:00 PM
From: Scott Fortson
Subject: Feedback regarding patient billing and FCCPA (related to Work Comp)

We're beginning to see an increase in activity from FL attorneys regarding patients being billed when the injury was a Work Comp related visit. In our case, we rely on our hospital system to provide us with the correct information as to whether or not a patient injury is Work Comp related or not. All patient demographics are provided by the hospital system. In the event that we are not notified, but later are sued (due to literally accidentally and unknowingly billing a patient, and potentially turning a patient over to collections later), does anyone have any feedback on how you have or are handling patient suits like this and have you been successful in defending your position that you weren't notified of the Work Comp injury status? If anyone is willing to discuss offline, I'd be happy to give you a call. Otherwise, a direct email would be very much appreciated!

Thanks,
Scott Fortson
727-744-4176

------------------------------
Scott Fortson
Executive Director
Radiology Associates of Clearwater
Clearwater FL
(727) 441-3711
------------------------------