APMA News - March/April 2018 - 22

Attendees Receive Focused Reimbursement
Training at MIPS & Coding Seminar

he first two of APMA's five strategic goals are "Advocate" and "Educate." These broad tenets cover a range
of activities and topics, and were fully on display
during the APMA MIPS & Coding Seminar, held February
24 in Arlington, VA.
APMA not only advocates for its members to receive compensation commensurate with their training and education
but also educates its members on how to receive that full reimbursement. The one-day seminar tackled two important
topics: MIPS reporting and coding.
The MIPS portion of the program included APMA Executive Director and CEO James R. Christina, DPM, and APMA
Consultant Jeffrey D. Lehrman, DPM. Drs. Christina and Leh-

fiers, E/M coding, and practice scenarios for coding skin substitutes, biopsies, and distal HAV surgery. Newer practitioners
were provided with introductory-level coding skills needed
to be successful, and more experienced attendees were able to
fine-tune some of their coding practices and got answers to
questions they have always wanted to ask.
The small-group setting facilitated personalized learning
for the attendees and gave the presenters the freedom to address specific queries.
"The small, boutique type atmosphere [of the event] allowed for a lot of Q&A time and interaction between the speakers and the attendees," said Dr. Lehrman. "When one person
has a question, others in attendance often have the same ques-

Phillip E. Ward, DPM, left, and Jeffrey D. Lehrman, DPM, fielded questions with a dash of humor during the hot topics in coding session.

Dr. Lehrman shared cost- and time-saving tips on maximizing the application of quality measures.

rman discussed updates to the CMS payment program for
2018 and instructed attendees on how to not just avoid a
penalty, but how to receive a payment bonus. By making the
extra effort, physicians can receive thousands of dollars in additional Medicare reimbursements. (Find more information at
www.apma.org/MIPS2018.)
The two also educated attendees about the APMA Registry,
a CMS-approved Qualified Clinical Data Registry. The registry
is free for APMA members and allows users to complete MIPS
attestations while contributing to a body of knowledge that will
provide APMA with the data it needs to demonstrate the value
of care by a podiatrist. (Learn more in "IT Consultant" on page
48 of this issue and online at www.apma.org/registry.)
Dr. Lehrman was joined by APMA Past President Phillip
E. Ward, DPM, to cover coding. This portion of the agenda
started with basic coding principles and progressed to modi-

tion. The small setting contributed to an atmosphere where we
could all learn from each other."
Attendees agreed with that assessment.
"I really enjoyed the banter between the speakers," said one
attendee in a post-meeting survey. "I also liked how they tied it
to their own personal experiences. It was very informative and
casual. I loved it!"
APMA provides its members with numerous educational opportunities throughout the year. Visit www.apma.org/webinars
for a schedule of upcoming online reimbursement presentations, and while there, check out the list of archived lectures.
Make plans now to attend the APMA 2018 Annual Scientific
Meeting, July 12-15 in Washington, DC, for more in-depth
MIPS and coding education as well as the chance to interact with
experts in the field at the APMA booth. Go to www.apma.org/
thenational to complete your online registration!
n

22 APMA News March/April 2018

http://www.apma.org/MIPS2018 http://www.apma.org/webinars http://www.apma.org/registry http://www.apma.org/thenational http://www.apma.org/thenational

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - March/April 2018