by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 13, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
Franz Kafka was a Czech-born writer whose fictional stories depict nightmarish settings in which characters are crushed by nonsensical, blind authority. “Kafkaesque” is a term often applied to bizarre administrative situations that can’t be resolved with logical...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 12, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
The 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline allows people to get help via phone, text, or online chat for any mental health-related distress. It was launched in 2022, but most Americans don’t yet know it exists. Despite the low level of awareness about this resource,...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 6, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
There is a huge disconnect between “real world” wounds (and the patients who have them) and those studied in clinical trials. This disconnect means that the treatments developed may not work for the patients who need them most, and it is used as an excuse for payers...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 5, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
This blog post is directed at all physicians and allied health professionals involved in hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The goal of this blog post is to explain the changes that CMS is proposing in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for the technical payment of...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Aug 22, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
I was taking care of a patient who was at the end of the line with regard to his diabetes. He was a retired ICU nurse who had not taken his disease seriously until his kidneys were failing, by which time of course, his vision was nearly gone and his vascular disease...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Aug 14, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
As I have already discussed, three Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) CGS, First Coast Service Option (FCSO) and Novitas issued their final Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) for Cellular and/or tissue-based products (CTPs). These policies will go into...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Aug 11, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
As I have already discussed, 3 Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) CGS, First Coast Service Option (FCSO) and Novitas issued their final Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) for Cellular and/or tissue-based products (CTPs). These policies will go into effect on...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Aug 10, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
I was looking for in-home care for a home-bound patient in Minnesota and was given the name of Mendota Health. When I contacted them, I started the conversation with, “Hey I heard about your clinic, but what I really need is in-home care.” That’s when Nurse...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Aug 9, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
Three Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) CGS, First Coast Service Option (FCSO) and Novitas issued their final Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) for Cellular and/or tissue-based products (CTPs). These policies will go into effect on September 17. Links to...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Aug 8, 2023 | Fight the Good Fight
Forgive me for “over explaining” this issue, but it needs some over-explanation. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is usually provided in either a hospital-based environment or an office-based environment – otherwise known as “place of service” (POS). Different sites...
