AMA Offers Docs Self-Auditing Tools

The American Medical Association is making available to members online self-auditing tools to help them develop and evaluate fee schedules and billing safeguards without hiring a consultant.

The Practice Analysis Tools for Health software is designed to prepare practices for billing and payment audits by private and government insurers. Three independent modules help practices set fees and identify coding and billing risks, according to the Chicago-based association. The modules assist in:

* Developing a practice-specific fee schedule reflecting the costs and value of services,

* Comparing the fee schedule against national average billed charge amounts and the local Medicare Physician Fee Schedule,

* Analyzing coding and billing patterns for individual physicians and comparing them against national averages by specialty, and

* Assessing compliance risks and identifying areas that may need improvement.

The tools are available for purchase at ama-assn.org/go/amapath, with a discounted price through 2010.

--Joseph Goedert