Biotronik and (billable) remote SCS interrogation

[1 Up]

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Biotronik advertises remote SCS system monitoring. They claim to have a team monitoring patients 24/7/365 with integrated alerts that notify the team/physician for the need for SCS system adjustments. They claim physicians can interrogate SCS systems remotely, and bill for this (I think once monthly), like cardiologists do with CIED remote interrogation.

1. Does anyone have an experience with this, and have you ever actually billed (and got paid for) the remote interrogation?

2. Does it make sense to bill for it (e.g. are you actually doing something valuable for the patient worth billing for)?

 

[Agast]

Don’t they charge you to enroll the patient first

They can’t guarantee you will pass an audit but they will have your money so they won’t care

It takes about 3-5 years of high billing before Medicare responds with an audit

 

[Ducttape]

https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/medical-device-manufacturer-biotronik-inc-agrees-pay-1295-million-settle-allegations-improper

Biotronik Inc. (Biotronik), a medical device manufacturer based in Oregon, has agreed to pay $12.95 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false claims to Medicare and Medicaid by paying kickbacks to physicians to induce their use of Biotronik’s implantable cardiac devices, such as pacemakers and defibrillators. (2022)

from Boston Scientific website, i assume these codes would be used:

i personally would not use it because (from the biotronik website):

 

[1 Up]

Don’t they charge you to enroll the patient first

They can’t guarantee you will pass an audit but they will have your money so they won’t care

It takes about 3-5 years of high billing before Medicare responds with an audit

They're telling us they don't charge us or patients for enrollment. But who knows...

 

[drmamba]

I use every SCS company on the market with the exception of Nalu.

Both Abbott and Biotronik have remote programming. Biotronik is the only one with remote monitoring.

Don't bill for it unless you're the one personally programming.