Medical Billing Forum

General Category => General Questions => : Migualla April 22, 2015, 04:09:14 PM

: Physician vs Nurse Practitioner
: Migualla April 22, 2015, 04:09:14 PM
Ok, I am desperate for an answer;  Is there a regulation or rule from Medicare or any commercial insurance that states a patient has to see a physician after so many visits or length of time?  Example:  Jane comes in for a new patient visit, she is seen on July 1st by a Physician.  The Physician asks patient to be seen again in 3 months.  Pt is scheduled with the NP for a follow up.  NP says, pt doing fairly well but lets see you in 6 months.  This continues for over a year.  At any time, is it mandatory that the patient see the Physician again?  Or, if patient chooses, can they continue to see the NP?  HELP!!
: Re: Physician vs Nurse Practitioner
: Merry April 22, 2015, 04:36:36 PM
from a Medicare standpoint, I can tell you personally that I have never seen the physician and only the NP. I would imagine that each insurance  plan has their own regulations and may be state specific
: Re: Physician vs Nurse Practitioner
: kristin April 22, 2015, 05:48:42 PM
I posted this in reply to this question on another board by you:

http://www.wpsmedicare.com/j8macpartb/training/on_demand/_files/2013-0723-incident-to-services-handout.pdf

Your answer is in that link.
: Re: Physician vs Nurse Practitioner
: Migualla April 23, 2015, 01:07:50 PM
Thank you so much.. I am reading now.