The World Congress Leadership Summit on Medical Necessity will discuss strategies for avoiding loss of revenue due to denials based on medical necessity errors. Delegates will have the opportunity to hear from leading institutions on creating internal systems to monitor and improve admission processes, patient status determination, poor facility and physician documentation as well as strategies for accurately interpreting interqual criteria. Listen to current targets for recovery audit contractors what they are looking for to determine medical necessity. Attendees will also hear from leading institutions with the lowest denial rates on internal practices and systems to avoid medical necessity denials as well as best practices for protecting and recouping your reimbursement in the RAC Appeals process.

The Summit will provide solutions for the toughest challenges facing hospitals and health systems regarding medical necessity such as:

• How can you protect your financial viability in an environment of increasing scrutiny?
• What are others doing to avoid long and costly administration costs due to lengthy RAC appeals?
• Navigating the RAC appeals process
• What is currently under examination from CMS and what areas are being targeted and highly scrutinized for reimbursements?
• Understand the role of the physician in appropriately proving and determining medical necessity

Examine your organizations utilization of reviews, observations, and staff education and knowledge of admission processes

2011 Confirmed Speakers
Elizabeth Baskett Senior Associate Director, Policy American Hospital Association	Harold Berenzweig, MD Vice President, Medical and Information Management Texas Health Resources
Christine Castano, MD Medical Director, Utilization Management Health Care Partners Medical Group	Ellen Evans, MD (INVITED) Medical Director Health Data Insights (RAC Region D)
Amy K. Fehn Partner Wachler & Associates, P.C	Yvonne Focke, RN, BSN, MBA Director of Revenue Cycle and Integrated Care Services St. Elizabeth and St. Luke Hospitals
Christine Newgren Chief Compliance Officer University of Colorado Hospital	Mital Panara Vice President, Medicare Revenue Management Freedom/Optimum Healthcare
Michael Plopper, MD Chief Medical Officer, Sharp Behavioral Health Services Sharp Healthcare	Charleeda Redman Director of Corporate Care Management UPMC
Mike Schweitzer, MD, MBA Chief Medical Officer Northeast Baptist Hospital