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Leslie WitkinAbout Us

     Physicians First, Inc.
was founded in Orlando, Florida in June of 1990 by the company president, Leslie Witkin.

     Leslie is a graduate of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock School of Nursing in New Hampshire and has over twenty years of successful experience in medical practice management.

     Her long term healthcare career has fostered mutual respect in clinical and professional relationships with physicians, medical office personnel, state and federal legislators, and executives in other organizations that represent physician interests.

     The goal of the company is to provide quality consulting services to help physicians achieve a successful business in a complex regulatory environment that allows physicians to be a physician first….the way it should be.

     Being highly pro-active and with steadfast commitment, the company has been successful in presenting testimony to both state and federal regulators resulting in resolution to physician issues and legislation related to prompt pay laws.

     The company works directly with physician businesses to provide operational assessments, auditing, and other consulting services. In addition, Physicians First, Inc. has conducted and written comprehensive manuals for a variety of seminars both nationally and throughout the State of Florida. Topics for programs are always pertinent to the latest regulatory and operational issues facing the medical business.

     The value of educational programs as well as the company's consulting services is more than documented in the references from both participants, administrators, and other executives who have utilized Physicians First, Inc. in their organizations.

     Physicians First Inc. has published many articles, frequently renders opinions, and has served as a speaker for many national publications that cover a wide variety of physician specialties, coding, policy, and regulatory issues.


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Physicians First
..the way it should be

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February 26, 2010

Article: Medicare Contractors to Hold Claims for Ten Business Days Starting 3/1/10
   Congress has failed to stave off the 21.2% decrease to Medicare reimbursements slated, by law, to take effect 3/1/10. The Senate will not reconvene again until Tuesday, March 2nd. It is hoped that some temporary fix to eliminate the Medicare cut will be approved next week. In anticipation of a fix, CMS has instructed Medicare contractors to hold payment for claims with dates of service 3/1/10 and after for 10 business days. Since electronic claims are currently held for payment for 14 calendar days, it is hoped that cash flow issues to providers will be minimized.
   Below is the actual text from an email sent by CMS to the provider community.
   "The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is working with Congress, health care providers, and the beneficiary community to avoid disruption in the delivery of health care services and payment of claims for physicians, non-physician practitioners, and other providers of services paid under the Medicare physician fee schedule. As you are aware, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2010 provided a zero percent (0%) update to the 2010 MPFS effective for dates of service January 1, 2010, through February 28, 2010.
   We believe Congress is working to avoid the negative update that will take effect March 1. Consequently, CMS has instructed its contractors to hold claims containing services paid under the MPFS for the first 10 business days of March. The holding of MPFS claims will only affect claims with dates of service March 1, 2010, and forward. This hold should have a minimum impact on provider cash flow because, under current law, clean electronic claims are not paid any sooner than 14 calendar days (29 for paper claims) after the date of receipt. Be on the alert for more information about the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Update."