revenue cycle management<\/a> specialists do not dictate a single format or timeframe for documentation. State or federal agencies governing health care or permits for speech-language therapy may have specific requirements. If those requirements are more stringent, they surpass the requirements of facilities, payers, and employment contractors.<\/p>\nAs the famous saying in Medicare documentation goes, “If you didn’t document it, you didn’t do it.” <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nRemember that unclear, error-laced, or absent documentation can result in denials by payers and make it difficult for the reader to follow the clinical judgment underlying the diagnosis and treatment. Other areas of knowledge necessary for documentation include coding and billing, requirements of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and other key issues addressed below.<\/p>\n