Strategies on Maximizing Billing Effectiveness for Clinicians, With Mark Kaufmann, MD

The world of billing effectiveness among clinicians in dermatology can be daunting for some, as healthcare coding, billing, and related impacts on the financial stability of practices are ever-changing in the field of medicine.1,2

A session on this topic was presented at the 2026 Maui Derm Hawaii meeting by Mark Kaufmann, MD, a clinical professor in the Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Kaufmann spoke on-site at the conference with HCPLive regarding this talk and its biggest highlights for clinicians in dermatology who want to improve their billing effectiveness.

“I think one of the more important things that I discussed was really where we are and how we got here, and I think it's really important…because we're living in an environment of decreasing reimbursements and increasing costs,” Kaufmann expressed. “In order to keep our doors open, we need to think about efficiencies.”

Kaufmann pointed to the importance of implementing the entire fee schedule, rather than only the 20 or more codes used on a daily basis. He also stressed the value of considering alternative revenue streams for the medical office. Over the previous 25 years, Kaufmann noted, the reimbursement has been effectively decreasing.

“The Congress came out last year and said they were giving us a two-and-a-half percent upwards correction, and that's true, but even when you take that into account, we're still not just lower than we were 25 years ago,” Kaufmann said. “We're lower than we were three years ago, and so effectively, we're being cut every year, even when the buzz is that we're getting increases.”

Later, Kaufmann highlighted efficiencies being improved through artificial intelligence (AI) scribes. Thanks to AI scribes, Kaufmann described notes as improved, along with coding and compliance.

The quotes used in Kaufmann’s interview video were edited for the purposes of clarity.

Kaufmann has previously disclosed serving as a consultant for companies such as Apogee Therapeutics, Avita Medical, and Biofrontera, and he has held a position on the medical advisory board for Modernizing Medicine, Inc.

References

1. Kaufmann M, Siegel D. How To Maximize Your Billing Effectiveness in the Era of Dwindling Reimbursements and ICD-10. Presented at the 2026 Maui Derm Hawaii Conference, January 25-29.

2. Burks K, Shields J, Flesher S, et al. A systematic review of outpatient billing practices. SAGE Open Med. 2022 May 23;10:20503121221099021. doi: 10.1177/20503121221099021. PMID: 35646364; PMCID: PMC9134459.