Q. I need more clarification on 99000. I would like more information regarding the phrase "centrifuges the specimen, separates the serum, and labels and packages the specimens for transport to the laboratory" in the finger lead capillary lead test and collection example. My provider does not cover either the cost of transportation or the use [...]
Q. Is there a CPT® code for IOP/OP multi-family group sessions without patient present? A. Psychiatric services are provided in all settings of care and psychiatry services codes are reported without regard to setting (Place Of Service). 90849 Multiple-family group psychotherapy could be a great code for that encounter. Also consider, depending on the nature of [...]
A patient whose first office visit is with the PA (Physician’s Assistant) trained in Family Practice; his provider taxonomy code is family practice. The patient’s subsequent appointment with the MD (Doctor of Medicine), whose provider taxonomy code is pain management (both providers work in the same practice). Would the 2nd visit be billed as new [...]
Under Construction...
2020 has kept healthcare reimbursement on its toes, and with 9 days of the year remaining, one thing we can count on is more change. The stimulus bill that Congress signed yesterday, Dec. 21, 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, includes health care provisions that change policy in the 2021 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, released [...]
On Friday, October 2, 2020, Secretary of Health and Human services, Alex Azar II renewed the determination of a public health emergency exists. This PHE implemented January 27, 2020 will continue for another 90 days into January 2021. This extends the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers, including flexibility of Telehealth services, [...]
August 12, 2020 CMS announced an extension the education and operations testing period for the Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) program for advanced diagnostic imaging through 2021. AUC is expected to impact all providers who order advanced diagnostic imaging (computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), nuclear medicine, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) with limited exceptions. [...]
The Interim Final Rule (IFR) released 4/30/2020 recognized the need for reimbursement for COVID -19 assessment and specimen collection. Pre-public health emergency (PHE), specimen collection was usually considered part of the office or outpatient evaluation and management (E&M) service. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) realized early on during the PHE, that testing [...]
Codes and assignments are changing so quickly during this public health emergency, and in the beginning there was not a specific ICD-10-CM code for our current strain of COVID. Under the circumstances, the CDC provided a document the ICD-10-CM Official Coding Guidelines - Supplement Coding encounters related to COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreak 2/20/2020-3/31/2020 and that document [...]
There is a lot of confusion about what ICD-10-CM codes to report for services for patients who reside in a nursing facility. The determining factor when selecting an ICD-10-CM code should always be the documentation in the patient's medical record. Effective 4/1/2020 the CDC provided clear guidance in the form of the ICD-10-CM Official Coding [...]
