Prescription Drug Management; 'Timed' Codes; Preventive Services; Prenatal Visits
Coding questions? We've got the answers.
Second Opinions; Suture Repairs and Removals; Birth Control Injections
Admission Codes; Subsequent Care Code; Coding Volume Outlier
Coding guidance on admission codes; subsequent care codes; and coding volume outliers.
Consult and Follow-Up; New vs. Established Patient Visits
Student Examinations; New vs. Established Patient Visits
Medicare and the Physical Exam; Combining Two Services
Get coding answers on Medicare and the physical exam; combining two services; pap smear and preventive services, IV infusions and more.
Annual Wellness Visits; RVU Reductions; Physician Scribes
Medical coding guidance on Medicare Annual Wellness Visits; RVU reductions; physician scribes; student documentation; and more.
Family Planning Modifier; NPP Billing; Coding for Multiple Services
'Bundled' Denials; Reimbursing Calls; Same-day Visits
Coding questions? We've got the answers
New AWV Requirements; 'Blanket' Statements; Incident-to Services
Rearranging Codes by Cost; Time-based Codes; Multiple Payment Reductions
Modifier 57; Billing for Telephone Services; Retroactive Reimbursements
Supervised Residents; Billing for Consults; Prolonged Services Codes
Lack of Obtainable Information; Family Conference; Chart Review
Coding answers from our September 2011 journal.
Chronic but Stable; Cookie-Cutter Notes; Billing for Observation Services
Level 5 Cases
This pediatric cardiologist thinks that all his patient visits should be coded as level 5s. Is he right?
Face-To-Face Visits for Reviewing Blood Work
This administrator wonders if his physician needs to be physically present in order to bill a 99212 for infertility blood work.
Separate or Equal?
I have a physician who saw a patient for a preventive visit and also charged a 99215 for this patient on the same date of service. He used the same documentation for both visits. Should he have documented each service separately?
Medicare Annual Wellness Visit
Questions pertaining to the new Medicare Annual Wellness Visit.
New Medicare 'G' Codes
Here's some guidance on using the new Medicare G0438 and G0439 codes.
Level 5, Part II
Level 5 codes based on "breadth of management" need to clearly explain "why" the reported illnesses pose significant risk to patients. Should the physician add a statement to to her assessment that explains why the combination of multiple chronic illnesses pose a risk to the patient's morbidity/mortality?
Double Dipping Redux
A discussion arose between the auditors in my office regarding "double dipping" and I am wondering if you would mind clarifying something for us. One auditor says that it is permissible to obtain a review of systems (ROS) from the CC of "arm pain" - using arm as the location in the HPI and pain as the ROS under MS. I have never audited in this manner and would appreciate any advice or direction you can offer.
E&M Mixing and Matching
This doc wonders if he can mix and match body areas and organ systems for an expanded problem-focused exam.
EKG Inquiry
When counting points for the data reviewed in E&M, do you count "independent review of image, tracing, or specimen" (two points), for example, when a cardiologist sees a patient, interprets an EKG, and provides an E&M service?
ICD-10 Code Assignments
I know that there are going to be significantly more codes with ICD-10, but will the rules change regarding how codes are assigned?
More on Modifier 33
I keep hearing about the new modifier 33 but it's not in the CPT manual. Am I supposed to be using it?
Delving Into 'Double Dipping'
Repeating documentation for the HPI and ROS, is it allowed?
Cert Reviews
Have the rules changed for CERT (Comprehensive Error Rate Testing) reviews?
New Meaning of "Fraud"
Did the definition of healthcare fraud change?
Making Definitive Decisions
How can I avoid an audit finding of "insufficient documentation" for medical decision making?