Ensure your claims for prolonged services are documented and justified because the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) will focus on that area, according to one new issue in its
2016 Work Plan.
OIG considers the necessity of prolonged services "rare and unusual," states the Work Plan, released Nov. 2.
The AMA recently added two new prolonged services codes (99415-99416) and revised the current codes for outpatient services (99354-99355).
Other new issues:
- Physician referring/ordering of Medicare supplies and services.
- Non-covered anesthesia services.
- Reasonableness of services for physician home visits.