The presentation slides from the CPT Annual Advisors Meeting in October have been posted up on the AMA's website. I found them while looking for information on the new modifier 33, which is not available as of this posting.

During the meeting, the AMA gave a presentation on consultation codes (pdf). CMS discontinued consult billing in the Medicare program in 2010. The AMA and other physician groups lobbied CMS to change course, but CMS has not yet relented.

A few presentation slides by Peter Hollmann, MD, the vice-chair of CPT's Editorial Panel, show the billing confusion caused by eliminating consults. Consult codes don't evenly crosswalk to the E/M services you're supposed to bill in lieu of the inactive codes. Below are partial excerpts of crosswalks used in the presentation, but please note that this information is not intended to be coding advice for physicians.

CMS is replacing the CPT code you've been accustomed to using for flu vaccines and is adding five new Q codes, with an enforcement date of Jan. 1, 2011. For dates of service starting Jan. 1, 90658 (flu vaccine, 3 years and older, $11.37) will no longer be payable. The five new Q codes are actually payable right now, and retroactively to Oct. 1, 2010. You may submit claims with these new codes on an individual basis or via roster billing. Here's a full list of the codes (read more on new Q codes for flu vaccines) ...

Any Medicare pay fix bill sent to the Senate would take a back seat to certain tax issues affecting all taxpayers and government funding.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) placed a letter in the Senate record Wednesday that states expiring tax cuts need to be the top priority. Republicans will block other bills until "the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers." The letter is signed by all 42 members of the Republican caucus.  

"Without Congressional action by December 31, all American taxpayers will be hit by an increase in their individual income-tax rates and investment income through the capital gains and dividend rates," the letter says. "If Congress were to adopt the President's tax proposal to prevent the tax increase for only some Americans, small businesses would be targeted with a job-killing tax increase at the worst possible time."

Click here to watch of video of Sen. McConnell

The House of Representatives agreed to pass the Senate's one-month Medicare payment fix bill Monday afternoon. The bill will delay the 2010 23% cut to physician reimbursements until Jan. 1 once the president signs it into law.

Republicans and Democrats expressed support for a long-term fix before passing the temporary measure, with Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.) stating they'll be back in December to delay the cut again.

Physician associations agree, saying Congress must continue to fix the Medicare payment formula. "While this short-term delay helps ensure that physicians can continue to care for seniors for the next month; congressional action early in December to stop the cut for one year will inject stability into the Medicare program and ensure that Medicare delivers on its promise of health coverage for America's seniors," AMA President Cecil B. Wilson said in a statement. "It is crucial that Congress act well before the January 1 deadline so there are no disruptions in care for seniors."

The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology (HIT) reports the Drummond Group and Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) have certified 115 electronic health record (EHR) products. Physician practices must use a certified EHR product to meet meaningful use standards under the EHR Incentive Program.