Part B News
Provider response is mixed when category III codes become permanent
06/27/2022
by: Julia Kyles, CPC
When the AMA replaced 10 temporary category III codes with 14 permanent category I codes in 2019, providers generally — but not always — boosted their reporting of the replacement codes. The category III codes, also known as T codes, were carrier-priced, which means that each Medicare administrative contractor (MAC) decides whether it will cover the service and how much it will pay on a case-by-case basis. Permanent codes are usually assigned an active payment status.
To add a non-medical service to your business, avoid 3 crucial errors
06/20/2022
by: Julia Kyles, CPC
Your practice can increase revenue and improve patient satisfaction with the addition of non-medical services, such as spa treatments, fitness programs or healthy cooking classes. But the first step to adding a non-medical service is to make sure everyone who will be involved is willing and able to invest time, effort and money in the business venture.
Advocacy groups seek a fix for ‘convener’ issues in good faith estimates
06/20/2022
by: Roy Edroso
A flurry of stakeholder complaints around the “convener” requirement for good faith estimates (GFE) that are a product of the No Surprises Act of 2020 has put pressure on CMS to take action. Experts predict CMS will bend on the requirement but is unlikely to remove it entirely.
FY2023 ICD-10-CM: Head injury, dementia codes dominate extensive diagnosis code update
06/20/2022
by: DecisionHealth Staff
It’s final: Providers will have 1,491 ICD-10-CM code changes to prepare for by Oct. 1 this year, including 1,176 new codes, 287 deletions and 28 code revisions.
Amid escalating gun violence, consider tech, environment fixes to boost safety
06/20/2022
by: Roy Edroso
A rash of gun violence around the nation, including a June 1 shooting at the St. Francis Hospital campus in Tulsa, is a cue to consider security upgrades to protect your practice and patients.
CMS won’t cut record-high Medicare premiums until 2023
06/20/2022
by: Roy Edroso
Hopes that CMS would make a mid-year cut to Medicare Part B premiums were dashed by an agency release suggesting they would be trimmed in 2023 instead.
Post-op E/M visits fall sharply in wake of COVID incursion
06/20/2022
by: Richard Scott
Much like standard E/M office visits, lab tests and other services, separately reported postoperative patient encounters took a sharp dive in 2020 as practices grappled with the first wave of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).
As level 4 E/M codes are easier to hit, know the details to make the leap from level 3
06/13/2022
by: Julia Kyles, CPC
Coding professionals agree: It is easier to meet the requirements for a level 4 E/M office visit under the revised guidelines for office or other outpatient visits, and that could reshape your usage patterns.
Gender discrimination cases suggest weak spots in medical practice diligence
06/13/2022
by: Roy Edroso
A gender discrimination complaint from a staff physician at a prestigious New York hospital serves as a reminder that the health care sector isn’t immune to such problems, and developing a culture that supports a level playing field is central to management’s responsibilities.
Expect details on the next extensive E/M update in July
06/13/2022
by: Julia Kyles, CPC
You practice will have approximately five months to prepare for the next round of E/M changes that are slated to impact a large swath of the E/M code set.
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