The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated the educational and operations testing phase of the Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) program. During this period, Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) began accepting AUC-related modifiers and HCPCS G-Codes on claims for advanced diagnostic imaging services provided to Medicare Part B patients. Understanding AUC Program Requirements Under the […]
The Role of Medical Codes in Reimbursement Methodologies: Medical codes, such as CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-10 (CM and PCS), are essential components of various reimbursement methodologies. The Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS), used by Medicare fee-for-service, categorizes patient stays into Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-DRGs) based on ICD-10 codes processed through a computerized system. […]
CPT code 99214. Is that Jean Valjean’s number? No. It is an evaluation and management (E&M) code of moderate complexity. Few CPT® codes cause goosebumps, a chill in the air, and a pit in your stomach besides CPT code 99214. It is an E&M code of moderate complexity. For a low-complexity visit, the code decreases […]
The CPT® 2022 edition incorporates a total of 249 novel codes, along with 93 codes that have been revised, and 63 codes that have been removed. Every segment of the CPT® code set has undergone modifications to codes and guidelines. The most substantial revisions are observed in evaluation and management (E/M) codes, spine-related procedures such […]
Severe maternal morbidity often intersects with cesarean deliveries. Reducing the number of cesarean deliveries can lower the maternal mortality rate, and one of the drivers of cesarean rates is thought to be induction of labor (IOL). In 2014, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) adopted definitions for labor, labor induction, and augmentation of […]
Reducing denials starts with understanding osteopathic manipulation as well as coding and coverage guidelines for this therapy. Is it appropriate to bill an evaluation and management (E/M) service when osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is performed at the same visit? We must address a few key principles to adequately answer this question. I learned quickly, having […]
Medical practices are leaving money on the table by under-coding. Are one or more of your physicians under-coding? Missing revenue? Or relying too much on COVID-related funding? These are valid questions, as medical practices are getting back to pre-pandemic levels of care and encounters. Under-coding in particular has been a topic of concern lately. As […]
An overview of the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: The proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) rule for 2020 was officially released on Aug. 14, 2019, encompassing various elements. Among these are proposals such as adjusting the PFS conversion factor to $36.09, introducing new HCPCS codes for bundled episode-of-care treatment for opioid use disorders, revising […]








