General / Hot Coding Topics

5 Tips Lead You to G0438, G0439 Coding Success

Boost your bottom line by reporting new annual wellness visits correctly.  If you want your annual visit claims to be picture perfect in 2011, then follow these five tips to avoid future denials and keep your physician’s claim on the fast track to success.

Background: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) extended preventive coverage to more than 88 million patients covered by health insurance, and Medicare has codified that benefit in the form of an annual wellness visit. Medicare valued the new annual wellness codes based on a level 4, problem-oriented new and established E/M service.

The two new codes are:

G0438 — Annual wellness visit; includes a personalized prevention plan of service (PPPS), first visit

G0439 — Annual wellness visit; includes a personalized prevention plan of service (PPPS), subsequent visit.

Tip 1: Apply G0438 to Second Year of Coverage

Be wary of applying these codes to new Medicare patients coming in to your physician’s practice in 2011.  The reason is that Medicare will only reimburse the initial visit (G0438) during the second year the patient is eligible for Medicare Part B. In other words, during the first year of the patient’s coverage, Medicare will only cover the Initial Preventive Physical Exam (IPPE), also known as the Welcome to Medicare exam.

Tip 2: CMS Limits G0438 to One Physician

If your FP sees the patient for the initial visit (G0438) and the patient sees a different physician for the next annual wellness visit, that second physician will only receive reimbursement for the subsequent visit (G0439), despite having never seen the patient before.

Here’s why: CMS has indicated that when a patient returns to the same or new physician in a third year, they might only pay for the subsequent visit, says Melanie Witt, RN, COBGC, MA, an...

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May 5, 2011
Medicare

Does 99360 Merit Medicare Pay?

Question: My doctors stand by for the cardiologists during a pacemaker placement in case they need to place epicardial leads. They want to report their time, and I have found 99360 for this. Do they need to dictate something in order for me to charge f...

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April 24, 2011
Anesthesia / Hot Coding Topics

High BMI: To Use Or Not to Use Modifier 22

The new fifth-digit diagnosis codes for body mass index (BMI) can help you better document a patient’s condition, especially when the patient’s BMI might contribute to more complex risk factors for the anesthesiologist to handle. Having documentation of a high BMI doesn’t automatically lead to more pay, however. Watch two areas before assuming you can automatically append modifier 22 (Increased procedural services) because of BMI and potentially score a 20-30 percent higher pay for the procedure.

Not All Morbid Obesity Means Modifier 22

A patient is considered to be morbidly obese when his or her BMI is 40 or more. New BMI codes for 2011 include:

  • V85.41 — Body Mass Index 40.0-44.9, adult
  • V85.42 — Body Mass Index 45.0-49.9, adult
  • V85.43 — Body Mass Index 50.0-59.9, adult
  • V85.44 — Body Mass Index 60.0-69.9, adult
  • V85.45 — Body Mass Index 70 and over, adult.

While morbid obesity can be an appropriate reason to report modifier 22, don’t assume you should always append the modifier just because the patient is morbidly obese.

Example 1: During surgical procedures that are performed because of morbid obesity (such as bariatric surgery), the patient must meet the morbidly obese criteria too support medical necessity for the procedure. In those type instances, simply having a patient who is morbidly obese doesn’t support using modifier 22. Remember, if you report a physical status modifier for a patient who is morbidly obese, it is not appropriate to also include modifier 22. Keep in mind that Medicare does not pay for physical status, qualifying circumstances, or extra work modifiers.

The anesthesia provider’s documentation should direct you to the correct BMI code as well as support when you can append modifier 22.

Example 2: The patient’s obesity might contribute to breathing problems that lead to lower oxygen and...

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April 12, 2011
Hot Coding Topics / modifier 25

AK Removals: Earn $120 by Following 17000-17111 with 99201

Stick to these 3 tips for your E/M and lesion removal procedures.

You can report both the E/M and lesion removal if the E/M service was a significant and separately identifiable service for an E/M service with actinic keratoses (AK) removal procedure.

Always verify with your carrier before appending modifier 25 (Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure or other service) to the E/M code.

You can only consider reporting modifier 25 when coding an E/M service, says Janet Palazzo, CPC, coder for a practice in Cherry Hill, N.J. If the procedures you are reporting don’t fall under E/M services, it is possible the encounter qualifies for another modifier instead.

Have a look at the following three tips to help you report these services accurately so your practice won’t miss out on about $41 for 99201 and $80 for 17000 or more, according to national averages indicated in Medicare’s 2011 Physician Fee Schedule.

1. Know When You Should Charge an E/M

Each insurer has its own guidelines for office visits (99201- 99215, Office or other outpatient visit …) and lesion removals (17000-17111, Destruction, Benign or Premalignant Lesions). So, knowing whether to appeal an E/M denial is difficult unless you know that the service deserves payment.

You should report the office visit (99201-99215) in addition to the procedure when the dermatologist performs a significant, separately identifiable E/M service from the AK removal, especially if the patient is new to your practice.

Along with the appropriate E/M code, report any diagnoses that come with that examination, which may include more than just the AK.

For example, if a patient comes in for an initial AK visit, you should charge an E/M service, since the physician has to examine the area and discuss...

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March 21, 2011
Provider News

93224-93226: Snag Extra Cash With These Tips

The catch is you have to make the request for your rightful dollars.

Here’s a piece of good news for you. As per the Medicare’s April update, three Holter monitor codes will get a slight boost in pay.

The change has an implementation date of April 4, 2011, and an effective date of Jan. 1, 2011. That means contractors have to be ready to comply with the change by April 4, but the change in practice expense relative value units (PE RVUs) is retroactive to Jan. 1 dates of service.

Medicare isn’t requiring contractors to search their files to adjust claims they have already paid (which is good news for any physician who reports a code seeing a fee decrease). But contractors do have to adjust claims if you bring them to their attention. Take a look at how many 93224-93227 services you provided from January to March to see if making the claim for the small increase in RVUs is worth your time.

93224: The PE RVUs for 93224 (External electrocardiographic recording up to 48 hours by continuous rhythm recording and storage; includes recording, scanning analysis with report, physician review and interpretation) will change from 2.30 to 2.53. That’s a difference of .23 RVUs. Multiply that by the 2011 conversion factor (33.9764), and you can expect roughly an additional $7.81 for this code. (Remember that geographic region will affect your fee, as well).

93225: For 93225 (…recording [includes connection, recording, and disconnection]), the PE RVUs only increase by .09, changing from 0.82 to 0.91. So the additional reimbursement should be roughly $3.06.

93226: You may see an additional $4.76 for 93226 (… scanning analysis with report). Its PE RVUs change from 1.21 to 1.35.

Swan-Ganz: If you ever report 93503 (Insertion and placement of flow directed catheter [e.g.,...

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March 13, 2011
Hot Coding Topics / modifier GZ / Provider News

Per New CMS Transmittal Modifier, All Claims With Modifier GZ Will Be Denied Immediately

As per the latest CMS regulation, all claims with modifier GZ appended will be denied straight away. It is not unusual even in the best-run medical practices that the physician performs a noncovered service and doesn’t get an ABN signed. If you shoul...

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February 17, 2011
Hot Coding Topics / MAC / Provider News

New AWV Codes: Here’s What the MACs Are Saying

Stop worrying if your claims were denied, you still hold a chance as many carriers are reprocessing.

Almost a year ago, practices were told that Medicare will cover an annual wellness visit (AWV) for Part B beneficiaries effective Jan. 1 and last month, CMS announced the new codes for the AWVs. Everything seemed to look perfect until came the time for claims submissions and came the denials along with it.

The MACs may have hit a few speedbumps while processing the first of the AWV claims, but are attempting to get their systems rolling smoothly as January closes out for codes G0438 (Annual wellness visit, initial) and G0439 (Annual wellness visit, subsequent). We give you answers to several questions — straight from the MACs themselves — which may help you ensure that your claims go through smoothly.

Which Diagnosis Code Should You Use?

Several subscribers have told the Insider that they submitted their AWV claims using ICD-9 code V70.0 (Routine general medical examination at a health care facility), but faced immediate denials due to MACs claiming that this is the wrong diagnosis code.

It appears that those denials were the result of a computer glitch that made the AWV codes non-payable when billed with V70.0, but some payers have already fixed this problem.

National Government Services, a Part B payer in four states, sent out a notification on Jan. 25 stating that they “omitted the editing for diagnosis code V70.0 that is allowable with HCPCS codes G0438 and G0439, and claims that were initially denied are being reprocessed.

Pinnacle Business Solutions, a Part B MAC in two states, ran a notification on its Web site on Jan. 21 stating that a system error in the claims processing system incorrectly denied claims for G0438-G0439 between Jan. 1 and Jan 20. “A...

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February 3, 2011
Coding Challenge / Hot Coding Topics

52300 or No 52300 For Ureterocele?

Question: My urologist performed a cystoscopy, transurethral incision of an orthotopic ureterocele, ureteroscopy, and a double J stent placement. I have drawn a blank on how to report the ureterocele incision. Here is the doctor’s note: “A 24 resec...

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February 1, 2011
CPT Updates / Hot Coding Topics / modifier 76 / modifier 78 / Modifier GU / Provider News

CPT 2011: New Modifier GU and Revisions to 76, 77, and 78 Change Your Reporting

2011 adds a new modifier to your coding arsenal and updates the descriptors for several others you might often use. Get ready for modifier GU (Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, routine notice). You might have times when ...

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January 19, 2011
Coder's Cranium

Report Picture Perfect Annual Wellness Visits With These 5 Tips

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) extended preventive coverage to more than 88 million patients covered by health insurance, and Medicare has codified that benefit in the form of an annual wellness visit. Medicare valued the new annual wellness codes based on a level 4, problem-oriented new and established E/M service. The two new codes are:

  • G0438 – Annual wellness visit; includes a personalized prevention plan of service (PPPS), first visit
  • G0439 – Annual wellness visit; includes a personalized prevention plan of service (PPPS), subsequent visit.

Tip 1: Apply G0438 to Second Year of Coverage

Be wary of applying these codes to new Medicare patients coming in to your physician’s practice in 2011.

The reason is that Medicare will only reimburse the initial visit (G0438) during the second year the patient is eligible for Medicare Part B. In other words, during the first year of the patient’s coverage, Medicare will only cover the Initial Preventive Physical Exam (IPPE), also known as the Welcome to Medicare exam.

Tip 2: CMS Limits G0438 to One Physician

If your FP sees the patient for the initial visit (G0438) and the patient sees a different physician for the next annual wellness visit, that second physician will only receive reimbursement for the subsequent visit (G0439), despite having never seen the patient before.

CMS has indicated that when a patient returns to the same or new physician in a third year, they might only pay for the subsequent visit, says Melanie Witt, RN, COBGC, MA, an independent coding consultant in Guadalupita, N.M. “It is therefore important that you convey this information to any new physician the patient sees.”

Tip 3: Add Preventive Service Codes, If Performed

You can bill the new annual visit codes in addition to any other preventive service, such as G0102 (Prostate cancer...

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January 18, 2011
Hot Coding Topics / Provider News

96446 And Dozen Others Join The List of CCI Edits

Effective Jan. 1, 2011, new CPT codes and, inevitably, new Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) physician edits are there for physicians. For version 17.0, “19,822 new edit pairs have been added to the database while 9,778 have been terminated, for a net gain of 10,044 new edit pairs,” according to Frank Cohen, MPA, MBB, of the Frank Cohen Group, in his Dec. 14, 2010, “NCCI Version 17.0 Change Analysis” announcement.

The main edits you want to be sure to watch for are those related to new code 96446 (Chemotherapy administration to the peritoneal cavity via indwelling port or catheter).

The 96446 non-mutually exclusive (NME) edits are largely what you would expect based on other chemotherapy code edits — bundles with E/M, anesthesia, venipuncture and other vascular procedures, for example. You want to be sure to watch which is the column 1 code and which is the column 2 code for these bundles.

CCI places E/M codes 99217-99239 in the column 1 position and 96446 in the column 2 position. On the other hand, CCI places 96446 in the column 1 position and E/M codes 99201-99215 in the column 2 position, as shown below:

Column 1 Column 2
99217-99239 96446
96446 99201-99215

Remember that if you report both codes in an NME edit pair without a modifier, Medicare (and payers who adopt these edits) will deny the column 2 code and pay you only for the column 1 code. The edits in the table above all have a modifier indicator of 1, meaning that you may override the edits with a modifier when appropriate, such as in the case of distinct,...

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January 17, 2011
Coding Challenge / Hot Coding Topics

Primary vs. Secondary Diagnosis

Question: Many of our ophthalmology patients claim general reasons for their visit, such as “I can’t see well,” or “My vision is foggy.” We code these visits with 368.8 as the primary diagnosis because this is the primary reason for the visit. Any other problems or underlying causes of the blurry vision we report as secondary diagnoses. Is 368.8 the most appropriate code to use in these situations, and should we list it first?

Answer: You should only report 368.8 (Other specified visual disturbances) as a primary diagnosis code when the ophthalmologist doesn’t find a more definitive diagnosis during the course of the visit.

Carriers often consider a visit for blurred vision the same thing as a routine exam— and Medicare will not pay for this service.

Primary vs. secondary: Whenever possible, you should list a more definitive diagnosis as primary and then the patient’s complaint of blurred vision as secondary. For example, if the ophthalmologist discovers that a cataract is causing the patient’s blurry vision, you would first list 366.12 (Incipient cataract) and then 368.8. You should always strive to report the most descriptive and accurate ICD-9 codes possible. If a patient claims her only reason for the visit is a routine exam, experts recommend that the ophthalmologist ask her a series of detailed questions to uncover any other complaints she may have but doesn’t think of right away. In obtaining a comprehensive history when a patient denies any blurriness of vision, the ophthalmologist should also ask, “Do your eyes chronically itch, burn, or water?” This may lead you to report dry eye syndrome (375.15, Tear film insufficiency, unspecified) or allergic conjunctivitis (372.14, Other chronic allergic conjunctivitis).

Do this: Rather than ask if a patient’s vision is blurry, ask if there is...

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January 3, 2011
Hot Coding Topics

Flu Vaccines: Replace 90658 by new Q codes

Your vaccine coding in 2011 will be anything but dull, thanks to changes in codes and administration reporting. Two more updates every FP should know involve new Q codes for some Medicare flu vaccines and expanded ages for adolescent vaccine counseling.

Nix 90658 in 2011

CMS has created new HCPCS codes and payment allowances to replace 90658 (Influenza virus vaccine, split virus, when administered to individuals 3 years of age and older, for intramuscular use). Medicare will no longer pay for 90658 effective Jan. 1, 2011, so choose from the new codes instead, based on the specific product:

  • Q2035 — Influenza virus vaccine, split virus, when administered to individuals 3 years of age and older, for intramuscular use (Afluria)
  • Q2036 — Influenza virus vaccine, split virus, when administered to individuals 3 years of age and older, for intramuscular use (Flulaval)
  • Q2037 — Influenza virus vaccine, split virus, when administered to individuals 3 years of age and older, for intramuscular use (Fluvirin)
  • Q2038 — Influenza virus vaccine, split virus, when administered to individuals 3 years of age and older, for intramuscular use (Fluzone)
  • Q2039 — Influenza virus vaccine, split virus, when administered to individuals 3 years of age and older, for intramuscular use (not otherwise specified).

Timing: Codes Q2035-Q2039 went into effect Oct. 1, 2010. You have two choices when filing claims for dates of service from Oct. 1, 2010 until Dec. 31, 2010: bill Medicare immediately with 90658, or hold the claim until Jan. 1, 2011 and file with the appropriate Q code. For vaccines administered after Jan. 1, 2011, only report the applicable Q code.

Explanation: Medicare pays for influenza vaccine based on 95 percent of the average wholesale price. “The products normally classifiable to 90658 have widely varying AWPs,” says Kent J. Moore, manager of...

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December 15, 2010