Overview of advance care planning

Advance Care Planning CPT^® Codes Overview

Primary care practices perform countless tasks every day for which there is no payment. CMS continually states that it wants to support primary care, and in the past decade has added payment for some non-face-to-face services, including Care Plan Oversight, Transitional Care Management and Chronic Care Management.

In 2015, the AMA developed new codes to pay for discussions of end of life planning, but in 2015, CMS didn’t allow them as payable services. However, starting in January, 2016, CMS recognized and reimbursed physicians and Non-Physician Practitioners to provide this service, using CPT^® codes 99497 & 99498. These are active codes, and other many other payers also recognize and pay for these codes.

CPT^® Codes 99497 & 99498

99497 is for the first 30 minutes, and +99498 is an add on code, for each additional 30 minutes.

CPT^® code definitions:

99497 (Advance care planning including the explanation and discussion of advance directives such as standard forms (with completion of such forms, when performed), by the physician or other qualified health professional; first 30 minutes, face- to-face with the patient, family member(s) and/or surrogate); and an add-on

    +99498 (Advance care planning including the explanation and discussion of advance directives such as standard forms (with completion of such forms, when performed), by the physician or other qualified health professional; each additional 30 minutes (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure))

End of Life Planning Services

This service is a face-to-face service, but the beneficiary does not need to be present. The CPT^® code is defined as “with the patient, family member(s) and/or surrogate.” Forms may be completed, but they aren’t required. When CPT^® says “when performed” the service may be reported even if that portion of the service was not performed.

The service may be performed on the same day as an E/M service, except for adult or pediatric critical care. CPT^® describes it as being performed by a physician or “other qualified health professional” and CMS states by a physician or “non-physician practitioner” within their scope of practice. This means physician, NP or PA.

CMS has not developed a national coverage determination. Individual Medicare Administrative Contractors will develop their own policies. CMS hasn’t placed frequency limits on the service, realizing that as a patient’s condition changes, the physician and patient and family may need to re-discuss these critical issues. There is not a limit on the specialty designation of the physician or NPP who provides the service.

The service may be performed in an RHC or an FQHC, but those centers will be paid their all-inclusive rate for a visit, and won’t receive any additional payment. A Medicare patient will be responsible for a co-pay and deductible for the service, unless it is performed on the same day as a wellness visit, (G0438 or G0439). In that case, append modifier 33 to the ACP code and the patient will not be charged a co-pay or deductible.   Document the time spent in the discussion (exclusive of other E/M services that day) in the medical record.

Additional details may be found in the Advance Care Planning section of Everyday Coding.

 

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