Articles

Spotlight on up-to-date coding

Coding Telehealth Visits

Coding telehealth visits changes faster than the weather here in New England. We've assembled these resources to answer your questions about what … [Read more...]

Behavioral health and telemedicine

Updated May 15, 2020 Behavioral health services have long been on Medicare’s list of services that could be provided via telemedicine. However, … [Read more...]

Is it or isn’t it a telehealth service?

The answer to this question was a lot clearer on March 1st. The list of telehealth services was found in two places: CMS’s list of telehealth … [Read more...]

Specimen Collection For COVID-19

CMS’s 4/30/2020 rule states that practices could bill 99211 for new or established patients during the public health emergency for COVID-19 specimen … [Read more...]

Medicare changes telehealth rules, again

Medicare changes telehealth rules, again: April 30, 2020 interim final rule with comment period … [Read more...]

Telemedicine in RHCs and FQHCs

New! April 17, 2020 Finally! CMS has released guidance about paying for telehealth services in Rural Health Centers (RHCs) and Federally Qualified … [Read more...]

Modifier CS: cost sharing for COVID-19 testing and visits related to testing

Effective retroactively to 3/18/20, there is no cost sharing allowed for COVID-19 testing or for the evaluation visits related to the testing … [Read more...]

Payment for telephone calls: CMS update

Updated May 9, 2020, with information from the 4/30/20 rule CMS will pay for phone calls using codes 99441—99443. The 4/30/20 rule adds these to … [Read more...]

Telemedicine and COVID-19 FAQ

Updated: May 15, 2020 Read the article about modifier CS and cost sharing here Telehealth Q&A CMS Interim Rule - March 30, 2020 CMS … [Read more...]

CMS update on medical record documentation for E/M services

The world as we knew it Both the 1995 and 1997 evaluation and management (E/M) documentation guidelines stated that ancillary staff could record a … [Read more...]

Consent for Communication Technology-Based Services (CTBS)

Both CPT and CMS have developed codes for non-face-to-face technology-based services in recent years. These include interprofessional consults and … [Read more...]

Principal Care Management (PCM) Services G2064, G2065

CMS’s 2020 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule adopted two new care management codes, Principal Care Management Services, for use by physicians who are … [Read more...]

Chronic care management, add-on code G2058

CMS developed this HCPCS code to report additional non-face-to-face staff time performing non-complex care management services Use this code only … [Read more...]

Blood pressure self-measurement: education, training and analysis | CPT codes 99473, 99474

Two new CPT® codes in 2020. The first is for patient education and calibration of a home blood pressure device The second is for reviewing data … [Read more...]

The third element of MDM in 2021

The third element of MDM: risk of complications and/or morbidity or mortality of patient management at the encounter E/M changes for 2021 for codes … [Read more...]

An overview of the revised MDM

Medical Decision Making: selecting the correct level of service for codes 99202—99215 in 2021: In 2021, E/M codes 99202—99215 will have a changed … [Read more...]

The first element of MDM in 2021 office visits

The first element of MDM: number and complexity of problems addressed E/M changes for 2021 for codes 99202—99215 There are three elements in … [Read more...]

The second element of MDM in 2021

The second element of MDM: amount and/or complexity of date to be reviewed and analyzed at the encounter E/M changes for 2021 for codes … [Read more...]

E/M Changes in 2021 – Shared Services

The CPT® book defines shared or split services in 2021. Although the concept of shared or split services has been around for a long time, it was … [Read more...]

E/M 2021 Changes – History and Exam

History and exam for new and established patient visits in 2021 CPT® is revising the definitions of and documentation requirements for new and … [Read more...]