Fine needle aspiration biopsy Material is aspirated with a fine needle and the cells are examined cytologically Core needle biopsy is … [Read more...]
Articles
Spotlight on up-to-date coding
Codes for skin biopsies
CPT updated certain skin biopsy codes in 2019 The codes for excision of benign and malignant lesions did not change, and codes for shave biopsies … [Read more...]
Intensive behavioral counseling for cardiovascular disease, HCPCS code G0446
Medicare pays a primary care physician or other primary care practitioner in a primary care setting to annually provide one face-to-face behavioral … [Read more...]
Screening for depression | HCPCS code G0444
Annual depression screening code G0444 Medicare pays primary care practices to screen all Medicare patients annually for depression. The service … [Read more...]
Smoking cessation coding, 99406 and 99407
Medicare and most private insurers pay for physicians, NPs and PAs to counsel patients about stopping tobacco use. Medicare waives the … [Read more...]
Behavioral counseling for obesity, HCPCS code G0447
Medicare pays for ongoing face-to-face behavioral counseling for patients with a BMI of ≥ 30, who are alert and able to participate in … [Read more...]
Two visits for the price of one? | Multiple medical visits on the same day
Patients often schedule two medical appointments on the same day with physicians of different specialties. It’s convenient for them. It saves travel … [Read more...]
Preventive Medicine Services – Medicare
Medicare has very specific requirements for preventive services. What can you bill, what must you document? This article covers all the bases … [Read more...]
Shared Visits – Medicare
Medicare has specific rules for billing for nurse practitioners and physician assistants using shared services. These rules are explained in this … [Read more...]
Transitional Care Management
This article provides answers to frequently asked questions related to transitional care management services. It includes details about billing for … [Read more...]
Emergency Department Visits
Definition Emergency department (ED) services are E/M services provided to patients in the Emergency Department. Explanation These services … [Read more...]
Critical Care Services
Definition: Caring for a critically ill or injured patient Explanation: Critical care has high relative value units and payments so it's … [Read more...]
Minor Procedures
These reference sheets for minor procedures include common CPT® codes, descriptions, current work and non-facility RVUs, and global days for quick … [Read more...]
Advance Care Planning | CPT® 99497, 99498
Advance Care Planning (ACP) and the Use of ACP CPT® Codes 99497 (Advance care planning including the explanation and discussion of advance directives … [Read more...]
Exam | Documentation Guidelines for E/M Services
This article relates to the 1995/1997 documentation guidelines, and not to office/outpatient codes 99202--99215 in 2021. Continue to use the 1995/1997 … [Read more...]
Using Time to Select a Code
Use these rules when billing for codes that use the 1995/1997 guidelines. In 2021, this does not include codes 99202–99215. For those codes, see Time: … [Read more...]
Screening and Behavioral Counseling Interventions in Primary Care to Reduce Alcohol Misuse | HCPCS Code G0442
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening for alcohol misuse and behavioral interventions for individuals whose screening … [Read more...]
Not all emergency surgery should be coded at the highest level | E/M Services and MDM
Surgeons sometimes think that the E/M service on the date of every emergency surgery is the highest level E/M. 99285 or 99223. This article … [Read more...]
Wellness visits and care management in Rural Health Centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers (RHCs and FQHCs)
RHCs and FQHCs are paid an all-inclusive rate (AIR) or national prospective payment system (PPS) rate for any service that is defined as a visit to … [Read more...]
Diabetes coding in Hierarchical Condition Coding (HCC)
CodingIntel members can download our guide to Risk adjusted diagnosis coding for medical practices for more explanation and examples. This article is … [Read more...]