CMS developed new HCPCS codes for primary care practitioners who provide care management services and communications-technology based services on a monthly basis. These are an alternative to other care management codes, and acknowledge that much of the work caring for patients occurs outside of regular office visits. These Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) codes are […]
CMS Adopts Codes for Caregiver Training Services (CTS)
This is information from the 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, published Nov. 2, 2023. You can read it for yourself by downloading the pdf below. https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2023-24184/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-calendar-year-2024-payment-policies-under-the-physician-fee-schedule MLN Matters article Jan. 2024 https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mln9201074-health-equity-services-2024-physician-fee-schedule-final-rule.pdf-0 These are not on the telehealth list; they are in person services Caregiver Training Services, Behavior Management/Modification | G0539, G0540 Caregiver Training […]
Anticoagulation Management
There are a few remarkable things about coding for anticoagulation management services. First, payment for these services bolsters Medicare’s support for primary care. This monitoring is typically done by either primary care or cardiology and was considered part of the pre-and post-work for an office visit. Although there were CPT® codes for anticoagulation management prior […]
Community Health Integration (CHI) Services
This article includes information primarily from the 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, but also the 2025 OPPS Fee Schedule in order to address billing when performed at an hospital outpatient department. The effective date for the CPT® and HCPCS codes, and CMS policy was 1-1-2024. Practitioner (physician/NPP) identifies Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) needs […]
Care Plan Oversight | Coding reference sheet
There are two sets of codes for care plan oversight, CPT® (99374–99380) and HCPCS codes (G0181, G0182). The requirements for each are different, including time thresholds and what activities may be included in the CPO time. RVUs are assigned by Medicare for these CPT® codes. Some have a bundled indicator and some invalid, which means […]
Consent for Communication Technology-Based Services (CTBS)
Both CPT and CMS have developed codes for non-face-to-face communication-based technology services in recent years. In addition to care management services, these include interprofessional consults, remote physiologic and therapeutic monitoring, and on-line digital E/M services In the 2020 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, CMS clarified the type of patient consent that is required to perform […]
Psychiatric Collaborative Care Management Services
This resource covers Psychiatric Collaborative Care Management Services 99492, 99493, 99494 and
Care Management for Behavioral Health 99484.
Is ChatGPT Coming to Coding?
Question: What’s all this I hear about ChatGPT? Is it coming to coding? Answer: All right, I wrote that question myself. I’ve been thinking about this topic. Alicia Gallegos wrote an article for CodingIntel about the topic. But, I wanted to see for myself how it could interpret coding rules, so I asked ChatGPT questions […]
CMS Finalizing Principal Illness Navigation (PIN) Services
This is information from the 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2023-24184.pdf CMS developed four HCPCS codes for Principal Illness Navigation. This service is intended to help patients with serious conditions navigate their health care treatment. PIN services are incident-to services so may only be performed in a non-facility setting Informed consent is required-the patient must […]
Chronic Care Management | Reference Sheet
This quick reference sheet includes clinical staff time, care planning and billing practitioner work criteria for chronic care management services. When coding for care management services services, practitioners need to distinguish between chronic care management and complex chronic care management, between who does the work, the practitioner or clinical staff, and the amount of time […]
Principal Care Management (PCM) Services – CPT codes 99424—99427
There are four principal care management codes 99424 and 99425 are for time spent by a physician or other qualified health care professional (someone with E/M in their scope of practice) and 99426 and 99427 for clinical staff time directed by a physician or other qualified health care professional These are time based codes used […]
Chronic Care Management
Medicare and private payers cover chronic care management services if a patient has two or more serious conditions that are expected to last at least a year. Medical offices often question the correct way to code for CCM for Medicare. CodingIntel provides the correct way to utilize CPT® 99490, 99439, 99491, 99437, 99487, and 99489. […]
Transitional Care Management
This article provides answers to frequently asked questions related to transitional care management services. It includes details about billing for TCM services including: When are CPT® 99495 & 99496 used? What are the requirements for TCM? Can We Code TCM and 99214 Together? Transitional care management for discharge Everyday Coding Q&A – Who needs to […]
Outpatient Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) Services
Diabetes self-management training (DSMT) services are a covered benefit under Medicare when all requirements are met. This article will provide an overview of the requirements and provide answers to some commonly asked questions. It will also provide you with links to the source material for DSMT coverage in the CMS Medicare Benefit Policy Manual (MBPM), […]
Coding for Medical Nutrition Therapy Services
Medical Nutrition Therapy Services (MNT) have been a covered benefit under Medicare since the early 2000’s. This article will describe the rules related to coding for medical nutrition therapy services for Medicare patients. Covered MNT services are provided for the purpose of an initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment, one-on-one nutritional counseling, information regarding diet management […]
Checklist for CPT® code 99483 | cognitive assessment code for dementia
Is your practice performing cognitive assessments for patients with dementia, using CPT® code 99483? If so, use this checklist to make sure you have documented all of the required components.
Advance Care Planning | CPT® 99497, 99498
Advance Care Planning (ACP) 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); +99498 each […]
Don’t forget Care Plan Oversight
There are two sets of codes for care plan oversight, CPT (99374–99380) and HCPCS codes (G0181, G0182). The requirements for each are different, including time thresholds and what activities may be included in the CPO time. Be sure to download the Care Plan Oversight quick reference sheet below.
Coding Guide – Care Management Services
CMS has a stated goal of recognizing management services provided outside of an office visit. In particular, valuing and paying for care management and other non-face-to-face services. Sometimes, this means recognizing existing CPT® codes, and changing the status indicator from bundled to active, so that it is a covered service. Sometimes, it means working with CPT®’s chronic care management committee to develop new codes that describe management services.
CPT® Code 99483: Cognitive Assessment and Care Plan Services
Developed in 2018, this service describes an in-depth assessment and development of care plan services for new or established patients who have signs of cognitive impairment. Cognitive assessment checklist Definition of CPT® code 99483 99483: Assessment of and care planning for a patient with cognitive impairment, requiring an independent historian, in the office or other […]
Certification for Home Health Services
There are two HCPCS codes that physician, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and physician assistants can use to report developing a plan for a Medicare patient who requires home health services. The CARES Act passed in March 2020 permanently allows nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and physician assistants to certify and re-certify Medicare covered home […]