AMA Posts Corrections for CPT® 2008

Codes Omitted from AMA ICD-9-CM 2008 Physician

Time to Update Your Therapy Code Lists

Ambulance Inflation Factor Set

Register Now to Access IACS-PC Later

Physician Self-Referral: Provisions Delayed

Test Yourself - Earn 0.5 CEUs

Renée Dustman EdgeBlast Editor

The American Medical Association (AMA) has posted corrections to CPT® 2008 on its website. The downloadable document includes corrections, additions and clarifications.

Two notable changes involve code descriptions. One adds "List Separately in addition to code for primary procedure" to code 34806 to correct add-on nomenclature. The other is the replacement of "band" for "restrictive device" in three index entries for codes 43770-43774.

Parenthetical comments for spinal instrumentation codes 22840-22851 were changed to remove add-on code 22208 and replace it with 22207. Other changes include spelling corrections of "Naturopathic" and "Sengstaken."

Does your AMA ICD-9-CM 2008 Physician book feel a little light? A printer error is the reason some copies of the 2008 Physician full-sized book are missing pages 271 and 272. To download the missing pages featuring Injury and Poisoning codes, go to http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/362/2008icd9missingpage.pdf and click the Save A Copy button on the browser toolbar to save the PDF file to your hard drive.

The Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released an update to the therapy code list for 2008. In particular, the 2008 code list includes new CPT® code 96125 – Standard cognitive performance testing (e.g., Ross Information Processing Assessment) per hour of a qualified health care professional’s time, both face-to-face with the patient and time interpreting test results and preparing the report.

Code 96125 is considered "always therapy" regardless of who performs the service and requires a therapy modifier (GN – physical therapy, GO – occupational therapy, GP – speech-language pathology).

For further instruction, read the complete transmittal on the CMS website at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/transmittals/downloads/R1377CP.pdf.

The Ambulance Inflation Factor (AIF) is set for 2.7 percent for 2008. Carriers, Fiscal Intermediaries (FIs), and Medicare Administrative Contractors (A/B MACs) use the AIF for determining payment limits on claims submitted by providers and suppliers for ambulance services.

The AIF for 2008 is based on a blend of 20 percent regional ground base rate and 80 percent national ground base rate.

To read the updated Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 15 (Ambulance), Section 20.6.1, go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/transmittals/downloads/R1375CP.pdf on the CMS website.

Medicare fee-for-service providers will soon be able to access, update and submit information over the Internet. CMS intends to announce new online enterprise applications in the near future. Meanwhile, CMS recommends providers register for access through a new CMS security system known as the Individuals Authorized Access to CMS Computer Services - Provider Community (IACS-PC).

Concerns about the "stand in the shoes" provisions of pending implementation of physician self-referral rules for academic medical centers (AMCs) and non-profit integrated health care systems have postponed implementation of Phase III of the physician self referral act for a year, CMS says.

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