ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

CMS, along with the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), has released version 8.3 of the national Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) for the fourth quarter of calendar year 2002 (Oct. 1-Dec. 31). This latest CCI with nearly 55,000 code-pair revisions encompasses the largest number of changes since version 6.3 was published for the final quarter of 2000. Unlike past CCI revisions, in which the greatest number of changes were concentrated on bundling anesthesia and E/M services to more extensive procedures, version 8.3 focuses on surgical and injection procedures, including many relevant to surgical practice. Check the edits to stay up on coding changes. The basic trend for surgical procedures is the bundling of injection services and imaging procedures (such as the use of operating microscopes, 69990) with more extensive procedures that usually require these minor procedures. When lesser procedures become standard parts of more extensive procedures, you can expect to see CMS bundle the procedures together. Experts say that CMS is solidifying its stance on injections: Don't expect payment for injection codes unless no other service was provided.