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Internal Medicine Coding Alert

New Codes for Physical Medicine, Revision to Dialysis Instructions Top CPT 2001 Changes
Codes for physical medicine therapeutic procedures and a visual acuity exam are among the ... Read more
Medicare Revises Observation/ Inpatient Hospital Care Payment
Effective Jan. 1, 2001, Medicare will revise its payment policy for observation and inpati... Read more
New Medicare Policy on Observation/Inpatient Hospital Care Codes
Observation Care CodesLess than eight hours in observation, discharge on the same day: New... Read more
CPT Definitions for Observation and Inpatient Hospital Care Codes
The CPT 2001 definitions for observation and inpatient hospital care codes are as follows:... Read more
News Brief:
Additional 2001 Updates
CPT Redefines New Patient. To help distinguish between new and established patients, the l... Read more
Reader Question:
Where are RVUs?
Question: You have mentioned a book about RVUs in the past couple of newsletters. What is ... Read more
Reader Question:
Office Visit With a Vaccination
Question: Can we bill an office visit in addition to the administration of vaccine? Or can... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Nurse-administered Prothrombin Test
Question: In our practice, we usually have a nurse administer the prothrombin time laborat... Read more
Optimize Reimbursement From Medicare and Third-Party Payers for Flexible Sigmoidoscopies
Internists are performing an increasing number of screening flexible sigmoidoscopies becau... Read more
Prolonged Service Codes Get Subsequent Hospital Visit Pay Up
Subsequent hospital care visits (99231-99233) are the evaluation and management (E/M) serv... Read more
Clarification
In the reader question Routine Physicals for Chronically Ill on page 71 of the September 2... Read more
Reader Question:
Update on Pulse Oximetry Payment
Question: In the reader question titled Using 94760 on page 15 of the February 2000 Intern... Read more
Reader Question:
Guidelines for Critical Care Services
Question: I am constantly debating with one of the internists in our practice about what s... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Billing for DNR Counseling
Question: I recently counseled a Medicare patient regarding a do-not-resuscitate order. Th... Read more
The Proper Modifier Will Optimize Payment for Multiple Trigger Point Injections
As part of a pain management program, an internist may perform multiple trigger point inje... Read more
How to Bill for Separately Payable Preventative Services
Although the Medicare Carriers Manual (MCM) does not include a national policy on separate... Read more
HCFA Recalls Black Box Edits
The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has instructed local carriers that it disc... Read more
Reader Question:
Billing for a Screening Test
Question: A patient is being seen for the management of hypertension and care of frequent ... Read more
Reader Question:
Coding With No History
Question: A 60-year-old man with a history of uncomplicated hypertension develops a scrota... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Infusion Therapy
Question: When billing for IV infusion for therapy or diagnosis, we bill code 90780. To bi... Read more
Flu and PPV Vaccinations:
Receive Reimbursement for the Vaccines And Their Administration
The beginning of fall signals the start of the influenza vaccination season. Due to recent... Read more
Get the Best Possible Payment for Cardio Stress Tests
Because there is a global code (that includes technical and professional components) for r... Read more
Optimize Payment for Vitamin B-12 Injections
"Although coding for vitamin B-12 injections is not complicated, internists may hav... Read more
Reader Question:
Routine Physicals for Chronically Ill
Question: Medicare is denying our claims for routine physical exams of patients who have s... Read more
Reader Question:
Hepatitis A Vaccine
Question: Our practice treats some patients with hepatitis B and C. One of our physicians ... Read more
You Be The Coder:
Patient Status With Change of Insurance Plans
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Four Elements Crucial to Payment For Removal of Skin Lesions
To report the removal of skin lesions, the method of removal, size and location of the les... Read more
Get Optimal Reimbursement For Diabetes Education
Diabetes is a major health concern, particularly to Medicare beneficiaries. The American D... Read more
Use 1995 or 1997 Guidelines to Get E/M Reimbursement
Just when many internists had gotten accustomed to performing the more detailed examinatio... Read more
Reader Question:
Liver Function Lab Test
Question: A physician wants to prescribe medication to a patient with systemic lupus eryth... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Co-managed Care in Hospital
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Optimize Reimbursement by Billing Separately For Pap Smears, Pelvic Exams and E/M Service
Internists should document and bill separately for Pap smears and pelvic exams for Medicar... Read more
Document Full Patient History To Avoid Medicare Scrutiny
Internists who take shortcuts when documenting a patients history during an evaluation and... Read more
Code For Signs and Symptoms to Receive Optimum Pay Up
Internal medicine practices that are coding probable, suspected or rule-out diagnoses not ... Read more
Reader Question:
Established Patient Codes
Question: A new patient calls for an appointment, but there are no openings in the schedul... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Telephone Calls
Question: Our physician consulted with a patient over the telephone regarding the manageme... Read more
Correct Diagnosis Code Is Key to Consistent Reimbursement for Spirometry
"An increasing number of internists are performing spirometry (also referred to as pulmona... Read more
Maximize Pay Up for Concurrent Care
Internists billing inpatient hospital visits as concurrent care need to emphasize the cond... Read more
Optimize Reimbursement for Preoperative EKGs
Internists are frequently asked to perform an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) as part of a ... Read more
Reader Question:
Appendectomy
Question: A patient complains of pain in the right lower quadrant, and an appendectomy is ... Read more
Reader Question:
Xanthelasma of the Eyelid
Question: A patient was treated with liquid nitrogen for xanthelasma of the eyelid. The pa... Read more
Reader Question:
Removal of Sutures
Question: Can we charge separately for the removal of sutures without anesthesia?Laurie Mo... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Diagnosis Versus Symptom
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Receive Optimum Reimbursement for Visits to Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities
Internists often provide care to elderly patients admitted to long-term care (LTC) facilit... Read more
Optimize Pay Up for Office Visit With Vaccination/Immunization
Immunizations and vaccinations, particularly influenza and diphtheria/tetanus, are frequen... Read more
Protect Reimbursement for Lab Tests and Preventive Services
Although Medicare does not cover most preventive services, it does cover a pelvic examina... Read more
Medicare Covers Prostate Cancer Screening Tests
Internists may want to encourage their patients to take advantage of two preventive benefi... Read more
Reader Question:
New Physician, Established Patient
Question: A new physician recently joined our practice. He is seeing a patient that he has... Read more
Reader Question:
Diagnosis Code for Umbilical Cord Problem
Question: What is the diagnosis code for a 4-week-old baby brought in when its umbilical c... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Code for Nebulizer Teaching
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Correctly Code Epoetin Alfa Injections to Receive Optimum Reimbursement
Patients suffering from anemia due to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), chemotherapy, myelod... Read more
Bill E/M in Addition to FOBT to Optimize Medicare Payment
Only nine percent of eligible fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries get their annual feca... Read more
Correct Use of G Codes Maximizes Vaccination Pay Up
Internists who provide their patients with pneumococcal and hepatitis B vaccinations need ... Read more
Suture Removal Without Anesthesia
Question: One of our physicians wants to charge separately for suture removal without anes... Read more
Reader Question:
Secondary Diagnosis Code
Question: In reference to the article Understand Coding for Preoperative Clearance Exams o... Read more
Reader Question:
Medicare Patients
Question: We have been billing Medicare patients with the G0101 and Q0091 codes for collec... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Dialysis Training
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Five Tips for Improving E/M Reimbursement
No codes are more common for internal medicine practices than those for office/outpatient ... Read more
News Brief:
HCFA Clarifies Latest Changes to Process of Getting Pulse Oximetry Monitoring Payment
The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), the federal agency that oversees the Medi... Read more
Correct Reporting of Flu Visits and Vaccinations Gets Payment
Internal-medicine offices and primary-care clinics recently have been beset by a rash of f... Read more
Reader Question:
Follow-up Inpatient Consultation
Question: If the primary-care physician (PCP) admits a patient to the hospital for a medi... Read more
Reader Question:
Homebound Standard
Question: Do Medicare patients have to meet Medicares homebound standard for home visits b... Read more
Reader Question:
Medicare Waivers
Question: We almost always have our Medicare patients sign an advance beneficiary notice (... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Hemocult Dispenser Pak
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Get Paid for Supervision of Dialysis Patients
Internal medicine physicians and nephrology subspecialists who supervise end-stage renal ... Read more
Consultations:
HCFA and CPT Clarify Documentation Requirements
Internal medicine practices should have an easier time receiving appropriate payment for ... Read more
Understand Coding for Preoperative Clearance Exams
One of the most common consultations performed by internists are the preoperative examina... Read more
Correct Coding for Cardiac Event and Holter Monitoring
Physicians must clearly define whether monitoring is cardiac event or holter to avoid inco... Read more
Reader Question:
Pronouncing a Patient
Question: What code do you use if the physician goes to the hospital to pronounce a patien... Read more
Reader Question:
Using 94760
Question: Many insurance companies list 94760 (noninvasive ear or pulse oximery for oxygen... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Billing Preventive Examinations
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Medicare Reimbursement Changes for 2000
Internal medicine groups will not be hit with reductions to the values assigned to the cod... Read more
Know When to Use V Codes for Follow-Up Visits/Re-checks
As stated in the 1999 ICD-9-CM manual, V codes are codes that represent circumstances ot... Read more
Correct Billing for Services of Dieticians and Nutritionists
Internal medicine practices often employ dieticians and nutritionists to work with patien... Read more
Clarification:
Home Visits by Non-physician Providers
In Documentation and Correct Coding are Key to Reimbursement for Home Visits by the Inter... Read more
Reader Question:
ECGs for Preadmission Testing
Question: When billing ECGs for pre-admission testing, should you use ICD-9 code V72.83 or... Read more
Reader Question:
Telemetry for Inpatient Cardiac Patients
Question: Can my internist be paid for telemetry, code 93042 (rhythm ECG, one to three lea... Read more
You Be the Coder:
New Patients
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Available Years:  2000  1999  1998