Internal Medicine Coding Alert
News Brief:
Congress Increases Frequency of Covered Pap Smears and Pelvic Exams
Published on Thu Feb 01, 2001 
PDF
PDF
The U.S. Congress recently passed legislation that increases the frequency of Pap smear tests (HCPCS code Q0091) and pelvic/clinical breast examinations (G0101) covered by Medicare to every two years for women who are at low risk of developing cervical or vaginal cancer. Current policy covers these tests only every three years. The change is part of the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Benefits, Improvements and Protection Act (H.R. 5661), which was passed on Dec. 21, 2000, and goes into effect on July 1, 2001.
Other Articles in this issue of
Internal Medicine Coding Alert
- Use of Doppler Add-on Codes Can Boost Reimbursement for Echocardiography
The codes for transthoracic echocardiography (TTE, 93303-93308) are among the 50 most frequently reported procedure [...] - How to Assess Medical Decision-making for High-level E/M Visits
Reimbursement for an office visit increases dramatically when going from a level-four (99204, 99214) to [...] - CPT Defines Level-four and Level-five Office Visits
The CPT manual requires the following levels of history, examination and medical decision-making for level-four [...] - You Be the Coder:
Flu Vaccine Policy
Question: Has Medicares flu vaccination policy changed again?
Texas Subscriber
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how [...] - News Brief:
Congress Increases Frequency of Covered Pap Smears and Pelvic Exams
The U.S. Congress recently passed legislation that increases the frequency of Pap smear tests (HCPCS [...] - Reader Question:
Nurse Injections
Question: When a nurse gives an injection, should we bill 99211 or the injection code [...] - Reader Question:
Commercial Insurers and Preventive Exams
Question: Are preventive service visits billed the same for commercial insurance carriers as for Medicare? [...]
View All