Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

CMS shows which issues sidelined these practices. Most practices would agree that a 57.2 percent success rate isn't overly impressive -- but that's exactly what CMS found in its recent analysis of PQRI submissions. So how are your fellow ophthalmology coders faring in reporting eye care measures? Almost 43 percent of the quality data codes (QDCs) that practices submitted to CMS were ineligible for the Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) bonus because physicians reported them improperly, CMS noted in its Feb. 13 report, "Quality-Data Code Submissions Error Report." The report analyzed PQRI submissions over the first three quarters of 2008. For 2009, the PQRI incentive payment is two percent of your physician's allowed charges under the Medicare physician fee schedule. If you'd like to keep that two percent flowing into your practice, avoid these errors that CMS found: 1. Missing NPI. CMS notes that 97,131 of the QDC submissions were [...]