Optometry Coding & Billing Alert
Beware Free Phone Services
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Question: One of our regular patients has moved to a nursing home and is unable to come to the office now for treatment, but our doctor still needs to call in her prescriptions to the nursing home. Can I charge for these phone orders and, if so, how should I code so Medicare will pay? Answer: Medicare will not reimburse for telephone conversations, as specified in Section 15512 (B) of the Medicare Carriers Manual: "Do not pay for telephone calls (codes 99371-99373) because payment for telephone calls is included in payment for billable services (e.g., visit, surgery, diagnostic procedure results)." You can bill only for face-to-face services on an outpatient, noncritical-care basis. - Answers to You Be the Coder and Reader Questions provided by Raequell Duran, president of Practice Solutions in Santa Barbara, Calif.
California Subscriber
Some insurance companies may provide reimbursement for telephone conversations. If you provide telephone services to a patient with private insurance, you should ask the payer for its policies and procedures for the telephone-call codes.
Optometry Coding & Billing Alert
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