Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Summertime Coding Quiz:

Prepare Now for These Summertime Coding Rules--Take Our Quick Quiz to Test Your Skills

Hint: Have the appropriate 'Q' modifier ready for substitute physicians who fill in when your physician goes on vacation.

Summer is fast approaching, and with the nice weather comes new coding challenges for busy Part B practices. Brush up on how to code these common summer situations by taking our simple three-question quiz and then checking your answers on page 124.

Tick Removal Offers Coding Challenge

Question 1: A Medicare patient presented with a tick still attached to her scalp and asked our physician to remove it. Which diagnosis codes do we report for the tick removal and bite?

Get Ready to Treat Sunburns

Question 2: In the past, our office manager and physician have disagreed on how to code sunburn treatment. Should we code a first-degree burn treatment or an E/M code in these situations?

Nail Down Substitute Physician Coding

Question 3: One of our physicians decided to take a month off this summer to travel, and a temporary physician will take her place while she's gone. Which code or modifier should we use to indicate that certain services were performed by the substitute physician?