Primary Care Coding Alert

Hint: CMS call outlines exactly what to do. Medicare added five preventive services to its coverage list in late 2011, but some physician groups still aren't filing claims as they should. Here's all you need to know for one of the lesser-known services -- intensive behavioral therapy for cardiovascular disease (CVD) -- straight from Medicare experts during a recent National Provider Call. Understand the Purpose and Frequency Intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) for cardiovascular disease is also known as a CVD risk reduction visit, says Jamie Hermansen, a health insurance specialist with CMS. In general, the visit consists of three components: Encouraging aspirin use for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease Screening the patient for high blood pressure Intensive behavioral counseling to promote a healthy diet for adults with known risk factors for cardiovascular and diet-related chronic disease. "A qualified primary care physician or other primary care practitioner in a primary care setting can [...]