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Radiology Coding Alert

Fee Schedule:

77071 Suffers an Unpopular Fee Schedule Change

Published on Mon Apr 04, 2011

See how a small status-indicator switch could cost you $46 per claim.You never know what each new quarter will bring in the form of Medicare updates. This April, you need to be sure your practice is up to speed on physician fee schedule news.What's new: The bilateral surgery indicator for 77071 (Manual application of stress performed by physician for joint radiography, including contralateral joint if indicated) has changed from 3 (The usual payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does not apply) to 2 (150% payment adjustment does not apply).The effective date is Jan. 1, 2011, and the implementation date is April 4, 2011. That means that the changes are retroactive to Jan. 1, but your carrier's deadline for implementing the changes is April 4.Old Way: '3' Offered Payment for 2 SidesCode 77071 used to have a bilateral indicator of 3. Under the Medicare physician fee schedule, a bilateral surgery indicator of [...]
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