I just came across this article from Mdedge (see attachment) regarding 2021 new e/m rules for derms.
It says " Simplified coding and billing requirements for E/M visits will go into effect Jan. 1, 2021. For dermatology, any visit where a decision to do a minor procedure or prescribe a medication takes place will become a level 4 visit. Most of the useless documentation requirements and need to examine multiple organ systems will be eliminated. The most common E/M code currently used by dermatologists is a level 3, and this will on average move up to a level 4. Thus, general dermatology will benefit from the new rule. For example, if a dermatologist sees a patient and does a tangential biopsy of the skin, the payment will be $214.52, compared with $178.65 in 2020."
That's totally false right? The part where it says "any visit where a decision to do a minor procedure or prescribe a medication takes place will become a level 4 visit." That's only one of three of the elements (risk) of MDM not considering data or complexity of the problem. And his example suggest billing a level 4 visit with the minor procedure because "decision to perform minor procedure" is in that risk category. Which also seems false to me because minor procedures includes the E&M. Unless, I'm the one that doesn't know what I'm talking about?
Just want to hear other opinions. The link to the full article is on the link below but you'd have to register to see it (unless you use adblock I think), so I've attached the relevant page instead.
It says " Simplified coding and billing requirements for E/M visits will go into effect Jan. 1, 2021. For dermatology, any visit where a decision to do a minor procedure or prescribe a medication takes place will become a level 4 visit. Most of the useless documentation requirements and need to examine multiple organ systems will be eliminated. The most common E/M code currently used by dermatologists is a level 3, and this will on average move up to a level 4. Thus, general dermatology will benefit from the new rule. For example, if a dermatologist sees a patient and does a tangential biopsy of the skin, the payment will be $214.52, compared with $178.65 in 2020."
That's totally false right? The part where it says "any visit where a decision to do a minor procedure or prescribe a medication takes place will become a level 4 visit." That's only one of three of the elements (risk) of MDM not considering data or complexity of the problem. And his example suggest billing a level 4 visit with the minor procedure because "decision to perform minor procedure" is in that risk category. Which also seems false to me because minor procedures includes the E&M. Unless, I'm the one that doesn't know what I'm talking about?
Just want to hear other opinions. The link to the full article is on the link below but you'd have to register to see it (unless you use adblock I think), so I've attached the relevant page instead.