Wiki Billing for a pill/tablet with procedure

[barbiehays]

Has anyone ever billed for a tablet given to the patient with during an office visit/procedure done in the office?

situation:

Mohs surgeon. Pt's are prescribed and pick up two valium tabs from their pharmacy before the procedure. These tabs last about 4 hours. Some Mohs take 6-8 hours, so the office has been giving the patient another valium tab. Now they are telling me they are doing this and want to bill for it. As this is not an injectable, there is not HCPCS for it. Can we bill a supply code or charge the patient an unassigned fee for this? I am conflicted!

Thanks,

Barbie Hays, CPC

 

[btadlock1]

Has anyone ever billed for a tablet given to the patient with during an office visit/procedure done in the office?

situation:

Mohs surgeon. Pt's are prescribed and pick up two valium tabs from their pharmacy before the procedure. These tabs last about 4 hours. Some Mohs take 6-8 hours, so the office has been giving the patient another valium tab. Now they are telling me they are doing this and want to bill for it. As this is not an injectable, there is not HCPCS for it. Can we bill a supply code or charge the patient an unassigned fee for this? I am conflicted!

Thanks,

Barbie Hays, CPC

Not on a CMS-1500, you can't. That's a pharmacy charge; you might be able to get reimbursed on the facility side, but not the physician side. Next time, have the doctor write the patient the Rx with an extra one in it; it's not like he can't take it away from them if they don't end up needing it, and it won't cost them anything extra when they fill it. Inadequate planning on the provider's part isn't something that the patient should have to pay for. Hope that helps!