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CE Articles
Appending CPT modifiers for E/M visits

Choosing the correct E/M level can be difficult enough, but coders may also face scenarios where it’s necessary to append a modifier to the code. Susan E. Garrison, CHCA, CHCAS, CCS-P, CHC, PCS, FCS, CPAR, CPC, CPC-H, reviews when to report modifiers -25 and -27 and instances when the modifiers would not be appropriate. 

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Billing therapy services in support of comprehensive APC services
Comprehensive APCs (C-APC) have added another complication to coding and billing for outpatient services. Valerie A. Rinkle, MPA, writes about recent changes that could impact the reporting of physical and occupational therapy and speech-language pathology services provided in support of or adjunctive to a C-APC.
Don’t look past history when choosing E/M levels
Choosing an E/M level code depends on three components—history, exam, and medical decision-making. History itself has four further components that coders need to look for in physician documentation. Review what comprises these components to aid in choosing the correct levels.   
Healthcare News: CMS releases 2017 ICD-10-CM codes
CMS has released the final list of new and revised ICD-10-CM codes available for reporting beginning October 1, 2016, with more than 2,000 changes. 
Q&A: Complying with new partial hospitalization program billing edits
Q: We operate a partial hospitalization program (PHP) and just heard from our billing office that there are new requirements for submitting claims. They want us to close out accounts weekly in order for them to bill them. We have done 30-day accounts prior to this and don’t see why they want to change things. Is there a certain timeframe required for billing these services? This is a huge inconvenience to make this work for the business office.
 

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Free quiz: CPT codes for spinal cord injections, drainage, and aspiration 
Test your knowledge with this week’s free quiz, which features CPT codes for spinal cord injections, drainage, and aspiration.  
 
 

    

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