Chapter 5 Flashcards
CPT
Pg. 58
E/M: Evaluation & Management Codes
Divided into Categories
*Place of service
*Type of service
*Subcategories indicate specific details (new or established patient)
*Subcategories divided into levels, assigned five-digit code
Decision Tree for New vs Established patient..
If patient has seen another provider, in the same group, of the same specialty, within three years, the patient is established.
A transition from observation status to inpatient is not considered a new stay…
Likewise, a transition between nursing facility and skilled nursing facility is not considered a new stay.
E/M Evaluation & Management
MDM
MDM = Medical Decision Making.
Codes for new vs established are based on medical decision making (which for a new patient MDM takes more time) therefore different pay and different codes are used. Also, total time of the encounter determines the code.
Level of E/M
Look at las digit of the code:
Level 3 is Office Visit (99213)
Level 2 Consultation (99242)
For E/M to qualify as a Consultation…
*service request by another provider
*render an opinion or recommendation
*respond to the requesting provier.
Medicare and some commercial payers do NOT…
reimburse for consultations. CMS recommends reporting new vs established codes.
For purpose of CPB exam…
examinee will be expected to determine codes based on levels of time (given) and should recognize which E/M code is associated w/ given levels (MDM and Time will be given on exam)
E/M MDM and Time…
E/M Code: 99202 99213
MDM straightforward Low
Time 15-29 minutes 20-29 min
*patient seen; MDM and low complexity; 25 minutes… correct code is 99213
bcuz when using total time on DOS, 20 minutes must be met.
A patient is seen in the ED (ER) after having an auto accident. The patient is new to this provider. What subcategory of E/M is reported?
Answer: D. Emergency Department Services
Rationale: The patient is being seen in the emergency department and has not been admitted to the hospital. Look in the CPT® Index for Evaluation and Management/Emergency Department which directs you to codes 99281–99285
A patient is seen by his family provider at the provider’s office. The patient last saw the provider four years prior. Which range of codes would a code be selected from?
Answer: B. 99202–99205
Rationale: The patient has not seen the provider in over three years. Look in the CPT® Index for Evaluation and Management/Office and Other Outpatient which directs you to 99202–99215. In the Evaluation and Management section of the CPT® code book, the Office and Other Outpatient codes are further broken down into new and established patient. New patient codes are reported from the range 99202–99205.
3.A patient is admitted to the hospital for observation on date of service 01/02/XX and discharged from observation on date of service 01/03/XX. Which range of codes would the code(s) be selected from for the admit and discharge from observation?
Answer: A. Admit 99221–99223; Discharge 99238–99239
Rationale: The patient was admitted to observation on one day and discharged the next. Look in the CPT® Index for Evaluation and Management/Hospital Services/Inpatient or Observation Care/Initial and you are directed to 99221-99223. Look in the CPT® Index for Evaluation and Management/Hospital Services/Inpatient or Observation Care/Discharge Day Management and you are referred to 99238, 99239. Admission is reported from the range of the Initial Inpatient or Observation Care (99221–99223) and the discharge, because it was on a different date of service, is reported from the Inpatient or Observation Care Discharge Day Management (99238, 99239). If the patient was admitted and discharged on the same date of services, one code would have been selected from code range 99234–99236.
4.A patient is seen for a follow-up visit in the hospital. A medically appropriate history and exam, and MDM of low complexity were documented. What E/M code is reported?
Answer: C. 99231
Rationale: A follow-up visit in the hospital is coded as subsequent hospital care. Look in the CPT® Index for Evaluation and Management/Hospital Service/Inpatient or Observation Care/Subsequent and you are directed to 99231–99233. Because there is a low medical decision making, the level of service reported is 99231.
5.A 43-year-old established patient is seen for his annual preventive exam by the family physician. A medically appropriate history and exam, and medical decision making of low complexity are performed. What E/M code is reported?
Answer: B. 99396
Rationale: Look in the CPT® Index for Evaluation and Management/Preventive Services and you are directed to 99381–99429. Established patient preventive services are reported from range 99391–99397. The patient is 43 making 99396 the correct code.
Pg. 62
Anesthesia CPT Codes
An-Es-Thee-Sha
*00100-01999
*Anesthesia is coded for the associated surgical procedure.
*Organized by anatomic regions.
Three types of anesthesia…
An-Es-Thee-Sha
General (loss of consciousness)
Regional (region of body)
MAC Monitored Anesthesia Care
Spinal Anesthesia
An-Es-Thee-Sha
CSF in spinal canal for surgeries below upper abdomen.
Epidural Anesthesia
An-Es-Thee-Sha
in the epidural space
Nerve Block
area around nerve to block sensation for the region.
MAC Monitored Anesthesia Care…
An-Es-Thee-Sha
Pt. under light sedation or no sedation w/ local anesthesia, monitored by Anesthesiologist who is prepared to convert MAC. to general.
MAC = Medicare Administrative Contractor in CA it’s Noridian in CO it’s Novitace
Anesthesia reported using CPT
An-Es-Thee-Sha
and time that the anesthesia services were provided. Time reported in minutes.
Payment for anesthesia services…
An-Es-The-Sha
calculated using
*base units associated with each code.
*the time (15 minutes) for one unit
*and modifying units
*units multiplied by a conversion factor or dollar amount.
Selecting an anesthesia code…
An-Es-Thee-Sha
follow same basic steps as procedure codes for other specialties. Use AI, locate anatomic area.
To look for the anesthesia code for a percutaneous liver biopsy, you can look in the CPT® Index or in the Anesthesia section of the CPT® code book.
An-Es-Thee-Sha
In the CPT® Index
– Anesthesia
Biopsy
Ear 00120
Liver 00702
Salivary Glands 00100
The correct code 00702
modifiers that are specific to anesthesia codes
An-Es-Thee-Sha
*P1–P6 are physical status modifiers that designate the general health status of the patient.
four anesthesia codes that are add-on codes that are used to identify specific qualifying circumstances,
An-Es-Thee-Sha
*extreme age 99100
*total body hypothermia 99116
*controlled hypotension 99135
*emergency conditions 99140
**if the qualifying circumstance is part of the CPT code description, the qualifying circumstance is NOT reported. EXAMPLE:
00834 - Anesthesia for hernia repairs in the lower abdomen not otherwise specified, younger than 1 year of age.
HCPCS (Hick-Picks) Level II Modifiers…
Modifiers - To report circumstances surrounding the various methods of anesthesia.
*did anesthesiologist perform the anesthesia.
*or provided medical direction
To apply the correct modifiers for anesthesia… the types of providers must be understood.
Anesthesiologist is a physician licensed to practice medicine and has completed anesthesiology program.
CRNA: Certified RN Anesthesiologist who has completed an accredited anesthesia training program.
Anesthesiologist Assistant: (should be spelled out bcuz AA already taken)
has completed accredited program. may only be directed by an anesthesiologist.
Anesthesia Resident: completed medical degree. In a Residency program.
SRNA: Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Modifiers reported w/ anesthesia CPT codes.. An-Es-Thee-Sha
AA - Anesthesia by Anesthesiologist
AD - Anesthesia Directed by Dr
GC - Resident
QK - Direction is concurrent by Dr
QX - CRNA w/ Direction
QY - Direction of ONE CRNA
QZ - CRNA w/o direction
AA - Anesthesia by Anesthesiologist
AD - Medical supervision by a physician.
QK- Medical direction of 2,3, or 4 concurrent procedures. (concurrent means all current ongoing cases)
QY- Medical direction of one CRNA
GC- Resident
QX- CRNA w/ medical direction.
QZ-CRNA w/o medical direction.
State scope of practice may prohibit claims w/ a non-medical direction modifier.
Medical Direction modifiers for anesthesia
An-Es-Thee-Sha
are reported in the first position after the CPT code bcuz payment is related to the modifier. Other modifiers are reported second position after medical direction modifiers.
If more than one surgical procedure is performed during a single anesthetic…
the most complex procedure (highest unit value) is reported.
Surgery CPT codes describe a package of services…
*Local (nerve blocks)
*One E/M
*Post Op
*talking w/ fam & other physicians
*Post Op follow up.
Follow-up services (after surgery) have a global period.
Medicare:
*0 days,
*10 days (minor surgery)
*90 days (major surgery)
Many payers adopt Medicare global periods. (this used in the CPB exam)
To determine the global period..
the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule can be referenced. MPFS
Global Days Status Indicators 000
meaning ….
000 - is for …
Minor procedure w/ PreOp PostOp.
E/M on day of procedure NOT payable.
Global Days Status Indicators 010
*Minor procedures
*Pre-Op Day of
*10 day Post-op.
*E/M NOT paid on day of and 10 day f/u
Global Days Status Indicators 090
*Major procedure.
*One day Pre-Op
*90 Days Post-Op
*E/M NOT paid for day of, day prior and day of surgery.
Global Days Status Indicator for MMM
Maternity codes
*global period does NOT apply
Global Days Status Indicator for XXX
Global… Does NOT apply.
E/M, Anesthesia, Lab & Radiology.
Global Days Status Indicator for YYY
these are unlisted codes, and subject to individual pricing.
Global Days Status Indicator for ZZZ
These are add-on codes. They are related to another service and included in the global period.
Care required due to complications, exacerbations, recurrences…
may be separately reported.
Medicare will only reimburse separately for Post Op if
complications that result in a return to the OR.
When multiple procedure are performed
*Report major procedure w/ CPT code
*Additional procedures use modifiers
*Modifier 51
TIP: Some payers request modifier 51 not be appended as the payers processing system is programmed to automatically append modifier 51 to subsequent procedures. It is necessary for a medical biller to know the policies of their payers.
Follow-up care … is
care related to recovery from the procedure. Care for underlying condition is not included in follow up.
Codes with plus sign symbol are
add-on codes. Add-on codes should never be reported without a parent code.
Example
15260Full thickness graft, free, including direct closure of donor site, nose, ears, eyelids, and/or lips; 20 sq cm or less
+15261each additional 20 sq cm, or part thereof (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
“Separate procedure” in the code descriptor…
*Does NOT mean bill separately.
*if the procedure…. is performed as part of another procedure …. that typically includes the “separate procedure” then separate reporting of the “separate procedure” code is INCORRECT.
Surgical procedures often found in the CPT Index under anatomic location or under procedure..
The code for a liver biopsy can be found in the CPT® Index under Biopsy/Liver which directs you to 47000, 47001, 47100, 47700.
Biopsy
Liver 47000, 47001, 47100, 47700
You can also look under Liver/Biopsy
It’s very important to read the section guidelines and parenthetical instructions in the surgical section …
bcuz they give guidance on correct coding procedures.
Guidance 1.
Each lesion excision is reported …
separately while the length of multiple repairs within the same anatomic section are added together.
Guidance 2.
a diagnostic endoscopy or arthroscopy …
is always included when performed w/ a surgical endoscopy or arthroscopy respectively.