Coding Flashcards
Why is coding important?
Supports our Interventions
How we communicate with others
How we measure quality and effectiveness of our services
It’s the basis for pay!
Legal reasons
- poor coding can be fraud
What does your intermediary do?
Cannot write law or change policy
- must follow federal policy
Can interpret codes and regulations
Work for you/your company and the insurance
Staffed by OT/PT
What are the 2 primary codes we deal with?
ICD 10
CPT codes
ICD-10 codes
Diagnostic codes-International Classification of Diseases
- The basis for everything we do
- Important part of the “what is accepted practice” process
Important that you code to the highest level of specificity
- This should NOT be left to the billing person
ICD 10 is changing to…
Combine more codes
Expand mental health codes
Greater specificity
Add postprocedural disorders (cast disease)
What’s the big deal about the right diagnostic code?
Some CPT codes or equipment codes can only be used with certain ICD-10 codes
Level I code
CPT - Current procedural terminology
Majority of codes we use
Used for procedures we perform
Level II codes
HCPCS
Used for specific procedures, orthotics and prosthetics, and equipment
We generally use the “L” codes
Required to be an Approved DMEPOS Agent-(Durable Medical Equipment and Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies)
Most common OT CPT codes
- therapeutic exercise (97110)
- manual therapy (97140)
- E-Stim (97032)
Types of CPT codes
Procedural
- One time per day (no matter the time!)
- Example: PT/OT eval
- Modifiers can be used in some instances
Timed codes (most are in 15 min increments)
- Can use as much as needed (some talk about limit of 6)
- What is the minimum time?
“For any single CPT code, providers bill a single 15 minute unit for treatment greater than or equal to 8 minutes and less than 23 minutes”
8 minute rule
GO/GP/GN modifier
helps with duplication of services
OT does therapeutic exercise: GO
PT does therapeutic exercise: GP
KX modifier
Use when client has surpassed their Medicare threshold for services ($2330 for OT, and for PT/ST)
9X015
CPT code 9X015: Caregiver training in strategies and techniques to facilitate the patient’s functional performance in the home or community (eg, activities of daily living [ADLs], instrumental ADLs [IADLs], transfers, mobility, communication, swallowing, feeding, problem solving, safety practices) (without the patient present), face-to-face; initial 30 minutes,
9X016
CPT code 9X016: each additional 15 minutes (List separately in addition to code for primary service) (Use 9X016 in conjunction with 9X015)
9X017
CPT code 9X017: Group caregiver training in strategies and techniques to facilitate the patient’s functional performance in the home or community (eg, activities of daily living [ADLs], instrumental ADLs [IADLs], transfers, mobility, communication, swallowing, feeding, problem solving, safety practices) (without the patient present), face-to-face with multiple sets of caregivers.
GA modifier
Client has met functional plateau but wishes to continue therapy (maintenance)-pt will be responsible for bill
MPPR
Multiple procedure payment reduction
If you use one code over and over you are paid less for it each time (in a single session).
If a COTA does the intervention is a 15% deduction.
Who does medicare deem as unskilled?
BY definition, if someone other than an OT or COTA, PT or PTA is doing it, it is unskilled… e.g., aide, ATC, exercise physiologist
What is skilled?
A service that requires the specialized knowledge of a professional
This includes the treatment plan, the clinical reasoning, and your knowledge base
ATCs CPT codes
97169-97172
What is abuse?
accidental up coding
“our policy is that everyone gets e-stim after therapy”
To much abuse quickly turns to FRAUD
If everyone is getting it, you can’t be using clinical reasoning!