The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced updates to the Q4 HCPCS Level II code, effective October 1, 2024. These changes include: 58 new codes 10 codes with updated descriptions 6 discontinued codes Key Changes: New codes for medical and surgical supplies, outpatient procedures, durable medical equipment, and orthotic procedures. Replacement code […]
Discover the October HCPCS Level II Code Set Update: October 2024 HCPCS Level II code set will receive a quarterly update, introducing 32 new drug and biological codes. Additionally, five codes will be deleted, and five others will undergo revisions. Let’s explore what’s in store. New HCPCS Level II Codes The Centers for Medicare & […]
Defining the Challenge: Overcoming Obstacles in CDI and Coding: To clarify the overwhelming claims made by technology vendors, I’ve provided some basic definitions. As we embark on this journey, it’s crucial to pinpoint the specific obstacles we face. This will help us demonstrate to senior leadership and stakeholders the need for AI-driven solutions to enhance […]
The Role of Medical Codes in Reimbursement Methodologies: Medical codes, such as CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-10 (CM and PCS), are essential components of various reimbursement methodologies. The Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS), used by Medicare fee-for-service, categorizes patient stays into Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-DRGs) based on ICD-10 codes processed through a computerized system. […]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a summary of each HCPCS Level II code application decision. The document is twenty-eight pages long and the link can be found in the Resources section. There are 23 items included in the HCPCS Level II Code Q2 2024 Drug and Biological decisions. Twenty new […]
H5N8 Avian Influenza Vaccine: The American Medical Association (AMA) has updated the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set to include new codes for vaccines protecting against the H5N8 strain of avian influenza. This update follows a recent global outbreak of avian influenza, particularly the H5N1 strain, which has affected wild birds, poultry, dairy cows, and […]
The CPT code set for 2024 has recently been released. The modifications discussed below pertain specifically to urology and will become effective on January 1, 2024, across all payers. While pricing and coverage details will be finalized for certain procedure codes, primarily for Medicare, with the release of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule in late […]
CMS is proposing new Billing Codes for MRI in the draft 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule to account for the extra work involved in safely performing MRIs on patients with implants or other factors that could pose risks. These additional tasks might involve reviewing a patient’s medical history, researching implant specifics, carefully considering risks and […]
OPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is an umbrella term for lung diseases that make breathing difficult. This difficulty arises from blockage or narrowing of the airways. The two most common types are emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which often occur together. Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. While there’s no cure, measures can be taken […]
Current procedural terminology meaning: Current Procedural Terminology or CPT codes are developed by the American Medical Association (AMA) to describe a wide range of healthcare services provided by physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare professionals. These codes are utilized to communicate with other physicians, hospitals, and insurers for claims processing. There are three categories of CPT Codes: […]