News & Analysis

October 1, 2012
Briefings on APCs

When the AMA revised the instructions for reporting ancillary services with critical care in 2011, facilities knew they wouldn't see an immediate increase in ­payment. CMS determines payment amounts through use of claims data from two years earlier, meaning the earliest facilities could expect additional reimbursement is 2013.

October 1, 2012
Briefings on APCs

Our coding experts answer your questions about coding for hysteroscopy prior to ablation, appending modifier -59 for MRI and MRA, charging for venipunctures, therapy caps under OPPS, reporting limits for Provenge®, modifier -59 and infusion therapy, Reporting TEE pre- and post-operativley, coding for toxic metabolic encephalopathy

September 1, 2012
Briefings on APCs

CMS is proposing two major changes as part of the 2013 OPPS proposed rule, released July 6. One has to do with how CMS proposes to calculate APC relative weights; the other addresses the reimbursement level for separately payable drugs and biologicals without pass-through status.

September 1, 2012
Briefings on APCs

Our coding experts answer questions about reporting dialysis for ESRD patient in ED, coding for sequential infusions, procedures on the inpatient-only list, replacement code for C9732, and new drug HCPCS codes.

August 1, 2012
Briefings on APCs

Coders can run into two types of edits that may ­require them to append modifier -59 (distinct procedural service) to override: NCCI edits and medically unlikely edits (MUE).

August 1, 2012
Briefings on APCs

HCPCS code C1882 (cardioverter-defibrillator, other than single or dual chamber [implantable]) will once again meet the criteria to override the device-to-procedure edit for CPT® code 33249 (insertion or replacement of permanent pacing cardioverter-defibrillator system with transvenous lead[s], single or dual chamber).

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