Healthcare providers are often confused about what a commercial or managed care payer would want in order to approve the claim. Much of this confusion comes from the timing of requirements to ensure reimbursement.
Predicting CMS policies can be a foolhardy exercise, especially with a relatively new administration and frequent turnover at the highest levels of HHS over the last year. But it’s safe to say drug payment policy has been and will continue to be a focus of the current regime.
CMS introduced packaging guidance for total knee arthroplasty procedures paid under the OPPS and billed in conjunction with anesthesia administration as part of the July 2018 quarterly update to the integrated outpatient code editor.
CMS recently released MLN Matters SE18001 to provide healthcare practitioners with instructions and coding guidance for specimen validity when performed and billed in combination with drug testing. The article was issued to remind laboratories and other providers performing urine drug testing that specimen validity testing (SVT) is not separately billable.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), it is estimated that more than half a million people in the U.S. have Crohn’s disease. For unknown reasons, the disease has become more widespread in both the U.S. and other parts of the world.
A coding audit may be conducted by internal staff or external entities, typically representing the insurers paying for the care. When planning to implement a coding auditing program, the type of reviews, focus areas, and review frequency must all be taken into consideration.
Providers should be preparing for another rulemaking cycle from CMS as we hit April, with the IPPS rule expected to include a discussion on how the existing payment system can address new and emerging cellular and gene therapies.
The shift from fee-for-service to value-based programs for outpatient payment systems has increased the need for outpatient CDI staff to review documentation for pertinent clinical factors.
In the 2018 OPPS final rule, CMS finalized a change to the current clinical laboratory date of service policies for outpatient molecular pathology tests and advanced diagnostic laboratory tests.
Changes to HCPCS and CPT® codes, drug and biological payments, and a new separately payable procedure code are coming in April. The transmittal announcing the updates also includes clarification on the application of the modifier –FY payment reduction.
