Our coding experts answer your questions about physician supervision for chemotherapy, billing injectable drugs, Addendum B and coverage, new transitional care management codes, and stent placement with other procedures.
Q We're struggling with nursing documentation of stop times for IV infusions (e.g., piggybacks and hydration). The nurses also inconsistently document a patient's return to the unit from diagnostics. We know that CMS now allows us to use average times for common services, and we're interested in considering this approach at my organization. Can you share additional specifics?
Self-administered drugs present a significant issue for coders, especially when considering how they may or may not be covered by Medicare Part B. In many instances, payers may consider a drug to be self-administered in some circumstances but not in others. As a result, coders must pay special attention to how these drugs are used within their setting.
Our experts answer questions about, modifier -25, cardioversion performed during an ED code, denials for multiple port film line items, and procedure discontinued after administration of anesthesia.
In addition to increased packaging and collapsing of E/M clinic visit level CPT® codes in the 2014 OPPS -Final Rule, CMS made additional changes that will have an immediate impact on reimbursement
Coders can find the largest number of new codes in the pathology and laboratory section of the 2012 CPT® Manual. The AMA added a total of 103 new codes, 101 of which denote Tier 1 and Tier 2 molecular path-ology procedures.
In total, the AMA added 60 new codes throughout the surgery section of the 2012 CPT® Manual, 18 of which appear in the cardiovascular and respiratory system subsections. The AMA also revised 86 codes and deleted 48 codes in the surgery section.
