The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 31 published ICD-10-CM Official Coding and Reporting Guidelines for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), effective April 1 through September 30.
Like other services covered by Medicare, observation must be reasonable and necessary or, in other words, medically necessary. The physician must document that they assessed patient risk to determine that the patient would benefit from observation services.
The American Medical Association (AMA) announced on March 26 new CPT coding and reporting guidance for physicians and medical practices, intended to simplify reporting of in-person and online visit services for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients.
CMS lifted some restrictions on telehealth coverage in a bid to keep non-critically ill patients out of clinics and hospitals in a bid to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), but other still apply to hospitals.
With the release of a new ICD-10-CM code for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), hospitals now have a method to capture and report this critical disease. Although the code itself is relatively straightforward and likely won’t stir up confusion the way coding for complex diagnoses (such as sepsis) does, correctly documenting and coding COVID-19 is crucial to turning the tide on the national public health emergency.
CMS released an update to its FAQ on coding and billing for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 23. The FAQ clarifies the use of HCPCS and CPT® codes for diagnostic laboratory services.
Providers in the U.S. will soon have a specific ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for the COVID-19 virus. During a March 18 meeting, The ICD-10 Coordination and Maintenance Committee announced that it would adopt the World Health Organization code, U07.1 (COVID-19), effective April 1.
CMS announced blanket waivers of certain Medicare requirements to prevent gaps in care for beneficiaries affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. The agency released billing instructions and a set of Q&As.
To enhance efforts to combat the opioid crisis in America, CMS policy allows for a new benefit under Medicare Part B concerning Opioid Treatment Programs.
The American Medical Association (AMA) announced Friday that its CPT® Editorial Panel expedited approval of a unique CPT code to report laboratory testing services for COVID-19. The new code supports the urgent public health need for streamlined reporting of testing for the novel coronavirus.
