# Auto injury billing



## goodric1947 (Oct 9, 2010)

My Dr. is telling me that there are special codes for billing auto injury visits. The codes are different and reimbursement higher?? I cannot find anything to support this. He heard this from "other doctors". Can anyone give me any insight. Thanks.

Linda Goodrich
Billing Manager


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## mitchellde (Oct 9, 2010)

There are no special codes for higher reimbursement.  You should however append the E diagnosis codes as secondary dx codes for the auto accident and whether they are passenger or driver.  Other than that I cannot imagine what he is referring to.  Possibly the addition of the 99058 CPT code to see the patients as an emergency encounter?  Can he be more specific?  Is he referring to dx codes or CPT codes?


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## Linda Horne (Oct 11, 2010)

*Linda H*

The codes are called AIS(Abbreviated Injury Scaling) codes and this course is offered through AAAM.  Most Emergency Rooms in hospitals should have a trauma coordinator or registrar that will have information to help you with this and if you need more information on it just contact your state trauma registrar at State Dept of Health.


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## mitchellde (Oct 11, 2010)

I do not see this being used in billing ever.  The AIS was not created for billing and as far as I am aware has never been communicated on a physician claim for higher reimbursement.
Here is what the AAAM says about their AIS codes:
The AIS was developed to provide researchers with a simple numerical method for ranking and comparing injuries by severity and to standardize the terminology used to describe injuries. The AIS is universally accepted as the foundation of injury severity scaling systems. AAAM’s International Injury Scaling Committee (IISC) is the parent organization of the AIS. AAAM initially developed the scale in 1971 and has provided periodic updates and continuous support since that time. 
They are used in trauma and when I participated in a statewide disaster drill we used them in the simualtion for mutiple casualties, outside of that I do not see how they apply in our area.  If you do use them I am curious as to how you communicate them and to whom.


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