# billing for non face-to-face telephone svcs



## tlwhlw (Dec 14, 2011)

My office is currently looking at charging for telephone services. I am sure this is a non-covered service by Medicare, which is 80% of our practice. How could we charge this service without an ABN? Would we need to get one at the beginning of each year for this service, then use Mod GA? Would we use a Mod GY, as a non-covered service? We're trying to figure out if this is feasible, or to document our phone conversations to upcode the next visit. If anyone has any insight -- good or bad --  on this, it would be greatly appreciated!!!


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## ajs (Dec 14, 2011)

tlwhlw said:


> My office is currently looking at charging for telephone services. I am sure this is a non-covered service by Medicare, which is 80% of our practice. How could we charge this service without an ABN? Would we need to get one at the beginning of each year for this service, then use Mod GA? Would we use a Mod GY, as a non-covered service? We're trying to figure out if this is feasible, or to document our phone conversations to upcode the next visit. If anyone has any insight -- good or bad --  on this, it would be greatly appreciated!!!



The ABN rules prohibit getting a "blanket" form signed to cover all potential services, and  requires that you provide specific information prior to each service and list the cost and date of service before getting the patient's signature.

"B. Telephone Services Services by means of a telephone call between a physician and a beneficiary, or between a physician and a member of a beneficiary's family, are covered under Medicare, *but carriers may not make separate payment for these services under the program. The physician work resulting from telephone calls is considered to be an integral part of the prework and postwork of other physician services, and the fee schedule amount for the latter services already includes payment for the telephone calls. *See the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, "Covered Medical and Other Health Services," Sec.270, for coverage of telehealth services."


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## arizona1 (Aug 21, 2012)

*telemedicine*

is the telemedicine visit allowable for submission for CMS Risk Adjustment. Thankyou


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