Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: My anesthesiologist has been using a stamp signature for years, but recently we discovered documents using the stamp were not sufficient for verifying his documentation and records. What's going on?

Michigan Subscriber

Answer: Medicare providers no longer accept stamped signatures on any medical record, according to a recent CMS decision (CR 5971, Transmittal 248). CMS made this decision to "ensure accurate application of Medicare's program requirements throughout the nation. CMS has identified problems of noncompliance with existing statutes, regulations, rules, and other systematic problems relating to standards of practice for a valid physician's signature on medical orders and related medical documents." However, Medicare will accept handwritten and electronic signatures, or facsimiles of original written or electronic signatures.

-- Answers to You Be the Coder and Reader Questions were provided by Scott Groudine, MD, an Albany, N.Y., anesthesiologist; Marvel J. Hammer, RN, CPC, CCS-P, ACS-PM, CHCO, owner of MJH Consulting in Denver; and Kelly Dennis, MBA, CPC, ACS-AP, with Perfect Office Solutions of Leesburg, Fla.