Gastroenterology Coding Alert

However, gastro offices won't be affected much

As 2004 stretches into its second month, gastroenterology offices are trying to adjust to all the new CPT and ICD-9 codes, as well as digesting all of the changes in the Physician Fee Schedule. Thankfully, there is one significant change in 2004 that gastroenterology professionals won't have to worry about.
 
In 2004, CPT unveiled Category II codes as a way to track certain codes for performance measurement. All 11 Category II codes contain four  numbers followed by the letter "F."
 
According to coding experts, however, gastroenterologists and coders shouldn't devote much time to learning this new set of codes.
 
The Category II codes are tracking codes for things such as blood pressure, smoking and certain drugs. There aren't many conceivable scenarios in which a gastroenterology office would have to use any of the current Category II codes; they are more for primary-care physicians than anyone else.