Gastroenterology Coding Alert
Check Balanced Budget Act for Supervision Rules
Question: If a nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA) performs a diagnostic test, as long as it is within his scope of practice, am I correct that there are no supervision requirements? Maine Subscriber Beware: Keep in mind that the supervision requirements for nonphysician ancillary personnel performing diagnostic tests are different from those for incident-to services. Diagnostic tests require general supervision, while incident-to services require direct physician supervision.
Answer: An NP or PA may perform diagnostic tests as long as he follows the state scope-of-practice laws and the applicable state requirements for physician supervision or collaboration. Beyond that, the Medicare supervision rules that otherwise apply to nonphysician ancillary personnel do not apply to NPs and PAs when they personally perform diagnostic tests as listed in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
Gastroenterology Coding Alert
- Coordinate Your Pill Cam Claims to Capture the Right Codes Every Time
Bonus: When the capsule is lodged in the patient's stomach, discover what you should do [...] - Take a Practical Approach to 2 Providers Placing a PEG Tube
Surprise: A modifier is a better option than submitting 2 codes When reporting a percutaneous [...] - Physicians and E/M Coding:
Get Your Gastros In Line With This E/M History Levels Advice
Securing the correct history level is easy with this element-by-element study Warning: Gastroenterologists who take [...] - Reader Question:
Exhale: ERCP Code Doesn't Mention Approach
Question: My gastroenterologist did an intraoperative sphincterotomy. The surgeon is billing for the exploratory gastrotomy. [...] - Reader Question:
Check Balanced Budget Act for Supervision Rules
Question: If a nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA) performs a diagnostic test, as [...] - Reader Question:
No Face-to-Face Time? No E/M Service
Question: My gastroenterologist wants to charge for a visit with a patient's son (who is [...] - Reader Question:
If Pouchitis Is Infectious, Pick 2 Dx Codes
Question: What diagnosis code should I use for pouchitis? And does the ICD-9 code change [...] - Reader Question:
Avoid the Level-3 E/M Rut
Question: I think my gastroenterologists frequently perform established patient office visits that warrant coding at [...] - Reader Question:
Get Your Gastro Paid for H. Pylori Analysis
Question: Our gastroenterologist performs tests for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) using a C-14 breath analysis. [...] - You Be the Coder:
Dislodging a Bolus May Not Mean FBR
Question: I have a chart to code that has the following findings: "I found a [...]
