Advanced Search

Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

Correct Coding Initiative:

CCI Now Bars You From Reporting Alcohol and Tobacco Screening Codes With E/M Services

Published on Sat Mar 12, 2011

But the good news is that you'll soon be able to report operating microscope code 69990 with 61781-61783. You may just be getting used to the new codes in CPT 2011, but the latest edition of CCI, effective April 1, intends to make some code pairings impossible. The Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) released version 17.1 last week, revealing 11,831 new edit pairs and 346 terminations, said Frank D. Cohen, MPA, MBB, senior analyst with MIT Solutions, Inc., in a March 17 statement. New bundles: Among the new edits that will be instituted on April 1, you'll find that alcohol and/or substance abuse assessment codes G0396 and G0397 are bundled into most of the E/M codes (99201-99239). In most cases, you can use a modifier to separate these edits, assuming that the documentation confirms the separate and distinct nature of the services, and demonstrates medical necessity for both the visit and [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

View All