Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

HOSPITALS:

April OPPS Offers An Array Of Coding, Policy Changes

Use C9723 when reporting blood perfusion imaging to Medicare.

Hospitals can anticipate payment for a wider variety of outpatient prospective payment system claims - and a lot of policy changes.

In an April Medlearn Matters article, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a laundry list of payment changes for the OPPS April 2005 update. Now hospitals can get reimbursement under OPPS using these new codes:
 

  •  C9723 (Dynamic infrared blood perfusion imaging)  and C9724 (Endoscopic full-thickness plication in the gastric cardia using endoscopic plication system;includes endoscopy).
     
  •  Q4079 (Injection, Natalizumab, 1 mg) with status indicator "G", instead of  C9126.
     
  •  C9223 (Injection, adenosine for therapeutic or diag- nostic use, 6 mg, not to be used to report any adenosine phosphate compounds, instead use A9270) instead of J0150 and J0152.
     
  •  J9390 for generic (Vinorelbine tartrate, per 10 mg)  and C9440 for the brand name.
     
  •  C9127 (Injection, paclitaxel protein-bound particles, per 1 mg) and C9128 (Injection,pegaptamib sodium,per 0.3 mg).

    Don't Forget: CMS Deleted G0001

    According to CMS, hospitals should also note these payment changes:  

  •  Look for status indicator "M" for services not billable to fiscal intermediaries or payable under the OPPS.
     
  •  Venipuncture code G0001 was deleted for services on or before Jan. 1. Use 36415 (Collection of venous blood by venipuncture) and 36416 (Collection of capillary blood specimen [e.g., finger, heel, ear stick]).
     
  •  OPPS reactivated modifier -27 (Multiple outpatient hospital E/M encounters on the same date), effective Jan. 1. For services provided between Jan. 1 and March 31, hospitals can submit an adjustment bill to receive payment for services related to modifier -27.

    To read the entire Medlearn Matters article, go to
    www.cms.hhs.gov/medlearn/matters/mmarticles/2005/MM3756.pdf.

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