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Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

CPT 2001 Contains Significant Neurology Code Changes
The American Medical Associations (AMA) CPT changes for 2001 indicate a more straightforwa... Read more
Avoid Audits by Comparing Code Use to National Averages
By Eric Sandham, CPC Compliance Educator Central California Faculty Medical GroupFresno, C... Read more
Hot Topic:
Increased Reimbursement for 95819
Question: Is it true that Medicare has issued a retroactive increase in reimbursement on ... Read more
Reader Question:
Chronic Conditions
Question: Generally I see a patient before referring him or her. But if the patient has a ... Read more
Reader Question:
Nerve Conduction Studies and Evoked Potentials
Question: I have been getting denied payment for tests such as nerve conduction studies an... Read more
Reader Question:
Emergency During Office Visit
Question: We had an emergency in our office when a patient had a seizure during an exam, f... Read more
Reader Question:
Echo/Doppler and E/M
Question: If a patient comes to the office and has an evaluation and management (E/M) visi... Read more
You Be the Coder:
95867 with 95860 or 95861?
Question: When CPT 95867 is used in combination with 95860 or 95861, should a modifier be ... Read more
Increase Payment for Spinal Injections by Billing Based on the Key Criteria of a Procedure
Many factors influence the difficult and critical choice of assigning a CPT code for a spi... Read more
Use Modifiers to Increase Payment for Starred Procedures
When is a small procedure, such as a biopsy or an injection, considered minor, and what do... Read more
Reader Question:
CPAP and NonCPAP
Question: Can we bill 95810 and 95811 on the same day for continuous positive airway press... Read more
Reader Question:
Black Box Edits
Question: Is it true that HCFA has recalled all black box edits?Georgia Subscriber Answer... Read more
Reader Question:
Location Codes
Question: Our neurologist is the medical director of an acute care inpatient rehabilitatio... Read more
Reader Question:
Patient Discharge
Question: Can a neurologist use 99233 instead of 99238 to discharge a patient? I know that... Read more
Reader Question:
Billing for a Deceased Patient
Question: A patient whom I admitted to a skilled nursing facility in January died in June.... Read more
Reader Question:
Billing for Team Meetings
Question: Our neurologist treats a carpal tunnel (354.0) patient who is in an inpatient ps... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Confirmatory Consult
Question: If the neurologist does a confirmatory consult for a brain tumor on a patient wh... Read more
Optimize Reimbursement for Diagnostic Testing Of Strokes With Proper Documentation
Neurologists often have problems getting reimbursed from Medicare and other third-party p... Read more
Increase Payment for Consults By Showing No Transfer of Care
Although Medicare and CPT have clarified their positions on consultation reimbursement, so... Read more
Know the OT Procedures You Can Bill for to Receive Proper Payment
Neurology practices that erroneously classify all therapy services as physical therapy may... Read more
Reader Question:
Prolonged Service Codes
Question: Does CPT code 99359 need to be listed separately for each unit, and should a -51... Read more
Reader Question:
Rounding Limiting Charges
Question: Is it true that a nonparticipating Medicare provider may round the limiting char... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Needle EMGs
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Know the Requirements for Submitting Sleep Study Claims to Avoid Denials
Neurologists often perform a sleep study for patients who have high blood pressure (401.1)... Read more
After-hours Codes:
Optimize Reimbursement For Emergency Services
Emergencies can happen at any time. Neurologists may receive calls at two in the morning b... Read more
Correct Coding Initiative 101:
Understand Medicares CCI to Ensure Compliance
Unbundling coding for two or more procedures that should not be billed together is a maj... Read more
Reader Question:
EEG on Amnesiac Patient
Question: Our practice recently performed an electroencephalogram (EEG) on a patient who p... Read more
Reader Question:
Somatosensory Evoked Potentials
Question: What is the best way to code for somatosensory evoked potential testing using th... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Use of Medicare Modifiers
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Receive Reimbursement for Nerve Conduction Studies Bundled by Erroneous CCI Edit
If you have submitted a recent claim for 95900 (nerve conduction, amplitude and latency/ve... Read more
Correct Use of Observation Codes Can Boost Payment
Many neurology practices rarely use observation codes, but these relatively new and largel... Read more
Precision Counts When Billing For Workers' Comp Visits
There are no national standards for coders to follow when processing workers compensation ... Read more
Reader Question:
Concurrent Care vs. Consult
Question: One of my multiple sclerosis (340) patients was admitted to the hospital by her ... Read more
Reader Question:
ICD-9 Code for Generalized Weakness
Question: What is the appropriate diagnosis code for progressive generalized weakness fo... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Preventive Medicine Counseling Codes
Question: We wish to employ a nutritionist to advise our patients regarding stroke prevent... Read more
Optimize Reimbursement for Botulinum Toxin Injections by Using the Correct Codes
Neurology offices that use botulinum toxin (botox) injections to treat spastic muscle diso... Read more
Save Time by Creating a Payer-specific Coding Policies Log
Many neurologists see patients in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings, and many... Read more
How the New APCs Will Affect Reimbursement
The new ambulatory payment classification (APC) regulations set forth by the Health care F... Read more
Reader Question:
Biofeedback in the Home
Question: I have several patients who need portable biofeedback units to use at home. How ... Read more
Reader Question:
Intraoperative Monitoring
Question: Our neurosurgeon had a neurologist provide the technical component for intraoper... Read more
Reader Question:
Coding 96115 With E/M
Question: CPT 2000 code 96115 (neurobehavioral status exam) is time based. What are the co... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Migraines
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Optimize Your Reimbursement for Rule-outs and Screenings
After ordering a test to rule out a possible condition, a neurologist may encounter a reim... Read more
Get Paid for ER Patients Admitted on the Same Day
Neurologists frequently see patients in the emergency room (ER) and subsequently admit the... Read more
Advantages for Coding Nurse-only Visits 99211
Evaluations between nurses and patients for routine follow-up visits or other minor servic... Read more
Reader Question:
The Four Levels of Appeal
Question: We have several claims that we believe have been unfairly denied by carriers. Wh... Read more
You Be the Coder:
92283 & 76857
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking a... Read more
Parkinsons Disease:
Optimize Reimbursement for Programming Deep Brain Stimulators
Parkinsons (332.0) sufferers often exhibit symptoms including uncontrollable severe writhi... Read more
Avoid Audits by Comparing Your Code Usage to National Averages
An innocuous-looking letter arrives in your office, one of the many official-looking piece... Read more
Secondary Diagnoses Critical To Maximize Reimbursement
After ordering a test to rule out a possible condition, a neurologist may encounter a reim... Read more
News Brief:
Electronic Billing to Be Made Safer and More Secure
A group of technology and healthcare companies recently said they have banded together to ... Read more
Reader Question:
Coding Botox Injections
Question: To code Botox injections, should we bill by the number of injections (or injecti... Read more
Reader Question:
Performing the MMPI
Question: I would like to start using the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventor... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Multiple Nerve Conduction Studies
Question: What is the proper coding for a distal latency study on the sensory nerves? Does... Read more
Obtain Proper Reimbursement for Epidural Blocks for Pain Management
Proper coding for epidural blocks requires knowledge of the various clinical procedures th... Read more
Update:
Optimize Payment for t-PA By Using Proper E/M Codes
Coding for the administration of t-PA to stroke victims continues to be a complicated oper... Read more
News Brief:
Look for Corrections to CCI Version 6.1 Errors
Due to a large number of errors, the implementation of the national Correct Coding Initiat... Read more
Reader Question:
EMG/NCV With F-Wave Studies
Question: If the neurologist performs an EMGNCV (electromyography/nerve conduction velocit... Read more
Reader Question:
Neuropsychological Testing Batteries
Question: What are the correct codes for the following tests: neuropsychological testing b... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Muscle Testing
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Get Paid for Delivering Office-Based Solu-Medrol Infusion Services
Neurology practices debating the pros and cons of providing services to patients needing S... Read more
Assigning ICD-9 Codes:
Simple Strategies for Coding Seizures During EEG Monitoring
"Two distinct problems may plague professional coders who face the challenge of assigning ... Read more
Get Paid for Higher Level Pediatric Neurology Exams
Before 1997, neurologists had to rely on general multisystem examination guidelines as pre... Read more
Reader Question:
Assessing Aphasia
Question: Our office is looking into several methods for assessing aphasia (784.3). CPT co... Read more
Reader Question:
Single Limb EMG Studies
Question: CPT 2000 makes a distinction between a limited electromyography (EMG) study of a... Read more
Reader Question:
Consults Leading to Immediate Service
Question: We recently performed a consultation with findings that necessitated a spinal ta... Read more
Increase Your Bottom Line by Correctly Coding Intraoperative Monitoring
Neurologists performing intraoperative monitoring play a crucial role in many complex and ... Read more
E/M Levels:
Increase Pay by Documenting Coexisting Conditions
Choosing the appropriate evaluation and management (E/M) service level is always challengi... Read more
Minimize Denials When Using Modifiers -25 and -59
Although CPT modifiers are intended to allow neurologists to clarify and support their cha... Read more
Reader Question:
Trigger Point Injections
Question: What is the best way to code for trigger point injections to receive the maximum... Read more
Reader Question:
Greater Occipital Neuralgia
Question: My physician uses the diagnosis greater occipital neuralgia quite often, and I... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Neurobehavioral Status Exams
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Avoid EMG Coding Problems and Audits With Proper Documentation Techniques
Interpreting electromyograms (EMG) results can be complex. Consequently, coding for this ... Read more
Ensure Proper Reimbursement For Bilateral H-Reflex Studies
Neurologists often encounter denials when billing for H-reflex studies because insurance c... Read more
Optimize Reimbursement For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Neurologists who diagnose and treat carpal tunnel syndrome (354.0) often face difficulties... Read more
Reader Question:
Clarification for Botox Injections
Question: Could you please clarify your answer to the question in the December 1999 Neurol... Read more
Reader Question:
ICD-9 Changes for 2000
Question: Will neurologists have any ICD-9 changes for the year 2000?Aventura NeurologicAv... Read more
Reader Question:
Reimbursement Differences for Ambulatory EEGs
Question: Will the use of an eight-channel rather than a 16-channel ambulatory EEG create ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Coding Cigital Analysis of EEG's
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Available Years:  2000  1999