Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

2021 E/M Changes:
Study This Case to Prep for New Year
Deciding cases by MDM will be a top challenge in 2021. We've all been prepping for the pa... Read more
ICD-10 Coding:
Back to Basics: This Guide Resolves Back Pain Dx Problems
… plus, here's 3 scenarios to help you navigate the M54.- codes. Do you feel like your ... Read more
Injection Intro:
Use These Tips to Get Protection on Injection Claims
Here's why ICD-10 smarts are key for these 3 injection services. When you're coding in a ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Go Inside the Terms for Palsy Dx
Question: The provider performs a level-three established patient evaluation and managemen... Read more
Reader Questions:
Hold the Line on Additional IV Infusion Time
Question: Notes indicate that my provider performed an intravenous (IV) infusion for... Read more
Reader Questions:
Track Telehealth Into 2021 for Coverage Updates
Question: Medicare implemented a lot of changes in coverage for telehealth in respons... Read more
Reader Questions:
Get Hip to VEP Coding Exceptions
Question: Our provider performed a visual evoked potential (VEP) checkerboard test with in... Read more
Reader Questions:
Use This ABN Form in 2021
Question: How do I know whether I'm using the correct advanced beneficiary notice (ABN) fo... Read more
Medicare Policy Updates:
Telehealth Up, Conversion Factor Down in Latest Proposal
PHE pushes Medicare to expand covered telehealth list. If you haven't had enough upheaval... Read more
Acupuncture:
Stick to the Rules, and You’ll Have a Shot at Acupuncture Pay
Here's how Medicare's new acupuncture rules are playing out so far. In 2020, Medicare mad... Read more
E/M Coding:
Remember Those Inpatient E/M Coding Rules
Focus will be on what's different — but don't forget what's the same. We all know about... Read more
Reader Questions:
Use PHE PPE Code for Added Expenses
Question: What do you know about the new CPT® code for reporting additional practice... Read more
Reader Questions:
Dive Deeper Than Just Dx Code for Ankylosing Spondylitis
Question: My neurologist documented a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis of the cervical ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Customized Electrodes Mark Differences Between 95905, Other NCS Codes
Question: What is the difference between a motor and/or sensory nerve conduction (95905) a... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Get CP Dx Right to Avoid Coding Headaches
Question: The provider performed a level-three office evaluation and management (E/M) serv... Read more
CPT® 2021:
Get to Know All About 2021 E/M Changes
Prolonged services coding gets a makeover that could take getting used to. There's little... Read more
Pain Blocks:
Use These Tips to Eliminate Hurdles for TAP Block, PVB Coding
Chest pain can often lead to PVB. Patients who report to your PM clinic suffering from t... Read more
ICD-10 Quiz:
Can You Ace These Vascular Dementia Dx Questions?
Start by knowing definition of condition. Vascular dementia might involve only a couple o... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Notes Need Detail to Nail Hallucinations Dx
Question: The provider treated a new patient who suffered from hallucinations. Notes indic... Read more
Reader Questions:
CPT® 2021 Nixes These Category III Codes
Question: Are there any changes relevant to pain management or neurology that we should be... Read more
Reader Questions:
No Guarantees for Permanent Telehealth Expansion Yet
Question: Will the recent telehealth expansion rules expire when the public health emergen... Read more
Reader Questions:
Check Out Details From New ABN Deadline Extension
Question: I was told by a colleague that there's a new advance beneficiary notice (ABN) fo... Read more
CPT® 2021:
Use New Coding Rules to Reach E/M Level Via MDM
Detailed case shows how to select code based on updated guidelines. Everyone's been talki... Read more
ICD-10 Coding:
Migraine Deep Dive Reveals 5th, 6th Digit Challenges
Here's why you'll need to know intractable, status migrainosus definitions. Migraines are... Read more
Reimbursement:
Observe Locum Tenens Rules or Rule Out Correct Coding
Do you know which modifier you should use for a ‘substitute' physician? When your pract... Read more
Reader Questions:
Be Careful With Long-Term EEG Selection
Question: Which code should I report for long-term electroencepha­lography (EEG) setup? ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Use This Primer to Discern Decompression From Discography
Question: What is the difference between disc decompression and an injection for discograp... Read more
Reader Questions:
Duck Pay Cuts With Split/Shared Visit Smarts
Question: Can qualified nonphysician practitioners (NPPs) “split” a service with a ph... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Specify Nerve in Cranial Neoplasm Dx
Question: The physician documents that the patient has a malignant neoplasm of her right o... Read more
ICD-10 2021:
COVID-19 Code Gets ICD-10 Entry
Ataxia, Dravet syndrome also get Dx additions. ICD-10 released its new set of codes for 2... Read more
ICD-10 Coding:
Know Terms, Take the Pain Out of Coding Migraines
Migraines are of several different types, affect patients differently. A patient reportin... Read more
Modifier Madness:
Keep 24/25 Separate With These Tips
Expert eliminates E/M application confusion. Modifiers for evaluation and management (E/M... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Use This Strategy on ECoG Claims
Question: My physician analyzed an electrocorticogram recording from a previously placed b... Read more
Reader Questions:
Will N95 Masks Provision Lead to Negative Returns?
Question: One safety measure our pain management office has implemented during the COVID-1... Read more
Reader Questions:
Pump Up Your Programmable Refill Knowledge
Question: I'm having trouble determining the best way to code for programmable pump refill... Read more
Reader Questions:
Be Proactive by Procuring Actigraphy Coding Tips
Question: Notes indicate that the provider performed an actigraphy, with ‘test, rec... Read more
Reader Questions:
Service Site Matters on Supply Questions
Question: My office is not a surgery center, but we do perform minor surgeries under place... Read more
Anatomy:
Put Fine Point on Your Spinal Dx Coding
Vital: Knowing the difference between vertebral segment, interspace. Have you ever felt l... Read more
Spinal Procedures:
Know Decompression Types, Master Procedure Coding
Do you know the 3 types of decompression your provider's likely to perform? There are a l... Read more
Case Study Corne:
Boost Discography/Decompression Smarts With These Scenarios
It's vital to know whether the procedure was diagnostic or surgical. When patients report... Read more
Reader Questions:
Get the Lowdown on NCCI Updates
Question: I know a bit about the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) quarterly edits... Read more
Reader Questions:
Keep COVID-19 Con Artists at Bay
Question: Even months into the COVID-19 pandemic, I still feel like it's kind of hard to c... Read more
Reader Questions:
Keep This Dx High on Your Cervical Disorder List
Question: My physician documented that the patient has a cervical disc disorder with myelo... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Using Injection Codes for 2020
Question: My physician injected an anesthetic agent into the nerves nnervating the pa... Read more
2021 E/M Coding:
Go Inside the Numbers for a Look at Changing Guidelines
MDM is going to be much more important, and defined a bit differently, in 2021. When 2021... Read more
2021 E/M Coding:
Check Out This Time-Based E/M Example
The 2021 rule changes could mean different coding for certain scenarios. There's bound to... Read more
Testing:
Use This Guide to Become a Cognitive Assessments Mastermind
Remember the 10 requirements for 99483. Having trouble wrapping your brain around how to ... Read more
Reader Question:
Keep Up With COVID-19 Rule Changes, Code Additions
Question: Though we are not directly responsible for patients with COVID-19, we do ha... Read more
Reader Question:
Think Twice Before Reporting This Code With EEG
Question: Can you bill 95816 with 95700? New York Subscriber Answer: No. In a parentheti... Read more
Reader Question:
Prove Medical Necessity for Both Services on 25 Claims
Question: We know that most insurers say separate diagnoses are not required to use modifi... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Check Out This Decompression/Discography Scenario
Question: Can you tell me what codes you would use for this clinical scenario? POSTOPERA... Read more
Telehealth:
Keep Current With Changing Telehealth Guidelines
Remember, telehealth differs from other virtual services. There's a lot going on in the c... Read more
Virtual Services:
Make Virtual Check-Ins a Reality With These Tips
Check out this roundup of the virtual services codes you'll see most. So you already kno... Read more
Interventional PM:
Get Patient's PM Tx Right With Method Smarts
RFA, electrical stimulation can combat pain. Patients that require interventional PM ca... Read more
Reader Question:
ICD-10 Lines Up COVID-19 Codes
Question: What's the latest on ICD-10 coding for patients who have COVID-19? Michigan Sub... Read more
Reader Question:
Follow This Path to Osteoarthritis Dx Knowledge
Question: What is osteoarthritis, how is it different than rheumatoid arthritis, and what ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Get Out the Gout Dx Codes for This TPI Scenario
Question: Encounter notes indicate that the provider performed three total trigger point i... Read more
2021 E/M Coding:
Time Has Come Today … to Prep for New E/M Rules
Here's the 2 elements you'll need to focus on moving forward. When a patient presents to ... Read more
Injections:
Get the Scoop on New/Revised Intro/Injection Codes
You should never report 64416 in conjunction with this code. This year, the CPT® ma... Read more
Interventional PM:
Prime Pain Pump, Injection Coding Knowledge
Interventional PM could involve several types of nerve blocks. Patients reporting to the ... Read more
Reader Question:
Get NF2 Dx Right the First Time
Question: Which ICD-10 code should I report for neurofibromatosis type 2? Alaska Subscrib... Read more
Reader Question:
Return to OR Requires This Modifier
Question: Our physician removed an implanted pain pump and catheter from a patient whose p... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Coding Halstead–Reitan Tests
Question: My physician spent two hours with a patient administering the Halstead–Re... Read more
ICD-10 Coding:
Make Meningitis Dx Concerns Disappear With This FAQ
Here's the code to report for nonpyogenic meningitis. When the medical record reflects a ... Read more
Q&A:
Incident-to Pay Still Available … Get it While You Can
Remember, incident-to could be in its final months. Incident-to billing is still accepted... Read more
Compliance:
Feds Finding Fraud in Opioid Prescribing, Telemedicine
Prevent problems by getting prescribing procedures in place. As 2020 kicks off, PM practi... Read more
Reader Question:
Notes Need to Guide Decision Between These Foot Pain ICD-10s
Question: During a level-two evaluation and management (E/M) service for a new patient, th... Read more
Reader Question:
Know Which Injection Codes to Use for Different Botox® Shots
Question: What do PM practices use Botox® to treat, and which codes would we typically us... Read more
Reader Question:
Use These Definitions of 'Medically Necessary'
Question: Recently, our practice has had a couple of claims denied. The payers said t... Read more
Reader Question:
Use Correct Infusion Code or Risk Denial
Question: One of our providers performed an intravenous (IV) infusion for prophylaxis. Enc... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Coding a Potential E/M-Finger Stick Scenario
Question: Should I apply modifier 25 onto an evaluation and management (E/M) visit code (i... Read more
Featured Condition:
CRPS: Keep Coding Pain at Bay With CRPS FAQ
Hot tip: Know other terms for CRPS I, II. While not physically painful, choosing the corr... Read more
News You Can Use:
Is Incident-to not to Be Soon?
New guidelines for NP/PA services on the table. Your practice has most likely used “inc... Read more
ICD-10 Coding:
Focus a Must for Accurate Parkinson's Dx
Remember that secondary Parkinsonism is not same as Parkinson's disease. When a patient w... Read more
Reader Question:
Bulk Up Unlisted Procedure Claims With This Advice
Question: It seems whenever our practice reports a service using an unlisted procedure CPT... Read more
Reader Question:
Know Technologist Definition for EEGs/VEEGs
Question: I noticed that some of the new EEG and VEEG codes for 2020 specify that an ... Read more
Reader Question:
Look for Secondary Dx With Acute Osteomyelitis
Question: A new patient suffering from acute osteomyelitis in his right shoulder repo... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Decipher This Blepharospasm Tx Scenario
Question: After a level-two evaluation and management (E/M) service for a new patient, the... Read more
CMS Final Rule:
Final Rule Makes E/M Changes for 2020, 2021
CMS scraps blended E/M pay idea after feedback. On Nov. 1, 2019, the Centers for Medicare... Read more
2021 E/M Coding:
New Prolonged Services Code Coming
The still-incomplete code will be effective in 2021. The 2020 Centers for Medicare & ... Read more
Clip and Save:
Keep These Discography-Related ICD-10 Codes Handy
Check with payers individually for approved, complete, Dx lists. When you're coding for di... Read more
Reader Question:
Use Caution When Deciding Chronic Vs. Acute
Question: When should I code for an acute form of a condition as opposed to a chronic... Read more
Reader Question:
Don't Sleep on J Codes for CTS Shots
Question: Our provider often performs therapeutic injections for patients with carpal tunn... Read more
Reader Question:
Descriptor Smarts Lead to Complete Botox® Claims
Question: When our physicians administer Botox® for chronic migraines, we bill ... Read more
Reader Question:
Ask These Questions Before Choosing Unequal Limb Dx
Question: An established patient reports to the PM specialist for an evaluation and manage... Read more
Reader Question:
Separate Eye, Facial Pain With 2 Codes
Question: How would you diagnose orbital pain and facial pain in a patient? During a recen... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Coding Herniated Disc Tx
Question: A patient reports for surgery with a preoperative diagnosis of herniated disc. T... Read more
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