Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Version 16.0 slaps new bundles on EMGs as well. Along with new CPT codes, as of Jan. 1 you'll have to learn several new code pairings, thanks to the latest Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits which bundle facet joint injections into nearly every procedure. CCI version 16.0 contains a whopping 24,060 new active pairs and 869 modifier changes, according to Frank D. Cohen, MPA, MBB, senior analyst with MIT Solutions Inc. Many of the latest CCI edits relate to new CPT 2010 codes. The number of CCI bundles relating to new codes is expected, says Susan Garrison, CHC, CHCA, PCS, FCS, CCS P, CPAR, CPC, CPC H, executive vice president of healthcare consulting services with Magnus Confidential, Inc. in Dawsonville, Ga. "It looks unbalanced toward the new codes," she says, "but it's simply a matter of adjusting the edits to make sure the codes are covered appropriately." Of course, you don't [...]