Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Remember one important modifier for claims success.Information on new and revised procedure or diagnosis codes is easy to find each year, but don't forget the coding guidelines from CPT®, ICD-9, HCPCS, and other sources. For example, the 2012 Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) coding guidelines include information about reporting post-operative pain management and spinal injections that your pain management specialists will need to know. Read on for details, thanks to a guideline analysis from Kristi Stumpf, MCS-P, CPC, COSC, ACS-OR, owner of Precision Auditing and Coding. Check and Clarify Post-op Time and PurposeMedicare global surgery rules specify that the surgeon performing the procedure is responsible for post-op pain management and should not report the care separate from the surgery. The rules change, however, when the surgeon asks a pain management specialist to handle the patient's post-op treatment.Before requesting the specialist's help, the "actual or postoperative pain must be severe enough to [...]