Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

Medicare won't cover the full cost, but splitting the bill into covered and non-covered portions will help you get the reimbursement you deserve.After cataract surgery, an ophthalmologist inserts a Crystalens intraocular lens to correct a Medicare patient's presbyopia. Can you code for the physician's services and supplies? The answer is yes -- with these exceptions. Presbyopia-correcting (P-C) IOLs address the eye's inability to focus on near objects, says Riva Lee Asbell, ophthalmic coding and reimbursement educator and principal of Riva Lee Asbell Associates in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. PC-IOLs can improve the quality of life for cataract patients who would otherwise need to rely on bifocals for near vision.Medicare typically covers the insertion of a conventional, clear IOL to replace the cataractstricken lens that the ophthalmologist removes. Medicare has ruled that cataract patients who request a P-C IOL, such as the Crystalens or AcrySof RESTOR lenses, can have them -- if they are [...]