Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced May 29 that physician-prescribed rehabilitation services from approved healthcare professionals for beneficiaries who are blind or visually impaired are now a nationally covered service under Medicare. The AAO can finally celebrate its success in convincing local Medicare carriers and CMS that low-vision rehabilitation services, 9700x series CPT codes, should be added to their lists of covered benefits.

"This coverage decision by CMS puts an end to the long-time discrimination under Medicare of patients who suffer from low-vision impairment," says Catherine Cohen, Academy vice president for governmental affairs, according to the AAO Web site news releases. "This is a major win for the Academy and our patients and puts vision rehabilitation on par with services covered for stroke and other conditions that warrant rehabilitative therapy."