The good news: Code descriptor changes won't really change your billing. Most practices bill evaluation and management codes at some point, whether they are part of your claims every day or only occasionally. CPT® 2013 will revise nearly every code descriptor in the E/M code section, including office visit codes, inpatient hospital codes, consultation codes, or any of the other many E/M codes. We'll review the changes to both sections so you'll be ready as soon as Jan. 1, 2013 rolls around. Eliminate 'Physician' Limitations From Your E/M Thinking Whereas most E/M codes previously referred to "physicians" and "providers" in their descriptors, that will change effective Jan.1, when the descriptors will instead say "qualified health care professionals." Using 99213 as an example, the code changes are indicated with the strikethroughs (indicating deleted text) and underlining (indicating new text) as follows: Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: An expanded problem focused history; An expanded problem focused examination; Medical decision making of low complexity. Counseling and coordination of care with other physicians, other This really isn't a change per se, as much as it is a clarification, says Maggie M. Mac, CPC, CEMC, CHC, CMM, ICCE, president of Maggie Mac-Medical Practice Consulting in Clearwater, Fla. What this means: "I believe that there are a lot of physician extenders out there," says Christy Shanley, CPC, department administrator for the University of California, Irvine department of urology. "This further clarifies what they can and or cannot perform on their own." This change clarifies things in two ways, Mac says: First, the change makes it clear that you can use E/M codes for nonphysician providers (NPPs). Second, it clarifies that "you have to have that counseling with someone who is certified or technically licensed to provide that type of service; it can't be your office administrator, so to speak," she explains. "It is just a clarification, and I think it was understood before but it could have been abused in some way." Apply the Change to Your NPP Billing The E/M service changes indicate NPPs, including PAs and NPs, can provide E/M services on their own, can bill on time alone, and can do counseling and coordination of care on their own, experts say. Impact: Time assignment: providers qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of low to moderate severity. Physicians typically spend Typically, 15 minutes are spent face-to-face with the patient and/or family.