Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert
Physician Provides Free Telephone Orders
California Subscriber
Answer: Medicare will not reimburse for telephone conversations, as specified in Section 15512 (B) of the Medicare Carriers Manual: "Do not pay for telephone calls (codes 99371-99373) because payment for telephone calls is included in payment for billable services (e.g., visit, surgery, diagnostic procedure results)." You can bill only for face-to-face services on an outpatient, noncriticalcare basis.
Some insurance companies may provide reimbursement for telephone conversations. If you provide telephone services to a patient with private insurance, you should ask the payer for its policies and procedures for the telephone-call codes.
Answers to You Be the Coder and Reader Questions provided by Raequell Duran, president of Practice Solutions in Santa Barbara, Calif.; and Shari Clark, COA, at Durrie Vision in Overland Park, Kansas.
Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert
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