Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Your NPP's participation in long team conferences may lead to reimbursement

Good news: If you-ve had trouble obtaining proper payment for subcutaneous infusion that's not for chemo-therapy, then three new codes in 2008 could make your life much easier.

New codes 90769-90771 cover subcutaneous infusion for -therapy or prophylaxis.- You must specify which substance or drug the physician provides. The codes cover infusion up to one hour, each additional hour, and -each additional pump set-up with establishment of new subcutaneous infusion site(s).-

Another code, 90776, covers each additional sequential IV push of a therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic injection which your physician provides in a facility. You-ll use this as an add-on code with existing code 90774. The main difference between 90776 and existing code 90775 is that 90775 covers additional pushes of a new drug, while 90776 covers more pushes of the same drug.

As previously reported: You-ll also have new codes for paravaginal repair via vaginal approach (57285) and laparoscopic approach (57423). You-ll also have four new codes for laparoscopic hysterectomy (58570-57573). (See The Insider, Vol. 8, No. 31 for more on these codes.)

Also, The Insider previously reported you-ll have new codes for smoking and tobacco cessation counseling (99406-99407), alcohol and/or substance abuse screening (99408-99409), telephone-based evaluation and management services (99441-99443) and online evaluation and management services (99444). (See The Insider, Vol. 8, No. 30 for more on these codes.)

Team conferences: CPT 2008 also includes three new codes for medical team conferences with an interdisciplinary team of health care professionals (93366-99368). These cover participation by a Non-Physician Practitioner (NPP) (99366), participation by a physician (99367), and participation by an NPP lasting 30 minutes or more (93368).

Say goodbye to -gastric band-: CPT 2008 removes the phrase -ad-justable gastric band- from the de-scriptors for 43770-43774 and 43848. Instead, these codes cover the more-inclusive (and correct) -adjustable gastric restrictive device.-

Mesh becomes more versatile: The descriptor for mesh-placement code 49568 will now include language that clarifies you should report this code for the placement of mesh for debridement of necrotizing soft tissue infection. You-ll use this code as an add-on when your physician performs an incisional or ventral hernia repair.

You-ll still use 49568 for mesh placement for repair of ventral or incisional hernia.