Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

PHYSICIAN NOTES:

CMS Formally Debuts New Geriatric Psychiatry Specialty Code

Plus: CMS changed the Medicare contractor interest rate effective Oct. 22, according to a recent transmittal.

Next time your physician updates his PECOS enrollment, make sure he designates the appropriate specialty code, because CMS has debuted one code and removed three from the list of available specialties.

Effective April 1, physicians who are geriatric psychiatrists will be able  to use the new specialty code 27 to designate their work in this field.

CMS will be deleting the following codes from the specialty list, as they are "non-physician specialty codes," according to Transmittal 1836, issued on Oct. 27:

• 32 " Anesthesiologist assistant

• 74 " Radiation therapy center

• 75 " Slide preparation facilities

To read CMS's complete transmittal, visit www.cms.hhs.gov/transmittals/downloads/R1836CP.pdf.