Primary Care Coding Alert

Correctly code NPP's hospital services, or you'll sell the practice short. If you don't take advantage of all the E/M services a nonphysician practitioner (NPP) can provide, you are missing out on a serious revenue stream, as these providers can simultaneously lighten physicians' loads and fatten the practice's bottom line. Check out these FAQs to get the lowdown on when it's OK to take the higher-paying path for your NPP's services. What Is Incident-To Billing? Incident-to billing occurs when you report an office E/M service the NPP provides under the physician's National Provider Identifier (NPI). Using the physician's NPI garners you 100 percent reimbursement for the E/M, while an NPP's NPI pays 15 percent less. The NPP must perform incident-to services "under the direct supervision of the physician as an integral part of the physician's personal in-office service," confirms Melanie Witt, RN, CPC-OGS, MA, an independent coding consultant in Guadalupita, [...]