Primary Care Coding Alert

Caution: Missing primary care designation could wreck your Medicare pay. . Family practitioners can look forward to a continued cash flow from the primary care incentive program, more inclusive language in CPT® codes, and new codes for transitional care. So said speakers at the American Medical Association's (AMA) annual CPT® and RBRVS Symposium, held Nov. 14-16 in Chicago, with presenters sharing the latest news on fee schedules, new codes for 2013, and more. Don't Fret Over Far-Reaching Terminology Change The most widespread changes throughout CPT® 2013 -- the switch to more inclusive or provider-neutral language -- shouldn't be difficult for physician practices to put into place. "The concepts are pretty straightforward," said Richard Duszak, Jr., M.D., an AMA CPT® Editorial Panel member and practicing radiologist. "There's been an evolution in CPT® for how codes report services by non-physicians." Result: Hundreds of codes were revised for 2013 to include "provider neutral language." Codes [...]