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Primary Care Coding Alert

HCPCS Supplies:

Check Out Modifiers NU, KX to Clear Supply Claims

Published on Thu Oct 13, 2011

Prescribing crutches or other supplies? Get sharp on modifiers. When a patient leaves your office with crutches, your automatic response might be to report an appropriate HCPCS code, such as E0110 (Crutches, forearm, includes crutches of various materials, adjustable or fixed, pair, complete with tips and handgrips). If you get denials from your DME (durable medical equipment) MAC in return, get a leg up on collecting for equipment by getting to know two important modifiers. Don't Overlook Modifier NU When you report DME, you might be better off by turning to some less-used modifiers. "Crutches will more than likely need an NU modifier (New equipment), and the codes for lower leg DME require a modifier KX (Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met) and an RT (Right side) or LT (Left side) modifier in Massachusetts for Medicare," says Rebekah Constant, CPC, coding and billing associate with Hawthorn Medical [...]
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