Primary Care Coding Alert

Answer 4 questions to keep your claims on track during flu season.With flu season getting underway, it's time to brush up on coding for patients who visit your office for vaccines. Ask yourself these four questions to ensure you correctly narrow down your options.Are You Coding H1N1 Alone, or In Combination?Some patients ask to be vaccinated against H1N1 alone, but others want protection from all strains.Last year, you coded for H1N1 alone by reporting 90663 (Influenza virus vaccine, pandemic formulation). "'Pandemic' means it's formulated against a strain causing epidemics worldwide," explains Nancy Bishof, MD, a pediatrician in Lexington, Ky.Beginning in 2011, however, your coding tactic will change. Coders will no longer be reporting 90663 for H1N1 alone because standard flu shots now include the H1N1 vaccine. Code 90663 remains in CPT, but you won't report it.Note: If you're filing a Medicare claim, report HCPCS code G9142 (Influenza A [H1N1] vaccine, [...]