Urology Coding Alert

Good news: Urology won’t find too many changes.

With the second half of 2013 upon you, you are probably beginning to wonder just how many changes you’ll need to learn for the code changes that come with the start of every new year. While official CPT^® changes have not been released, take a look at what you can expect come Jan. 1, 2014.

Watch for E/M Changes

The American Medical Association announced that the code changes for 2014 will number 329. You’ll find 175 new codes, 107 revised codes, and 47 deleted codes.

Who’s affected: Most of the 329 changes will be found in these subsections: digestive system, molecular pathology, cardiovascular system, complex chronic care coordination services, and transitional care management services. So, while you may see a few changes in the urology CPT^® codes and other areas, such as evaluation and management codes, your practice won’t face sweeping changes to learn for next year.

Stay tuned: As soon as the CPT^® 2014 changes are released, Urology Coding Alert will bring you the exact details you’ll need to prepare for next year.

Skip ICD-9 Updates

No ICD-9-CM diagnosis code updates are planned for ICD-9 2014 (effective Oct. 1, 2013). There’s a freeze in place until ICD-10-CM replaces ICD-9-CM.

Potential changes for the annual ICD-9-CM update usually appear at this time of year in CMS’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule, but this year you won’t have to deal with any changes. Instead, your practices can focus on ICD-10 preparation.