I saw this post a few days ago, and it was very intriguing. Thanks for the response.
I think the problem is the difference between the CMS description of a comprehensive exam, and the local MAC definition. As you know, the CMS definition of an Expanded Problem Focused exam and a Detailed exam is very similar. There is no real definition. The local MACs have clearly defined them by assigning a number of body areas and/or organ systems that must be reviewed.
Looking at the CMS definition of the 1995 guidelines, a Comprehensive exam is defined as a general multi-system examination or complete examination of a single organ system. That would seem to indicate that a complete skin exam could be considered a type of Comprehensive exam. Sadly, there is no further definition in the 1995 exam guidelines as to what is a 'complete' skin exam. That's one reason dermatologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and other specialists complained and prompted the development of the 1997 exam guidelines. The 1997 guidelines describe in detail what the requirements are for a single organ system examination recognized by CPT.
So what's wrong with going by the 1995 guidelines, and examining the skin in 10 different body areas? Why doesn't that count as a Comprehensive exam? Well, depending on your MAC you will have a different auditing tool. Where I live, NHIC is our MAC and their auditing tool is like most others in how it scores the 1995 physical exam. Here's how they spell it out:
- Problem Focused - Limited exam of the affected body area or organ system
1 (BA) or (OS)
- Expanded Problem Focused - Limited exam of the affected body area or organ system and other symptomatic or related organ systems
2-4 (OS) and/or (BA)
- Detailed - Extended exam of affected body area(s) and other or related organ systems.
5-7 (OS) and/or (BA)
- Comprehensive - A general multisystem exam or complete exam of a single organ system
8 or more (OS)
Notice how on the first 3 levels they count body areas (BA) or organ systems (OS) but for some reason on the comprehensive level they only count organ systems? I'm not sure why that is, but it isn't a typo.
They even include the definition that says "a complete exam of a single organ system" but define it as 8 or more organ systems. Crazy.
Perhaps your local carrier will allow body areas for a 1995 comprehensive exam, but I have yet to find one that will. The reason isn't exactly clear, as the CMS and CPT definitions both would seem to allow for a complete single organ system exam to be counted as Comprehensive, but no MACs seem to have a way of defining "complete" except for the 1997 exam definition.