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No, you cannot bill acupuncture in the ED. It would not meet medical necessity for need for emergent treatment, for one. You are also not likely to get paid for any service that is normally performed by a specialist. An ED provider (physician or NPP) would not ordinarily be qualified to perform acupuncture, and it is unusual for the POS 23 (ED). These would be red-flagged by the payers on a claim.
Any procedures done in the ED that would normally be done by another specialty would require a certification and credentialing process. For example, many ED providers are credentialed to perform limited bedside ultrasound examinations, particularly for trauma or needle placement. If they aren't credentialed, the service cannot be separately billed.
MK Rawitzer, CPC
ED coder and CDI specialist for over 20 years