dballard2004
True Blue
The Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 12: Physician-Non-Physician Practitioners, Section 30.6.7.A states the following….”Interpret the phrase “new patient” to mean a patient who has not received any professional services, i.e., E/M service or other face to face service (e.g., surgical procedure) from the physician or physician group practice (same physician specialty) within the previous 3 years. For example, if a professional component of a previous procedure is billed in a 3 year time period, e.g., a lab interpretation is billed and no E/M service or other face-to-face service with the patient is performed, then this patient remains a new patient for the initial visit. An interpretation of a diagnostic test, reading an x-ray or EKG etc., in the absence of an E/M service or other face-to-face service with the patient does not affect the designation of a new patient.”
This is a different definition than the CPT manual, so would someone please clarify exactly what CMS is stating here so I can explain this a little more clearly to my providers? Thanks.
This is a different definition than the CPT manual, so would someone please clarify exactly what CMS is stating here so I can explain this a little more clearly to my providers? Thanks.