Wiki Topography

[SRCoding]

I'm new to the optometry specialty and we've been discussing how we handle topography services. We typically do topography for patients with keratoconus and we've been bundling it into the specialty fit fee. After talking with some of the vision plans we've realized that topography shoudl not be included in the specialty fit and its also not covered by visions plans. So our determination is that topography procedures for keratoconus patients will now be billed separately and sent to medical insurance but we're unsure if the patient needs to be scheduled to come back for that procedure or if it can be done the same day as a comp exam and/or CL fit? Also, when the contacts are covered by vision insurance under medically necessary will they then pay for the topography? I've been unable to get an answer on this.

Thanks

 

[Miller.deb.lor159193]

I work in Ophthalmology, so take that into account. It can be done on the same day, but you might have trouble with your billing software. If it does not have the capability of billing some services to the vision plan, and at the same time separate just the topography for sending it to the medical insurance, you would need to schedule two different appointments for the patient (maybe 5 minutes apart) so that the software will see two different encounters. Then place the topography alone on the second one with the medical billing info. As far as the vision insurance paying for the topography, some do and some don't. Call the provider number for the plan in question.