New Modifiers Released in 2018

February 13th, 2018 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS

Categories: Modifiers MIPS|PQRS|PQRI

0 Votes - Sign in to vote or comment.

There were 13 new modifiers released in 2018, be sure you are using them if appropriate. The five new HCPCS modifiers or the "X" modifiers are used for voluntary reporting and do not change the meaning of the procedure being reported. These are used for MACRA patient relationship categories and codes.

FY	X-ray taken using computed radiography technology/cassette-based imaging
JG	Drug or biological acquired with 340b drug pricing program discount
QQ	Ordering professional consulted a qualified clinical decision support mechanism for this service and the related data was provided to the furnishing professional
TB	Drug or biological acquired with 340b drug pricing program discount, reported for informational purposes
X1	Continuous/broad services: for reporting services by clinicians, who provide the principal care for a patient, with no planned endpoint of the relationship; services in this category represent comprehensive care, dealing with the entire scope of patient problems, either directly or in a care coordination role; reporting clinician service examples include, but are not limited to: primary care, and clinicians providing comprehensive care to patients in addition to specialty care
X2	Continuous/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians whose expertise is needed for the ongoing management of a chronic disease or a condition that needs to be managed and followed with no planned endpoint to the relationship; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to: a rheumatologist taking care of the patient's rheumatoid arthritis longitudinally but not providing general primary care services
X3	Episodic/broad services: for reporting services by clinicians who have broad responsibility for the comprehensive needs of the patient that is limited to a defined period and circumstance such as a hospitalization; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to the hospitalist's services rendered providing comprehensive and general care to a patient while admitted to the hospital
X4	Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period
VM	Medicare diabetes prevention program (mdpp) virtual make-up session
X5	Diagnostic services requested by another clinician: for reporting services by a clinician who furnishes care to the patient only as requested by another clinician or subsequent and related services requested by another clinician; this modifier is reported for patient relationships that may not be adequately captured by the above alternative categories; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the radiologist's interpretation of an imaging study requested by another clinician
92	Alternative laboratory platform testing: when laboratory testing is being performed using a kit or transportable instrument that wholly or in part consists of a single use, disposable analytical chamber, the service may be identified by adding modifier 92 to the usual laboratory procedure code (hiv testing 86701-86703, and 87389). the test does not require permanent dedicated space, hence by its design may be hand carried or transported to the vicinity of the patient for immediate testing at that site, although location of the testing is not in itself determinative of the use of this modifier.
95	Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via a real-time interactive audio and video telecommunications system: synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that would be sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. modifier 95 may only be appended to the services listed in appendix p. appendix p is the list of cpt codes for services that are typically performed face-to-face, but may be rendered via a real-time (synchronous) interactive audio and video telecommunications system
97	Rehabilitative services: when a service or procedure that may be either habilitative or rehabilitative in nature is provided for rehabilitative purposes, the physician or other qualified health care professional may add modifier 97 to the service or procedure code to indicate that the service or procedure provided was a rehabilitative service. rehabilitative services help an individual keep, get back, or improve skills and functioning for daily living that have been lost or impaired because the individual was sick, hurt, or disabled

###

Questions, comments?

If you have questions or comments about this article please contact us. Comments that provide additional related information may be added here by our Editors.

Latest articles: (any category)

2023 ICD-10-CM Code Changes
October 6th, 2022 - Christine Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS, QCC, QMCS

In 2022 there were 159 new codes; the 2023 ICD-10-CM code update includes 1,176 new, 28 revised, and 287 deleted codes, a substantial change from last year. The 2023 ICD-10-CM codes are to be used for discharges from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023, and for patient encounters from ...

Emergency Department - APC Reimbursement Method
September 15th, 2022 - Christine Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS, QCC, QMCS

CMS pays emergency department visits through a payment method using Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APCs). Most payers also use the APC reimbursement system; however, there may be some differences in payer policies (always review your specific payer policy). APCs are the primary type of payment made under the OPPS, comprising groupings ...

Why Medical Coding and Billing Software Desperately Needs AI
September 7th, 2022 - Find-A-Code

It has been said that the healthcare industry is notoriously slow in terms of technology adoption. One need only look at how convoluted medical coding and billing are to know that it needs a technology injection. Specifically, medical coding and billing software desperately needs artificial intelligence (AI).

CMS says Less Paperwork for DME Suppliers after Jan 2023!
August 18th, 2022 - Christine Woolstenhulme, QCC, QMCS, CPC, CMRS

Attention providers, suppliers, billers, and vendors who bill Durable Medical Equipment (DME) to Medicare! Currently, a supplier receives a signed Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN) from the treating physician or creates and signs a DME Information Form (DIFs); these are required to be sent with the claim. However, this is about ...

Things to Consider Before Upgrading Medical Billing Software
August 11th, 2022 - Find-A-Code

Your practice has utilized the same medical billing software for years. The medical billing staff says it is time for a change. You don't necessarily disagree, but you also don't know where to begin your search for new software. There are so many vendors offering so many products that making sense of it all can be challenging.

Calendar Year 2023 Medicare Advantage and Part C & D Payment Policies
August 9th, 2022 - Aimee L. Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT

Each year CMS publishes an Advance Notice of the upcoming years Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies and asks for comments related to it. Each of the comments are carefully reviewed and responded to and often are impactful to changes seen between the Advance Notice and final publication referred to as the Rate Announcement. With health equity as a primary focus for 2023, CMS announced some policy changes that may impact your organization.

How CMS Determines Which Telehealth Services are Risk Adjustable
August 9th, 2022 - Aimee L. Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT

Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) have gone back and forth on whether or not to use data collected from telehealth, virtual Care, and telephone (audio-only) encounters with Medicare beneficiaries for risk adjustment reporting, but the following published documents from CMS cleared that up once and for all by providing an answer to a question specifically related to this question.