Anesthesia|Pain Management - Articles

Chronic Pain Coding Today & in the Future
July 19th, 2021 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
Properly documenting and coding chronic pain can be challenging. As is commonly the case with many conditions, over the years, there has been a shift in the identification of different types of pain, including chronic pain. Understanding where we are now and where we are going will help your organization prepare for the future by changing documentation patterns now.
How to Properly Assign ICD-10-CM Codes for Pain
July 14th, 2021 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT, Director of Content
Pain is a common diagnosis among all specialties so it should not be surprising to find there are 162 ICD-10-CM codes for reporting it and over 80 mentions in the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting which describe when certain types of pain should be reported and how the codes should be sequenced.

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Stay out of Trouble — Understand the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program
October 7th, 2020 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
To assist low-income Medicare beneficiaries, CMS created the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program; a Medicaid benefit which pays for Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, or copays for any Medicare-covered items and services for Medicare Part A, Part B, and Medicare Advantage (Part C). Providers/suppliers are prohibited from billing premiums and cost sharing to Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in QMB.
New Codes for Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS)
October 1st, 2020 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
New codes for Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) are effective October 1, 2020 based on the grade/severity of the symptoms. This article covers the new grading scales.
Modifier 50 — Four "Must Know" Tips For Getting Paid
August 10th, 2020 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT, Director of Content
Modifiers added to an HCPCS or CPT© code alters the code description, providing clarity about the service for proper claim processing and reimbursement. Here are four things you must know about modifier 50 to ensure proper payment. - Modifiers are either informational or payment related. Informational modifiers provide additional...
Are NCCI Edits Just for Medicare?
July 14th, 2020 - Christine Woolstenhulme, QCC, QMCS, CPC, CMRS
The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits were developed by CMS to help promote proper coding and control improper coding that leads to incorrect payments with part B claims. It is important to understand that NCCI edits do not include every possible code combination or every type of un-bundling combination. With that ...
Hypertension ICD-10-CM Coding Table, Guidelines, and Tips
April 16th, 2020 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research & Aimee Wilcox, Director of Content
Coding hypertension properly requires knowing all the guidelines. This article summarizes how hypertension is coded using ICD-10-CM and includes tips, definitions and a very helpful coding table summarizing your options.
CMS-Coverage for Therapeutic Shoes for Individuals with Diabetes
March 31st, 2020 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
Therapeutic shoes and inserts can play a vital role in a diabetic patient's health. Medicare may cover one pair every year and three pairs of custom inserts each calendar year if the patient qualifies and everything is handled correctly.  Medicare Benefit Policy Manual explains what is needed for a person with diabetes to ...
Hypertension ICD-10-CM Code Reporting Table
November 25th, 2019 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
In ICD-10-CM, hypertension code options do not distinguish between malignant and benign or between controlled and uncontrolled. What is important for code selection is knowing if the hypertension is caused by or related to another condition. The following table shows some of these options.
Federal Workers Compensation Information
October 1st, 2019 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
When federal employees sustain work-related injuries, it does not go through state workers compensation insurance. You must be an enrolled provider to provide services or supplies. The following are some recommended links for additional information about this program. Division of Federal Employees' Compensation (DFEC) website Division of Federal Employees' Compensation (DFEC) provider ...
New Codes for Dry Needling
September 30th, 2019 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
Find out what you need to know about the new codes for dry needling, also known as trigger point acupuncture.
Medical ID Theft
August 16th, 2019 - Namas
Medical ID Theft "So, do you guys think you can do something with that?" John asked angrily at our first meeting with him in August 2017 as he slammed a stack of medical bills, EOBs and collection letters - three inches high - down in front of my partner and I. ...
The OIG Work Plan: What Is It and Why Should I Care?
August 9th, 2019 - Namas
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) founded its Office of Inspector General (OIG) in 1976 and tasked it with the responsibility to combat waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicare, Medicaid, and the other HHS programs. With approximately 1,600 employees, HHS OIG is the largest inspector general's office within ...
5 Ways to Minimize HIPAA Liabilities
July 12th, 2019 - BC Advantage
Last year was historic for HIPAA enforcement. The HHS Office of Civil Rights collected a record $23.5 million in settlements and judgments against providers guilty of HIPAA violations. To avoid becoming part of that unwanted statistic, it’s important to pay extra close attention to five key areas of HIPAA vulnerability. Take ...
Spinal Cord Stimulator Used for Chronic Pain
April 1st, 2019 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
Chronic pain is a condition that can be diagnosed on its own or diagnosed as a part of another condition. When coding chronic pain, there is no time frame defining when pain becomes chronic pain; the provider’s documentation should be used to guide the use of these codes. ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Codes ...
Anesthesia and Pain Management
October 31st, 2018 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
Anesthesia and Pain management is under close watch from the OIG according to a report from Anesthesia Business consultants, they stated, "The Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) reports in its most recent Semi-annual Report to Congress that in FY 2017 it brought criminal actions against 881 individuals or organizations ...
Q/A: Billing for GI Anesthesia
March 21st, 2018 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
Medicare’s policy requires the use of a different code when a screening colonoscopy becomes a diagnostic procedure requiring you to bill with CPT code 00811 when treating a Medicare Beneficiary.
Anesthesia Documentation Modifiers - Jurisdictions: J8A, J5A, J8B, J5B
January 29th, 2018 - Christine Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
Documentation Modifiers direct prompt and correct payment of the anesthesia claims submitted. Documentation modifiers (AA, QK, AD, QY, QX and QZ) must be billed in the first modifier field. If a QS modifier applies, it must be in the second modifier field. Processing delays and denials may occur for claims submitted ...
Anesthesia Fee Calculation
January 29th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
Fees for anesthesia services are not calculated the same as for other types of procedures. There are four elements to consider when calculating anesthesia fees. Medicare accepts base units and time units; however, depending on the third party payer, they may or may not accept physical status units and/or qualifying circumstances units. Base Unit (of the CPT code) Time (in ...
HIPAA and the Opioid Crisis
January 24th, 2018 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
HIPAA and the Opioid Crisis guidance released by HHS.
Coverage and/or Medical Necessity for the Use of Hyaluronan or Derivitive
January 9th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to Palmetto GBA, Medicare will cover the cost of the injection and the injected hyaluronate polymer for patients who meet the following clinical criteria: Knee pain associated with radiographic evidence of osteophytes in the knee joint, sclerosis in bone adjacent to the knee, or joint space narrowing. Morning stiffness of less than 30 minutes in duration or crepitus on motion of the ...
Conscious (Moderate) Sedation
January 9th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
Moderate (Conscious) sedation is a drug-induced state of relaxation in which the patient is typically awake and can respond to verbal commands, but might not be able to speak. A combination of medicines is used and often includes a sedative as well as an anesthetic to block pain. Prior to 2017, ...
Acute Post-Operative Pain Management
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
CPT codes 62320, 62322 should be used when the analgesia is delivered by a single injection.These codes should only be used when the catheter or injection is not used for administration of anesthesia during the operative procedure. Modifier 59 should be used when billing these services to indicate that the catheter or injection was a ...
Moderate Sedation Services - CPT has 6 Codes to One Dental Code
March 30th, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
When billing a medical code instead of the dental code D9223 -Deep sedation/general anesthesia - each 15 minute increment, consider the following medical codes: (Be sure to review the AMA guidelines to see if they fit the procedure you are doing). If a dental office is doing conscious sedation for a patient ...
Anesthesia Code Changes in 2017- Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI)
January 23rd, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
Pay close attention to the new 2017 Anesthesia codes there are a few notable changes. There is a new code set for Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI). The difference in the new codes set has a clear distinction on a single injection or a catheter placement for continuous infusion/intermittent bolus and if ...
Anesthesia and E/M services
July 29th, 2016 - Codapedia
Anesthesia services are billed using CPT® codes 00100-01999. These CPT® codes are cross-walked to surgical codes. The crosswalk is available from the American Society of Anesthesiologists at www.asahq.org. Each anesthesia code has a base unit assigned to it. The anesthetist also bills the number of time units, with a single...

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