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MEDICARE: UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS HAPPENING AND PREPARING FOR 2013 Association of Northern California Oncologists January 2-4, 2013 WE WILL DISCUSS • Why This Seminar Is Necessary • Documentation and Chart Review – Why Review – Coding Principles & Misunderstandings • Review Principles – Medical Necessity Very Important – Complexity of Decision Making – Frequency of visits vs illness • EHR and Templates – Chief Complaint Issues, Active Problem Issues – Cloning and Decision Making • Managing Change – – – – MAC Contract for J “E” 2013 fee schedule, Changes Recovery Auditors (Formerly RACs) LCDs and NCDs REPORT ON SPECIAL STUDIES OF E & M • Data Studies Show Medical Review is Necessary – – – – OIG Findings –Consistent increase in high E&M codes BESS Data --- Nationwide & Local, 12 or more mos old CERT Data --- Nationwide & Local, recent findings Palmetto GBA Data Mining --- Local searches • Who Was Reviewed in Recent E&M reviews willStudy continue! – Outliers by Service Type / Specialty Type – Outliers of the Outliers (2 St. Deviations or more) • What Was Requested – 5 Charts per Provider per Code, single chart per service • Purpose – General Education of Physicians / Offices – Denials Followed by Contact from POE – Specific Education for Denied Physicians TECHNICAL DENIALS • Many Chart Denials are for Technical Reasons – Missing or illegible provider signature or use of a signature stamp – Missing or unsigned physician orders – Illegible documentation – Failure to provide documentation for all dates of service requested • If Technical Denials Prevented or Corrected--- Claim Paid First Attempt – Up to 50% denials for technical reasons – Office staff should prevent that from happening MEDICARE MANUAL SAYS: • Medicare will reimburse for all services that are reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of an illness or injury or to repair a damaged organ WE (PALMETTO) SAY: • Only the physician treating the patient knows what is reasonable and necessary for that patient being evaluated and treated. •The only way Palmetto GBA can know if something is reasonable and necessary is to read the complete documentation submitted PURPOSE OF DOCUMENTATION • Communicate with Health Care Personnel – Physicians, colleagues – Other health care workers& caregivers – Remind yourself what is going on • Communicate with Others – Quality review (PQRI, P4P) – Peer review (PRO, hospital, licensing board, credentialing groups) – Patient transparency – Protect against liability issues – Insurance review personnel (pre and post pay situations) BEST FORMAT FOR DOCUMENTATION • There is no best single format • Can use any & all variants – – – – – History, Exam, Decision, Order Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan Pre-printed forms – if specific Electronic records – if specific Printed / written legible notes • Explain to the reviewer – Nature of patient problems – How / why patient treated – What is next and why (decisions) DOCUMENTATION POINTS • Templates/forms OK, but must be individualized for each visit • Patient name, date, time, and ID of who documented chart • Computerized notes okay if individualized, but medical necessity still rules on review • Require time when service time related-e.g. face to face time • If poorly legible, or not properly signed--we must reject the claim CODING & DOCUMENTATION DISTINCTIONS • NEW PATIENT VS. ESTABLISHED PATIENT – DIFFERENT CODES AND PAYMENT FOR EACH – RACS KEEP LOOKING AT THIS DENIAL – EFFECTS SAME SPECIALTY GROUPS • PLACE OF SERVICE – INPATIENT OR OUTPATIENT (E.G. OFFICE) – HOSPITAL, ED, SNF, ECF, HOME, ASC, OTHER • •“LEVEL” OF CARE –GONE FROM MEDICARE 2010 CONSULTATION, – REGULAR (5 OUTPATIENT, 3 INPATIENT) – CRITICAL CARE, OBSERVATION, EXTRA TIME – SPECIAL SERVICES (EYE, MENTAL HEALTH) DEFINITION: NEW PATIENT • PATIENT WHO HAS NOT RECEIVED SERVICES FROM A PHYSICIAN OF SAME SPECIALTY WHO BELONGS TO SAME GROUP PRACTICE FOR 3 YEARS • PATIENTS SEEN BY COVERING OR ON-CALL DOCTOR CONSIDERED PATIENT OF USUAL DOCTOR WHO IS UNAVAILABLE • NO DISTINCTION MADE BETWEEN NEW AND ESTABLISHED PATIENT IN EMERGENCY DEPT. • A REFERRAL VISIT NOT NEW IF SEEN FACE TO FACE FOR ANY OLD OR NEW PROBLEM IN ANY PLACE OF SERVICE WITHIN 3 YEARS COGNITIVE (EVALUATION & MANAGEMENT) SERVICES • INVOLVE ALL PHYSICIANS WHO EXAMINE AND EVALUATE PATIENTS • REQUIRE DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW LEVEL OF WORK & LEVEL OF CODING FOR REIMBURSEMENT • ACTIVITY BASED, TIME BASED, OR BOTH • ALL SURGERY / PROCEDURES HAVE SOME INHERANT E&M SERVICES INCLUDED • E&M DOC. GUIDELINES COMPLICATED • MEDICAL NECESSITY A KEY FACTOR IN DECIDING APPROPRIATE E&M LEVEL • NECESSARY TO INTEGRATE DOCUMENTED CODING WITH MEDICAL NECESSITY OF SERVICE COMPONENTS OF (E&M) SERVICES • CHIEF COMPLAINT • HISTORY • EXAM • DECISION MAKING • COUNSELING • COORDINATION OF CARE • NATURE OF PRESENTING PROBLEM • TIME CHIEF COMPLAINT • “A chief complaint is a concise statement describing the symptom, problem, condition, diagnosis, or other factor that is the reason for the encounter, usually stated in the patient's words.” …..from AMA CPT • The reason for the encounter often sets the stage for what is needed in the history, exam, and decision tree. • New problems MAY take more effort than old ones • Medicare does not pay for routine patient visits except for one NEW TO MEDICARE visit and one annual healthy assessment visit Should 99212---infer the work 99213bebilled-not the “regular check up” denied PRESENTING PROBLEM • A presenting problem is a disease, condition, illness, injury, symptom, sign, finding, complaint, or other reason for encounter, with or without a diagnosis being established at the time of the encounter. The E/M codes recognize five types of presenting problems that are defined as follows: PRESENTING PROBLEM (OR PROBLEMS) • • • • • Minimal: A problem that may not require the presence of the physician, but service provided under the physician's supervision. Self-limited or minor: A problem that runs a definite &prescribed course, is transient & UNLIKELY to permanently alter health status OR has a good prognosis with management / compliance. Low severity: A problem where the risk of morbidity without treatment is low; there is little to no risk of mortality without treatment; full recovery without functional impairment is expected. Moderate severity: A problem where the risk of morbidity without treatment is moderate; there is moderate risk of mortality without treatment; uncertain prognosis OR increased probability of prolonged functional impairment. High severity: A problem where the risk of morbidity without treatment is high to extreme; there is a moderate to high risk of mortality without treatment OR high probability of severe, prolonged functional impairment. ELEMENTS OF HISTORY SOCIAL PAST HISTORY • A review of the patient's past illnesses, injuries, and treatments with significant information about: – Prior major illnesses and injuries – Prior operations – Prior hospitalizations – Current medications – Allergies (eg, drug, food) – Age appropriate immunization status – Age appropriate feeding/dietary status HISTORY •An age appropriate review of past & current activities with information about: - Marital status and living arrangements - Current employment - Occupation history - Use of drugs, alcohol, & tobacco - Level of education - Sexual history - Other relevant social factors REVIEW OF SYSTEMS • An inventory of body systems seeking •Constitutional ourinary to identify •Genit signs and/or symptoms that symptoms (fever, Musculoskeletal the patient•may be experiencing or experienced. For the purposes of weight loss,has etc.) • Integumentary the CPT codebook the following •Eyes (skin and/or breast) elements of a system review have •Ears, nose,been identified • Neurological … • The review•ofPsychiatric systems helps define mouth, throat the problem, clarify the differential •Cardiovascular • Endocrine diagnosis, identify needed testing, or •Respiratory • Heme - lymphatic serves as baseline data on other systems that might be affected by any •Gastrointestinal •Allergy-immunology possible management options. REVIEW OF SYSTEMS • In all documentation, you should see all positive findings and pertinent negative findings • In regard to the present illness, we would expect: – Positive findings of system related to present illness – Pertinent negative findings to systems related to present illness – Pertinent findings or comment on changes in systems that are listed as comorbidities or secondary problems • Unrelated systems can be “within normal limits, negative, normal or EXAM DOCUMENTATION • PROBLEM FOCUSED • EXPANDED PROBLEM • Limited exam affected body area & symptomatic FOCUSED related body areas • DETAILED • COMPREHENSIVE • Limited exam of affected body area / organ sys. • Extended exam of affected body area and any other symptomatic or related body area. • General multi-system … ..Or complete single system and symptomatic or related body areas EXAM DOCUMENTATION • For the purposes of these CPT definitions, the following body areas are recognized: – – – – – – – Head, including the face Neck Chest, including breasts and axilla Abdomen Genitalia, groin, buttocks Back Each extremity 12 TYPES OF EXAMS Multispecialty and 11 single specialty exams 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. MULTISYSTEM CARDIOVASCULAR E.N.T. OPHTHALMOLOGY G.U. (Female) G.U. (Male) 7. HEME / LYMPHATIC 8. MUSCULOSKETAL 9. NEUROLOGICAL 10 PSYCHIATRIC 11 RESPIRATORY 12 SKIN ANY PHYSICIAN CAN BILL A MULTI-SYSTEM EXAM ANY PHYSICIAN CAN BILL A SINGLE SYSTEM EXAM DECISION MAKING • Decision making refers to complexity of establishing a diagnosis and-or selecting management options as measured by: – Number of possible diagnoses and/or the number of management options that must be considered – Amount and / or complexity of medical records, diagnostic tests, and/or other information that must be obtained, reviewed, and analyzed – The risk of significant complications, morbidity, and-or mortality, as well as co-morbidities, associated with the patient's presenting problem(s), the diagnostic procedure(s), and/or the possible management options COMPLEXITY OF DECISION MAKING Comorbidities / underlying diseases, in and of themselves, are not considered in selecting a level of E/M services unless their •Four types of medical decision making are recognized: presence significantly increases straightforward, low complexity, moderate complexity, and high complexity. To qualify for a given decision making, two the complexity of type theofmedical of the three elements in Table 1 must be met or exceeded. decision making. •Comorbidities/underlying diseases, in and of themselves, are not considered in selecting a level of E/M services unless their presence significantly increases the complexity of the medical decision making. DOCUMENTATION OF DECISION MAKING • There are instances where no change in care is a complex and high level decision BUT – This should be documented for review – Many EHR do not allow space for this – May be shown in “rule outs”, “possible dx”, or elements of physician thoughts – Orders or plans may show decision making – Decision making relates to that visit only – Where decision making is used to create higher level of code, we expect some indication in record SELECTING A CODECPT AVERAGE TIME • 99211: Typically, 5 minutes are spent performing or supervising these services. • 99212: Typically physicians spend 10 minutes face to face with the patient. • 99213: Typically physicians spend 15 minutes face to face with the patient. • 99214: Typically physicians spend 25 minutes face to face with the patient. • 99215: Typically physicians spend 40 minutes face to face with the patient. • Counseling and/or coordination of care with other providers or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. MEDICAL NECESSITY OF E&M VISITS--OFFICE • New Patient Visits: – No visits for 3 years by physician – Require all 3: History, PE, Decision making • Subsequent Patient Visits – – – – – – Require any 2: Hx, PE, Decision 99211: Brief visit, no MD (BP check, sutures out) 99212: Single problem, easy to dx and resolve 99213: Average 10-15 follow up several problem 99214: Complex patient, mult problems 99215: Require extensive visit with full workupnew serious problem or patient with major risk to organ system or life E&M VISITS-HOSPITAL • Initial In-Patient Visits: – – – – First visit in hospital – and Initial Referral Visit Require all 3: Hx, PE, Decision Making 99221, 99222, 99223 levels if meets criteria Usually full H&P needed by Attending MD • Subsequent Patient Visits in Hospital – – – – Require any 2: Hx, PE, Decision 99231: Brief visit-better-discharge soon 99232: Average day, IVs, Dx tests, active Rx 99233: New or worsening problems- • Discharge day - discharge codes for attending physician- (99231 for others) CRITICAL CARE CODES • Critical care is the direct delivery by a physician(s) of medical care for a critically ill or critically injured patient. A critical illness or injury acutely impairs one or more vital organ systems such that there is a high probability of imminent or life threatening deterioration in the patient's condition • • • • • • • • • • The following services are included in critical care Interpretation of cardiac output measurements Chest x-rays Pulse oximetry Blood gases Information data stored in computers (eg, ECGs, blood pressures, hematologic data) Gastric intubation Temporary transcutaneous pacing Ventilator management Vascular access procedures being in an MIN. ICU does not necessarily • Just 99291 – 1ST 30-74 care codes!!! • 99292 warrant – ADD. 30critical MIN TOOLS YOU CAN USE FROM PALMETTO • • • • • • • • • E&M Score Sheet Tool Modifier Lookup Denial Codes National and Local Coverage Policies On-line Claims Management Tool Local Fee Schedules Medicare Forms FAQs More available on our website WHY AUDITS AND REVIEWS ARE NECESSARY • Many physicians do not understand E&M coding rules – or don’t want to • Electronic Records tend to automatically up-code many visits • Strict counting of number of elements does not always justify code – Individual services must be reasonable and necessary for patient and date of service – Frequency of services must be reasonable and necessary for patient • Outside reviewers find high number coding errors – CERT – RAC -- OIG --ZBIC PALEMTTO GBA DATA COLLECTED …37 pages of physician names …1065 docs had > 12 level 5 visits per year …Large variety of specialties involved …Northern California Only…if all three states taken together would be three times higher Radiology Srvs in California 71010 & 71020 … 5-8-2010 • Southern California: – 56% of the total amount denied due to NO DOCUMENTATION received – 27% of the total amount denied was due to NO PHYSICIAN ORDERS received – 8% of the total amount denied was charges deemed to be NOT MEDICALLY NECESSARY based on LCD for Radiologic Examination Chest – 8% of the total amount denied was for a combination of biller errors, illegible documentation, incorrect / incomplete date of service or patient identification on documentation received, and missing, invalid, illegible provider signature Radiology Srvs in California 71010 & 71020 … 5-8-2010 • Northern California: – 72% of total amount denied due to NO DOCUMENTATION received for review – 9% of total amount denied for invalid, illegible or missing PROVIDER SIGNATURE – 9% of the total amount denied was charges deemed payable to ANOTHER PROVIDER billing same procedure, date of service & beneficiary – 10% of the total amount denied for a combination of illegible documentation, incorrect-incomplete date of service or patient ID on documentation received, no chest X-ray report included with documentation, and charges that were deemed to be not medically necessary based on LCD EXAMPLE: SPECIALTY 11 (INTERNAL MEDICINE) • There were 5,459 claims reviewed, out of which 3,724 claims were denied. The total dollars denied resulted in a charge denial rate of 49% • The top denial reasons identified from the review are: – 46 percent – Missing or incomplete documentation for this date of service – 35 percent – Level of service billed not supported; Downcoded claim – 7 percent – Illegible documentation – 4 percent – Incorrect / incomplete / illegible patient identification or date of service LOOKING AT MORE CLAIMS • Reasonable and Necessary trumps pages and pages of documentation if only done for sake of “scoring points” • Electronic health records try to increase billed codes • Electronic health records – – – – Often inconsistent Sometimes incoherent Still in their infancy Doctors don’t know how to use or update properly No more, no more !! LOOKING AT MORE CLAIMS • Electronic Records Must be kept up to date for any visit • Concurrent illness must be concurrent & significant • Decision Making – Helpful if explained / listed / or documented – Important to list changes in care or diagnoses – Lab review should be included if records asked for in a review – Excess verbiage on some EHR still does not give extra value Get me outta here Review of symptoms negative---is this in past week or in past ever….and is it necessary Problem list never updated and frequently has duplicate or even opposite diagnoses 73 Y/O female inpatient hosp or SNF ID note: afebrile but draining wound— brief history Review of Follow up visit 3 weeks later lab and low level decision making THOUGHTS FROM AN ADDLED REVIEWER • A Chief Complaint should not be a “regular visit” • Documentation should include all positive and pertinent negative findings – ROS should not be negative, normal, or WNL regarding the chief complaint or other positive problems • Exam should include all positive and pertinent negative findings – Exam of principal problem or reason for visit should not be normal, WNL or negative – If patient comes for oncology follow up, expect exam of areas at risk and all related structures – Unrelated areas of body can be examined and stated as within normal limits. – Frequent visits should are not always high level visits MORE THOUGHTS FROM AN ADDLED REVIEWER • Repeated full histories (if unchanged) should not be cloned for each visit • Documentation of most any visit should not be exactly the same –word for word-- as former visits – Complicated patients with multiple problems nearly always have something different related to one problem • Decision making is subjective – Some decisions come automatically to some docs and not to others – Try to explain your thoughts as to how you plan to test, diagnose or manage a patient – Chronic conditions that relate to your visit count – True morbidity and risk to patient also count toward decision making WHAT IF ONE IMPORTANT ELEMENT NOT PERFORMED • No real history available – Patient comatose – Patient demented – Patient drugged • Get history from other source (addendum) – From family – From old or new chart – When patients wakes up • If patient on way to emergency surgery – Key elements (heart, lung, vital signs) – Rest of exam when patient available • Emergency decision making usually high level RESPONDING TO MEDICAL REVIEW & RECORD REQUESTS • WHO CAN ASK FOR RECORDS / DOWNCODE OR DENY PAYMENT – MEDICARE A/B ADMIN. CONTRACTORS (MACs) – PROGRAM INTEGRITY (ZPIC) CONTRACTOR – CERT CONTRACTOR – RAC CONTRACTOR – QIO – BUNDLING AND MEDICAL UNLIKELY EDITS (MUE) – PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANIES (FOR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE) MAC REVIEWS: WHO GETS REVIEWED DATA OUTLIERS • UNUSUAL FREQUENCY OF VISITS • UNUSUAL LEVEL OR PLACE OF SERVICE FOR PATIENT • POOR DOCUMENTATION IN PROBE REVIEWS SENT TO CONTRACTOR • PATIENT COMPLAINTS • REPEAT FALLOUTS & WARNINGS • POSSIBILITY OF FRAUD PREPARE FOR REVIEWS: DO 1. GET PERSONALLY INVOLVED 2. COPY ALL OFFICE, FACILITY OR OTHER RECORDS REQUESTED: --PROGRESS / THERAPY NOTES (CURRENT AND EARLIER IF HELPFUL TO EXPLAIN) --NURSING NOTES, CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS, AND ANY CONSULT NOTES IF HELPFUL --LAB & DIAGNOSTIC TESTS IF RELATED TO SERVICE --ANY CHANGE IN DX, MEDS, OR THE CURRENT CONDITION 3. WHEN IN DOUBT SEND MORE RATHER THAN LESS TO SUPPORT MEDICAL NECESSITY OF SERVICE PREPARE FOR REVIEWS: DO 4. CHECK FOR CORRECT DATES & NAMES ---CORRECT PATIENT & DATES OF SERVICE ---CORRECT PHYSICIAN 5. SUBMIT TIMELY AND TO CORRECT ADDRESS REQUESTED ON LETTER 6. KEEP RECORD OF INDIVIDUAL ASKING FOR YOUR RECORDS AND WHY (WHICH SERVICES) THEY ARE ASKING FOR 7. CHECK FOR LEGIBILITY – CAN RETYPE NOTES IF ALSO SEND ORIGINAL 8. CALL IF ANY QUESTIONS – ---LOCAL CONTRACTORS CAN HELP ---NSMA MAY HAVE ANSWERS ALSO IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS YOU CANNOT RESOLVE • CALL OR CONTACT THE IDENTIFIED PERSON AT PALMETTO & ASK FOR AN IN PERSON OR TELEPHONE MEETING---or CALL OUR PCC – YOU SHOW YOU CARE ABOUT THE SITUATION – THE CONTACT ALONE MAY TEACH YOU HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM & FIX THE CLAIMS • CALL ANCO OR YOUR COUNTY ASSOCIATION OR CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOR HELP – MEDICARE CONTRACTORS CARE ABOUT GOOD RELATIONS WITH ORGANIZED ASSOCIATIONS • REMEMBER, YOUR ASSOCIATION STAFF CAN CALL US TO HELP EXPLAIN THE REGS AND SOLVE THE PROBLEMS—WE ALL WANT TO HELP CERT AND MEDICAL INTEGRITY CONTRACTORS • CERT Contractors: Livanta & Advanced Med – Ask for only a single chart or case – Purpose to review the reviewers – If denied money must be returned – Appeals possible if you disagree • ZPIC (Zone Program Integrity) Contractors – CalBisc (SafeGuard Systems) in J-1 – Potential fraud or abuse cases – Respond promptly, get all info, may be misunderstanding with patient RAC-RECOVERY AUDITORS • HDI (HealthDataInsights) for J1 • Reviews old paid claims (up to 3 years from date of claims) – Reviews medical necessity – Reviews proper coding – Paid a % of what it brings in • Look at medical necessity & incorrect coding for over and underpayment in claims already paid • Can appeal denials several levels: MAC-QIC-ALJ, etc. RESPONDING TO ANY REQUEST FOR RECORDS • Have a set office process for dealing with all ADRs (Additional Record Requests) • Have one individual responsible for sending all records as part of the set office process – Experienced office person, or clinical person, or both • Have a check off sheet that involves – – – – – Legibility (can add typed / printed addendum) Correct name, date, physician listed in request Signature (signature sheet or attestation if needed) Correct address to send records Timeliness of records being sent • Know how and where to get hospital records • Send by certified mail (or equivalent) APPEALS PROCESS • Initial Determination from Palmetto GBA • Redetermination from Palmetto GBA • Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC) • Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) • Department Appeals Board (DAB) • Federal Court APPEALS PROCESS • Instructions come with any denial – Time frames for next level – Addresses for appeal • No penalty for new appeals – Fresh person with each appeal level – Often higher level review • Recommend appeals with CERT, RAC • Useful to discuss with med organizations and specialty societies to see if other appeals win JURISDICTION “E” MEDICARE CONTRACT • As of January 1, initial JE contract award to Noridian Administrative Services • Two contract challenges were initiated – Result to be announced end of January – Possible outcomes: initial award remains, award reversal, or re-bidding starts over • Palmetto will administer claims through end of June under all circumstances – All Medicare services to physicians will remain – CACs will continue • If transition occurs, it will be smooth and seamless to physicians PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE • 2013 Fee schedules are on-line now • Factors affecting fee schedules: – SGR (Sustainable Growth Rate) – Sequestration based on Congressional law – Individual factors for some specialties (e.g. second tests for Radiology, Cardiology, Ophthalmology) • Remember, new or changed CPT or HCPCS codes could have new fees and descriptors • Congressional law will effect fee schedule... changes will be on web when in effect PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE • Finding the fee schedule – WWW. PalmettoGBA.com\J1B – Click Fee Schedules under “Top Links” box upper left – Next screen, under “search this area” select California and the region – Look through the Excel spreadsheet for the codes you want. • Alternative: click through the CMS Medicare Data Base in the upper part of page EMR PROBLEMS • • • • • Cloning: cutting and pasting each visit Medical necessity of level of service Inconsistency of records: Hx, ROS, Exam “Regular” or “follow up” visits Documentation of individual visit uniqueness for that day • Documentation of decision making • Activeness and duplication of chronic problems and meds in list • Signatures, signatures, signatures EMR PROBLEMS • Don’t forget level 2 “Meaningful Use” for 2013. • Information found in CMS website • http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-andGuidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/ Downloads/beginners_guide.pdf • http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms RECOVERY AUDITORS (FORMALLY RACS) • Recent Focuses: – – – – – – – – – – Short hospital inpatient vs outpatient stays New vs subsequent visit: eye and custodial care Multiple endoscopic procedure codes Excessive units ultrasound guidance Excessive Units of Microslide Consultation Pulmonary edema, resp. failure as inpatient vs outpatient Metastasis as secondary diagnosis (MS-DRG) Incorrect billing CT scans Hip fractures without complications MS-DRG Hepatobillary disorders MS-DRG RECOVERY AUDITORS (FORMALLY RACS) • Things to consider: – Hospital admission by MD who knows patient…REASON FOR SURGERY, ADMISSIOM – Document all primary and secondary problems – Use office lab sheets and progress notes when they document hospital condition • Accurate coding for office services – Remember modifiers, add on codes, IV codes – Remember multiple surgery rules – Document to support unusual test or procedure • Appeal all denials, but have documentation to support appeals. Office notes PLUS specialty guidelines, peer-reviewed literature, etc. UNDERSTANDING NCDs AND LCDs • NCD: National Coverage Determination; – Made by CMS cannot be altered by contractor – Open for comments, from society, industry, interest groups – Same across country, slow, and very hard to change • LCD: Local Coverage Determination; – – – – Made by Palmetto, drafts presented tor advice & input Formal open meetings and CACs Must answer all comments Reconsiderations if new evidence presented or new codes • Time Frames; – Draft displayed 15 days prior to CAC – 45 day notice and comment – 30 day after final published before effective UNDERSTANDING NCDs AND LCDs • LCDs and many NCDs have associated coding information – Which CPT and ICD codes ALWAYS covered – Which CPT and ICD codes NEVER covered • NCD & LCD usually have automated editing • Understand which NCDs and LCDs effect your practice: they explain exactly how to code and bill. • There is a new “exception process” for LCDs when appealed with adequate data and supporting evidence FINAL THINGS TO REMEMBER • Medical Necessity Trumps any level of detail if different • With electronic records – Watch for cloning (same words each visit) – Remember chief complaint and present illness – Remember decision making is important aspect • Complexity of decision making is important aspect – Concurrent related diseases – Number and interrelationships of meds – Risk to patient of action or inaction • Inpatient consults are initial hospital visits – Level of service compared to CPT requirements – Remember reasonable and necessary trumps # of pages • Expect all positive exam signs and symptoms and all pertinent negative ones – If most negative, not likely a high level visit but give credit • We can check dates of last few visits – How many appendix operations does one repeat Stay Up To Date With CMS Changes