In January 2013, CMS introduced 42 therapy functional reporting G codes (nonpayable), but instituted a six-month trial period. That grace period ended July 1. Denise Williams, RN, CPC-H, Dave Fee, MBA, and Debbie Mackaman, RHIA, CHCO, explain how to report these G codes and their related functional modifiers.
CMS has been gathering information about the use of observation services and short inpatient hospital stays because hospitals have been placing patients in observation for longer periods of time. CMS recently finalized a change that will substantially affect how hospitals bill for observation stays, long outpatient stays, and short inpatient stays.
Q: A clinician goes to a patient's home and does not perform an evaluation and management, but performs a catheter replacement. How should we code this encounter?