In total, the AMA added 60 new codes throughout the surgery section of the 2012 CPT® Manual , 18 of which appear in the cardiovascular and respiratory system subsections. The AMA also revised 86 codes and deleted 48 codes in the surgery section.
Editor's note: Facilities need to address coding, payment, and coverage issues for molecular pathology. This article is the first in a series and discusses molecular pathology coding.
Since January, providers have been struggling to reconcile conflicts between CMS' rules and regulations and those published by the CPT® Manual and other AMA publications.
Coders select E/M levels based on criteria developed by their organization. CMS has proposed a significant change to E/M coding-replacing the current 20 E/M levels for new patients, existing patients, and ED visits with three G codes-but that change would only apply to Medicare patients and only to the facility side.
Each year, the AMA updates the Vaccines, Toxoids section of the Medicine chapter in the CPT ® Manual to add or revise descriptions of newly available products. In 2015, the AMA added two new product codes (90651, 90630) and revised four (90654, 90721, 90723, and 90734).
Radiation oncology uses high-energy radiation to shrink or kill tumors or cancer cells with minimal harmful effects to healthy surrounding cells. To correctly code for radiation oncology services, coders need to understand the various elements of the treatment.
When outpatient hospitals and physicians switch to ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes October 1, they will still continue to use CPT ® codes to report procedures. But some facilities are planning to use the new procedure code set, ICD-10-PCS, as well.
Most coding professionals have heard modifier -59 (distinct procedural service) referred to as a modifier of last resort and to be cautious in using this modifier.
HCPCS code C1882 (cardioverter-defibrillator, other than single or dual chamber [implantable]) will once again meet the criteria to override the device-to-procedure edit for CPT® code 33249 (insertion or replacement of permanent pacing cardioverter-defibrillator system with transvenous lead[s], single or dual chamber).
