Established in 2000, the inpatient-only list has served as a catalog of procedures that can only be reimbursed by Medicare when performed in the inpatient setting. However, thanks to technological advancements and new surgical techniques, many of these services can now be performed in hospital outpatient departments and ambulatory surgical centers.
The 2027 OPPS and ambulatory surgical center proposed rule includes a policy that aims to expand CMS’ method of controlling unnecessary increases in the volume of outpatient services. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Q: A patient is in the office today being seen for abdominal pain six days post-op of removal of a benign tumor. After ultrasound, cholecystitis is diagnosed and the patient is scheduled for surgery the next day. Is it appropriate to use modifier -24 in this case?
Accurately telling the patient’s story requires a thorough review of the entire medical record to identify all conditions that were addressed during the encounter, whether directly or indirectly, by the provider.
Early outpatient follow-up was not associated with differences in hospital-free survival or risk of decline in health-related quality of life among older adults after acute myocardial infarction, according to a retrospective study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Practices and revenue cycle management companies that report obstetric services must be ready to report under the new CPT guidelines for maternity care services by September 1, according to John Horton, MD, FACOG, vice chair of the committee on health economics and coding for the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
CMS recently published the fiscal year 2027 ICD-10-CM code set for discharges and patient encounters occurring from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Arthroscopic knee surgery allows orthopedic surgeons to inspect the inside of the joint and make a variety of repairs without having to perform open surgery. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Rule changes regarding cellular tissue–based products restructured Medicare’s reimbursement strategy for these products. This article covers some related challenges.