Articles by ChiroCode and friends on topics related to chiropractic documentation, coding, billing, reimbursement and compliance.
Recent Articles
What’s Going on with the COVID Vaccines Now?
Keeping up with the changes to the COVID vaccines has certainly been a rollercoaster ride and we now have two new twists to this exciting ride. Buckle up and let’s look at how this changes things.
Denials Due to MUE Usage – This May be Why!
CMS assigns Medically Unlikely Edits (MUEs) for HCPCS/CPT codes, although not every code has an MUE. MUE edits are used to limit tests and treatments provided to a Medicare patient for a single date of service or for a single line item on a claim form. It is important to understand MUEs are …
AMA Makes Additional Changes to E/M Coding
Just when you think you are finally getting the hang of the E/M coding changes that became effective on January 1, 2023, the AMA announced further revisions on March 1, 2023 which are retroactive to January 1, 2023. This article discusses the changes in the March 3, 2023 CPT Errata & Technical Corrections and also includes a preview of upcoming 2024 changes.
ICD-10-CM 2023 Code Changes for Chiropractic
There were several changes to the ICD-10-CM codeset for 2023 which went into effect October 1, 2023 and could impact chiropractic. At the time of publication, it was unknown how payers would respond to these changes. This article only discusses some of the changes to the ICD-10-CM codes. Changes to procedure codes such as “Prolonged Services” for office E/M visits are included in the 2023 ChiroCode DeskBook.
Billing and Documenting for Therapeutic Exercises versus Therapeutic Activities
Chiropractors treat, among other things, issues with the musculoskeletal system. Active therapeutic procedures are accepted as effective ways to treat many common conditions and therefore can be billed and generate revenue for a clinic. Two common CPT codes that might be used in a chiropractic setting include:
Medicare Improper Payment Report — Chiropractic 2019 to 2021
How did you do? Take a look at the Improper Payments Report and see where there can be improvement in your practice.
Medicare Improper Payment Report (2021)
The Medicare Improper Payment Report does not measure fraud, but rather, it estimates the payments that did not meet Medicare coverage, coding, and billing rules. The estimated Medicare FFS payment accuracy rate (claims paid correctly) from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020, was 93.74%, which is up slightly from last year. The estimated improper payment rate (claims paid incorrectly) was . . .
Coding for a Performance of an X-ray Service vs. Counting the Work as a Part of MDM
When x-rays are audited on the same date as an E/M encounter we have one of three decisions to make about the work that went into the radiological exam when the practice owns x-ray equipment and does their own interpretations internally. First, we must determine whether the x-ray was…
Are Excludes1 Edits Causing Problems?
Excludes1 edits can cause problems with claim denials. It is important to watch for annual changes to the Excludes1 and Excludes2 edits. Know the rules to properly submit and appeal claims.
Watch out for New ICD-10-CM Codes
New ICD Codes for: Low Back Pain, Cervicogenic Headache, Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), and Social Determinations of Health (SDOH). These codes became effective on October 1, 2021.
Medicare’s ABN Booklet Revised
The “Medicare Advance Written Notices of Non-coverage” booklet, published by CMS’s Medicare Learning Network, was updated. This article discusses the changes to this booklet regarding the use of the ABN.
Chronic Pain Coding Today & in the Future
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.
Intersegmental Traction — What’s Happening with Roller Tables?
Intersegmental traction therapy via the use of roller tables has been used by doctors of chiropractic for many years. Recently, questions have arisen regarding the appropriate billing of roller tables. This is largely due to the statement published in the July 2020 CPT Assistant published by the American Medical Association (AMA). Which code should you really be using?
Properly Reporting Imaging Overreads (Including X-Rays)
hile many provider groups offer some imaging services in their offices, others may rely on external imaging centers. When the provider reviews images performed by an external source (e.g., independent imaging center), that is typically referred to as an overread or a re-read. Properly reporting that work depends on a variety of factors as discussed in this article.
Evaluation & Management (E/M) Webinar Q/A
Find answers to some questions asked by attendees of our recent webinar regarding the changes released by the AMA in their March 9, 2021 Errata and Technical Corrections document in relation to Evaluation & Management (E/M).
Q/A: Why is My Claim Being Denied When I Report a Secondary Diagnosis Code?
Question: Recently my claims to Medicare are being denied when I submit a secondary diagnosis code. I’ve heard that this is happening in several states including Washington, California, and New York. Has there been a recent change in what secondary diagnosis codes are allowed?
Critical Evaluation and Management Changes Recently Announced by AMA
On March 9, 2021, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced some pretty significant changes in relation to reporting Evaluation and Management (E/M) services, particularly for Office or Other Outpatient Services (99202-99215). The AMA Editorial Panel had previously met to discuss how to address concerns and made changes surrounding Office or Other Outpatient Services which are retroactive to January 1, 2021. Learn more about those changes in this article.
Why CMS Created G2212 for Prolonged Services Instead of 99417
This article discusses WHY CMS decided to create code G2212 to be used with prolonged office Evaluation and Management (E/M) services instead of code 99417 as of January 1, 2021. The proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule stated that code 99417 would be used so it is essential to understand why they made this change to avoid potential problems with billing these services.
Good and Bad News Regarding the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
When the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule came out last year, it really got everyone worried. In a time where we are all facing issues related to COVID, this seemed like a really big problem. Professional organizations lobbied and everyone tried to stop the proposed changes, and the 10.2% decrease didn’t happen, but other changes will still be taking place. So how bad is it really and how will it affect your organization?
HIPAA Penalty Changes
On January 5, 2021, H.R. 7898 was signed into law by President Trump. This new law modifies the HITECH Act such that when an organization experiences a breach, fines and/or penalties may be reduced if (for at least a year) they have instituted “recognized security practices” as defined within the law.
CMS Final Rule Changes E/M Reporting Guidelines
Just when we thought we had figured out Evaluation and Management (E/M) reporting for 2021, CMS released their final rule and now we will need to make some adjustments. While CMS stated that they were adopting the AMA guidelines for E/M office or other outpatient services, they did make a few changes.
Medicare Improper Payment Report for Chiropractic (2019)
CMS audits claims on an annual basis to identify improper payments. These improper payments do not measure fraud. Rather, they estimate the share of payments that did not meet Medicare coverage, coding, and billing rules. In the most recent Improper Payment Report by specialty, chiropractic has the highest Part B improper payment …
ICD-10-CM 2021 Coding Updates for Chiropractic
October 1st is just around the corner and that means it’s time for updates to the ICD-10-CM code set. This year there are some interesting changes such as a new headache type, new codes related to TMJ, several new codes for reporting accidents involving micro-mobility devices (e.g., hoverboard), and some other changes.
More COVID-19 Codes Added as of September 8, 2020
The American Medical Association (AMA) recently announced the addition of two more CPT codes in relation to COVID and the Public Health Emergency (PHE). Codes 99702 and 86413 were posted to the AMA website on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 and new guidelines have been added as well.
Not Following the Rules Costs Chiropractor $5 Million
Every healthcare office needs to know and understand the rules that apply to billing services and supplies. What lessons can we learn from the mistakes of others? What if we have made the same mistake?
