Reimbursement Advisor

The payment structure for physicians is changing. Our government, the American public, purchasers, and employers are unhappy with the fee-for-service system as it currently exists, and are pushing to drive the system into what is called “value-based purchasing.”

But what is value?

One way to define it is quality divided by cost—but how do we measure quality?

At present, insurers are measuring your quality based on some nebulous definition created at United Healthcare or Blue Cross Blue Shield—looking specifically at your “efficiency,” based on the costs attributed to you, as revealed in the codes you and others submit to payers.

Let’s say you perform minimally invasive surgery, and the referring physician ordered a lot of tests before sending the patient to you. Are you aware that all of those costs may be attributed to you in an administrative system?

ACOG is working hard to establish clinical systems rather than administrative ones to determine the true cost of care. We may want to think of obstetrics and gynecology as primary care and take advantage of advanced payment models and the opportunities afforded to accountable care organizations, but the truth is, insurers frequently do not consider us primary care. Although some of us may develop medical homes for women’s health care, we are unlikely to collect a per-patient, per-month income like primary care physicians do. That means that we need to be more assertive in negotiating contracts with insurers.

In this article, I offer recommendations for such negotiations and explain how to determine what you can and cannot accept in terms of payment.

You are the responsible party
Some of us do our own coding and some of us do not. However, if that coding is inaccurate, it is the physician who goes to jail, not the coder. You are personally responsible and liable for the coding submitted under your provider number.

Clearly, we need to do a better job of advocating for ourselves. We need to lobby. Legislators and bureaucrats are less likely to target people who have strong lobbyists working consistently on their behalf.

Accountable care organizations may have some leverage in negotiating lower prices, and some market forces may come into play in large systems. It remains to be seen which models will succeed as new payment structures develop. The overarching question: What can we do today to optimize our payments, given the system that we have? Here are 13 tactics that can enhance your bottom line.

1. Know the rules
To play the game, you must know the rules. You need to know what systems payers are using to determine your reimbursement—and you have to understand those systems as well as, or better than, the payers do. Then you’ll be able to use them to your advantage.

Payers are well aware that we don’t like to focus on this end of practice, that what we really want to do is spend the day practicing medicine. However, we need to learn these details because we’re leaving money on the table every single day.

2. Educate yourself
With the change to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2015, many of us are worried that payers are going to reject our claims because of our lack of familiarity with ICD-10.

Rest assured. There are crosswalks from ICD-9 to ICD-10. ACOG has published an information sheet for both obstetrics and gynecology that pairs typically used ICD-9 codes with their ICD-10 counterparts. And because it is published by ACOG, payers will find it hard to claim that it’s inaccurate.

ACOG also offers half-day courses on  ICD-10 coding for both physicians and staff.

3. Record your decision-making process
When I audit medical charts, I often discover that this process has been neglected. Instead, the coder has relied on documentation from the electronic health record and a basic description of the treatment plan. But a plan is just that—what someone intends to do. It doesn’t convey the decision-making that underlies it. What was the differential diagnosis? What did you discuss with the patient? These details are critical for appropriate coding of the level of service—whether it’s high, intermediate, or low.

4. Refine your approach to coding
Recognize that the system is currently set up to pay physicians for the services we provide—and that service must be justified by the appropriate diagnosis code. Tougher cases, or high-risk patients, tend to have longer surgeries and hospital stays, and their outcomes often are not as good as those of more typical patients. They may have more complications because they’re obese or have severe diabetes, for example. If so, it is critical that these other conditions—obesity and severe diabetes—be included with the principal diagnosis code so that risk stratification is possible. Otherwise, we will be held to the same standard as someone treating a routine, low-risk case.

Risk stratification is being performed according to algorithms in the payers’ software—and payers are unlikely to share the details with us. However, the only real data payers have to run through these algorithms come from diagnosis coding. Even though you’re not required to code for variables such as obesity and diabetes in order to get paid for what you do, you do need to use those additional codes to make risk stratification possible—so that you don’t get inappropriately placed into a group of low-risk providers when you are treating a higher-risk cohort.

5. Develop an understanding of RVUs
Another variable that changes regularly is relative value units (RVUs) under Medicare rules. ACOG’s Committee on Health Economics and Coding—which enjoys the participation of AAGL, the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS), the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS), and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), as well as other organizations—tries to maintain the RVUs as up to date and appropriate as possible relative to other services in the fee schedule.

For example, about 10 years ago many urogynecologic procedures were getting bundled together when they were performed at the same time. We had only one or two ICD-9 codes to describe prolapse, with no separate codes to describe whether it affected the anterior, apical, or posterior compartment, even though we performed different procedures in the individual compartments. Payers were mapping all prolapse procedures to the same diagnosis code. So ACOG went to the National Center for Health Statistics, where ICD-9 coding was done—and developed a series of about 10 codes to describe the different areas that prolapse could affect.

That kind of nuanced coding is continuing today. In fact, we have a long list of areas to go forward with now that ICD-10 is scheduled to take effect. A good example involves new Pap smear guidelines, which recommend testing every 3 or 5 years except for patients who have undergone hysterectomy for benign disease. How do you code for a patient who has had a hysterectomy? There was no code for a woman with an absent cervix, so we created a “V-code,” a code classification for factors that influence health status, so that it is possible to explain why a Pap smear was not performed.

As we go forward into a value-based system, specialists like us likely will be negotiating contracts according to RVU-based payments. That’s why it’s important for you to understand the resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS). It has three components: a work component, which makes up about 52% of the total RVUs; a practice expense, which makes up more than 45% of total RVUS; and, finally, a malpractice component, a small percentage. There also is a geographic adjustment and a uniform conversion factor.

When you hear about the sustainable growth rate (SGR) fix, and the fact that we’re going to see a 20% or 24% reduction in payment, that talk is referring to a reduction in the conversion factor. Each component of the RVU is adjusted for geography and then multiplied by the dollar conversion factor to calculate the total RVUs. The work, practice, and malpractice components vary by where the service is provided.

Let’s use placement of Essure inserts as an example. If you perform the procedure in the hospital, then the hospital buys the equipment, including the hysteroscope and light source. The hospital also pays for the room and staff and manages equipment sterilization. If, on the other hand, you perform the procedure in your office, all those responsibilities are yours. If it’s done in your office, you get paid more but it also costs you more.

The Relative Value Update Committee, or RUC, plays a major role in determining RVUs. This committee is composed of 31 clinicians, including nonphysician providers, psychologists, and nurses who deliver services under the Medicare fee schedule. The RUC makes recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), but it is the Secretary of Health and Human Services who determines the final rule on RVUs.

Approximately 75% to 95% of the recommendations of the RUC are accepted by the Secretary and become law. So it’s not the RUC or the American Medical Association (AMA) that determines RVUs; in the long run, it is CMS and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. We are fortunate that, when CMS assigns RVUs we’re not happy with, we have an opportunity to appeal.

Under Medicare, all physician payments are based on the same conversion factor, regardless of specialty. That’s not necessarily true for other payers, who may, essentially, do whatever they wish. These other payers frequently will contract at higher or lower rates, depending on how prevalent a specialist is in the community. Sometimes they use a higher conversion factor for surgical specialists than they use for primary care.

6. Find out which RVUs the payer is using
When you negotiate contracts with payers, and you are in private practice or part of a medical practice, it’s important to know what year’s RVUs the payer is using, as RVUs vary from year to year. For example, if the payer is using the RBRVS from 2002, it is paying you less than you should be getting. So when you look at a contract, you should determine not only whether the payer is anchoring your payment to the RBRVS but also whether it is keeping up with current RVUs as well. What dollar conversion factor is the payer using? What global periods—the same as CMS, or something different?

7. Determine what global period is in play
Some private payers use 6 postoperative weeks as the global period for a surgical procedure, whereas Medicare uses 90 days. You need to know which period is in play so that you don’t leave money on the table if you see the patient within 90 days but more than 6 weeks postoperatively.

Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) has global surgical packages that include a 10-day or 90-day period. But those periods do not include services provided more than 24 hours before the procedure. They don’t include the administration of anesthesia or conscious sedation. And they don’t include management of complications, exacerbations, or recurrences. Nor do they include additional services that might be necessary due to the presence of another disease or injury.

Under Medicare, the rules are different. Medicare preoperative services begin 1 day before surgery. However, any preoperative intervention is included whether it’s performed 1 day or 1 week before surgery. If it’s simply a preoperative physical examination for the patient and you aren’t performing significant evaluation and management, it’s included in the global package, along with all the intraoperative work. In addition, under Medicare, you don’t get paid for the management of complications unless a return to the operating room is required.

8. Learn to use modifiers
As ObGyns, we often see patients for multiple conditions or problem reports, so you need to be aware that if a patient is within a global period and you do not submit a bill with a modifier to indicate special circumstances, the intervention will be bundled into the global and you will not get paid for it. Modifiers are two-digit codes that describe these separate services. They provide critical information to payers so that their computer programs separate these services out for payment.

Major surgical procedures don’t include unrelated procedures that are performed at the same time of surgery. Nor do they include visits that take place during the global period that are unrelated to the original surgery. For example, if a patient presents with a breast lump after you performed a hysterectomy, and you do a work-up, you deserve full payment for that evaluation and management service. If you don’t use a modifier, however, you won’t get that payment.

9. Don’t be passive when payers won’t pay
Let’s say you contract with HMOs or independent practice associations (IPAs), and they’re not compensating you for the extra things you’re doing and are failing to recognize surgical modifiers. What can you do about it?

You need to develop a profile of your typical patient. Because these organizations are individualizing it—they are saying that, in a typical scenario, this is the type of work you do. So these organizations offer a different kind of contract. Nevertheless, you can use your coding to help you determine what a fair payment should be, by going through your billing to determine what you’ve spent.

10. Analyze payer bundling
Medicare put in place a correct coding initiative (CCI) that lists services typically provided by the same person on the same day of service. The aim: to prevent separate payment for these services. These are “bundled” services. The CCI bundles are revised every quarter. They are listed on the ACOG Web site under “practice management.”

On October 1, 2014, the CCI inappropriately bundled pelvic organ prolapse repair procedures into the vaginal hysterectomy codes. ACOG, AUGS, SGS, and AAGL are arguing vehemently as this article is going to press to ensure that these damaging bundles are rescinded.

Private payers can bundle anything, and it may or may not make sense or be fair. One ACOG resource is the book Ob/Gyn Coding Manual: Components of Correct Procedural Coding, which is revised every year. It has a tear-out page for every procedure code and will help you determine whether or not a bundle is appropriate.

You need to know about bundling and dispute resolution. Why? Because it is possible to insert clauses into your contract that give you some rights. Insurers have all the clout and you have nothing unless you fight for it.

You may see clauses such as “the company reserves the right to re-bundle to the primary procedure....” You shouldn’t tolerate that. Rather, you want to say, “the company will use CCI bundled rules” so that you at least know what the rules are.

11. Don’t be afraid to revise a contract
If we have to hold a payer harmless, the payer should hold us harmless as well. If we consult an insurer’s Web site to confirm that a patient is covered, and we take her to surgery because we have evidence she has insurance, the insurer shouldn’t be able to rescind payment 6 months later because the patient didn’t pay for her insurance that month. That’s not fair. The company told you she was covered, and you deserve to get paid for that surgery because you are relying on information from the company itself. So when you sign a contract, you need to ensure that you are being held harmless as well as the insurer.

12. Calculate your own RVUs
Use your claims software for data. Consult the Federal Register or ACOG to determine the total number of RVUs for a given CPT code. Multiply the RVUs by the quantity for each code. Let’s say it’s an evaluation and management visit, code 99213, and you’ve done 50 this month. That’s 50 multiplied by 1.3 RVUs. Add all the codes together, then use your monthly profit and loss statement to determine what your expenses are. Divide your total expenses by the total number of RVUs to determine your practice cost per RVU. You then can decide on a conversion factor you can tolerate, and you can use this information when contracting with IPAs, HMOs, and other insurers.

13. Spend money to make money
There are many coding resources available to you. Coding is well worth what you spend on it because you can get it back in a heartbeat.

This information may not be easy to master, but it’s critically important for your economic survival—to get what’s rightfully yours and get paid fairly for what you do.

Share your thoughts on this article! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@frontlinemedcom.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The payment structure for physicians is changing. Our government, the American public, purchasers, and employers are unhappy with the fee-for-service system as it currently exists, and are pushing to drive the system into what is called “value-based purchasing.”

But what is value?

One way to define it is quality divided by cost—but how do we measure quality?

At present, insurers are measuring your quality based on some nebulous definition created at United Healthcare or Blue Cross Blue Shield—looking specifically at your “efficiency,” based on the costs attributed to you, as revealed in the codes you and others submit to payers.

Let’s say you perform minimally invasive surgery, and the referring physician ordered a lot of tests before sending the patient to you. Are you aware that all of those costs may be attributed to you in an administrative system?

ACOG is working hard to establish clinical systems rather than administrative ones to determine the true cost of care. We may want to think of obstetrics and gynecology as primary care and take advantage of advanced payment models and the opportunities afforded to accountable care organizations, but the truth is, insurers frequently do not consider us primary care. Although some of us may develop medical homes for women’s health care, we are unlikely to collect a per-patient, per-month income like primary care physicians do. That means that we need to be more assertive in negotiating contracts with insurers.

In this article, I offer recommendations for such negotiations and explain how to determine what you can and cannot accept in terms of payment.

You are the responsible party
Some of us do our own coding and some of us do not. However, if that coding is inaccurate, it is the physician who goes to jail, not the coder. You are personally responsible and liable for the coding submitted under your provider number.

Clearly, we need to do a better job of advocating for ourselves. We need to lobby. Legislators and bureaucrats are less likely to target people who have strong lobbyists working consistently on their behalf.

Accountable care organizations may have some leverage in negotiating lower prices, and some market forces may come into play in large systems. It remains to be seen which models will succeed as new payment structures develop. The overarching question: What can we do today to optimize our payments, given the system that we have? Here are 13 tactics that can enhance your bottom line.

1. Know the rules
To play the game, you must know the rules. You need to know what systems payers are using to determine your reimbursement—and you have to understand those systems as well as, or better than, the payers do. Then you’ll be able to use them to your advantage.

Payers are well aware that we don’t like to focus on this end of practice, that what we really want to do is spend the day practicing medicine. However, we need to learn these details because we’re leaving money on the table every single day.

2. Educate yourself
With the change to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2015, many of us are worried that payers are going to reject our claims because of our lack of familiarity with ICD-10.

Rest assured. There are crosswalks from ICD-9 to ICD-10. ACOG has published an information sheet for both obstetrics and gynecology that pairs typically used ICD-9 codes with their ICD-10 counterparts. And because it is published by ACOG, payers will find it hard to claim that it’s inaccurate.

ACOG also offers half-day courses on  ICD-10 coding for both physicians and staff.

3. Record your decision-making process
When I audit medical charts, I often discover that this process has been neglected. Instead, the coder has relied on documentation from the electronic health record and a basic description of the treatment plan. But a plan is just that—what someone intends to do. It doesn’t convey the decision-making that underlies it. What was the differential diagnosis? What did you discuss with the patient? These details are critical for appropriate coding of the level of service—whether it’s high, intermediate, or low.

4. Refine your approach to coding
Recognize that the system is currently set up to pay physicians for the services we provide—and that service must be justified by the appropriate diagnosis code. Tougher cases, or high-risk patients, tend to have longer surgeries and hospital stays, and their outcomes often are not as good as those of more typical patients. They may have more complications because they’re obese or have severe diabetes, for example. If so, it is critical that these other conditions—obesity and severe diabetes—be included with the principal diagnosis code so that risk stratification is possible. Otherwise, we will be held to the same standard as someone treating a routine, low-risk case.

Risk stratification is being performed according to algorithms in the payers’ software—and payers are unlikely to share the details with us. However, the only real data payers have to run through these algorithms come from diagnosis coding. Even though you’re not required to code for variables such as obesity and diabetes in order to get paid for what you do, you do need to use those additional codes to make risk stratification possible—so that you don’t get inappropriately placed into a group of low-risk providers when you are treating a higher-risk cohort.

5. Develop an understanding of RVUs
Another variable that changes regularly is relative value units (RVUs) under Medicare rules. ACOG’s Committee on Health Economics and Coding—which enjoys the participation of AAGL, the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS), the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS), and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), as well as other organizations—tries to maintain the RVUs as up to date and appropriate as possible relative to other services in the fee schedule.

For example, about 10 years ago many urogynecologic procedures were getting bundled together when they were performed at the same time. We had only one or two ICD-9 codes to describe prolapse, with no separate codes to describe whether it affected the anterior, apical, or posterior compartment, even though we performed different procedures in the individual compartments. Payers were mapping all prolapse procedures to the same diagnosis code. So ACOG went to the National Center for Health Statistics, where ICD-9 coding was done—and developed a series of about 10 codes to describe the different areas that prolapse could affect.

That kind of nuanced coding is continuing today. In fact, we have a long list of areas to go forward with now that ICD-10 is scheduled to take effect. A good example involves new Pap smear guidelines, which recommend testing every 3 or 5 years except for patients who have undergone hysterectomy for benign disease. How do you code for a patient who has had a hysterectomy? There was no code for a woman with an absent cervix, so we created a “V-code,” a code classification for factors that influence health status, so that it is possible to explain why a Pap smear was not performed.

As we go forward into a value-based system, specialists like us likely will be negotiating contracts according to RVU-based payments. That’s why it’s important for you to understand the resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS). It has three components: a work component, which makes up about 52% of the total RVUs; a practice expense, which makes up more than 45% of total RVUS; and, finally, a malpractice component, a small percentage. There also is a geographic adjustment and a uniform conversion factor.

When you hear about the sustainable growth rate (SGR) fix, and the fact that we’re going to see a 20% or 24% reduction in payment, that talk is referring to a reduction in the conversion factor. Each component of the RVU is adjusted for geography and then multiplied by the dollar conversion factor to calculate the total RVUs. The work, practice, and malpractice components vary by where the service is provided.

Let’s use placement of Essure inserts as an example. If you perform the procedure in the hospital, then the hospital buys the equipment, including the hysteroscope and light source. The hospital also pays for the room and staff and manages equipment sterilization. If, on the other hand, you perform the procedure in your office, all those responsibilities are yours. If it’s done in your office, you get paid more but it also costs you more.

The Relative Value Update Committee, or RUC, plays a major role in determining RVUs. This committee is composed of 31 clinicians, including nonphysician providers, psychologists, and nurses who deliver services under the Medicare fee schedule. The RUC makes recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), but it is the Secretary of Health and Human Services who determines the final rule on RVUs.

Approximately 75% to 95% of the recommendations of the RUC are accepted by the Secretary and become law. So it’s not the RUC or the American Medical Association (AMA) that determines RVUs; in the long run, it is CMS and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. We are fortunate that, when CMS assigns RVUs we’re not happy with, we have an opportunity to appeal.

Under Medicare, all physician payments are based on the same conversion factor, regardless of specialty. That’s not necessarily true for other payers, who may, essentially, do whatever they wish. These other payers frequently will contract at higher or lower rates, depending on how prevalent a specialist is in the community. Sometimes they use a higher conversion factor for surgical specialists than they use for primary care.

6. Find out which RVUs the payer is using
When you negotiate contracts with payers, and you are in private practice or part of a medical practice, it’s important to know what year’s RVUs the payer is using, as RVUs vary from year to year. For example, if the payer is using the RBRVS from 2002, it is paying you less than you should be getting. So when you look at a contract, you should determine not only whether the payer is anchoring your payment to the RBRVS but also whether it is keeping up with current RVUs as well. What dollar conversion factor is the payer using? What global periods—the same as CMS, or something different?

7. Determine what global period is in play
Some private payers use 6 postoperative weeks as the global period for a surgical procedure, whereas Medicare uses 90 days. You need to know which period is in play so that you don’t leave money on the table if you see the patient within 90 days but more than 6 weeks postoperatively.

Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) has global surgical packages that include a 10-day or 90-day period. But those periods do not include services provided more than 24 hours before the procedure. They don’t include the administration of anesthesia or conscious sedation. And they don’t include management of complications, exacerbations, or recurrences. Nor do they include additional services that might be necessary due to the presence of another disease or injury.

Under Medicare, the rules are different. Medicare preoperative services begin 1 day before surgery. However, any preoperative intervention is included whether it’s performed 1 day or 1 week before surgery. If it’s simply a preoperative physical examination for the patient and you aren’t performing significant evaluation and management, it’s included in the global package, along with all the intraoperative work. In addition, under Medicare, you don’t get paid for the management of complications unless a return to the operating room is required.

8. Learn to use modifiers
As ObGyns, we often see patients for multiple conditions or problem reports, so you need to be aware that if a patient is within a global period and you do not submit a bill with a modifier to indicate special circumstances, the intervention will be bundled into the global and you will not get paid for it. Modifiers are two-digit codes that describe these separate services. They provide critical information to payers so that their computer programs separate these services out for payment.

Major surgical procedures don’t include unrelated procedures that are performed at the same time of surgery. Nor do they include visits that take place during the global period that are unrelated to the original surgery. For example, if a patient presents with a breast lump after you performed a hysterectomy, and you do a work-up, you deserve full payment for that evaluation and management service. If you don’t use a modifier, however, you won’t get that payment.

9. Don’t be passive when payers won’t pay
Let’s say you contract with HMOs or independent practice associations (IPAs), and they’re not compensating you for the extra things you’re doing and are failing to recognize surgical modifiers. What can you do about it?

You need to develop a profile of your typical patient. Because these organizations are individualizing it—they are saying that, in a typical scenario, this is the type of work you do. So these organizations offer a different kind of contract. Nevertheless, you can use your coding to help you determine what a fair payment should be, by going through your billing to determine what you’ve spent.

10. Analyze payer bundling
Medicare put in place a correct coding initiative (CCI) that lists services typically provided by the same person on the same day of service. The aim: to prevent separate payment for these services. These are “bundled” services. The CCI bundles are revised every quarter. They are listed on the ACOG Web site under “practice management.”

On October 1, 2014, the CCI inappropriately bundled pelvic organ prolapse repair procedures into the vaginal hysterectomy codes. ACOG, AUGS, SGS, and AAGL are arguing vehemently as this article is going to press to ensure that these damaging bundles are rescinded.

Private payers can bundle anything, and it may or may not make sense or be fair. One ACOG resource is the book Ob/Gyn Coding Manual: Components of Correct Procedural Coding, which is revised every year. It has a tear-out page for every procedure code and will help you determine whether or not a bundle is appropriate.

You need to know about bundling and dispute resolution. Why? Because it is possible to insert clauses into your contract that give you some rights. Insurers have all the clout and you have nothing unless you fight for it.

You may see clauses such as “the company reserves the right to re-bundle to the primary procedure....” You shouldn’t tolerate that. Rather, you want to say, “the company will use CCI bundled rules” so that you at least know what the rules are.

11. Don’t be afraid to revise a contract
If we have to hold a payer harmless, the payer should hold us harmless as well. If we consult an insurer’s Web site to confirm that a patient is covered, and we take her to surgery because we have evidence she has insurance, the insurer shouldn’t be able to rescind payment 6 months later because the patient didn’t pay for her insurance that month. That’s not fair. The company told you she was covered, and you deserve to get paid for that surgery because you are relying on information from the company itself. So when you sign a contract, you need to ensure that you are being held harmless as well as the insurer.

12. Calculate your own RVUs
Use your claims software for data. Consult the Federal Register or ACOG to determine the total number of RVUs for a given CPT code. Multiply the RVUs by the quantity for each code. Let’s say it’s an evaluation and management visit, code 99213, and you’ve done 50 this month. That’s 50 multiplied by 1.3 RVUs. Add all the codes together, then use your monthly profit and loss statement to determine what your expenses are. Divide your total expenses by the total number of RVUs to determine your practice cost per RVU. You then can decide on a conversion factor you can tolerate, and you can use this information when contracting with IPAs, HMOs, and other insurers.

13. Spend money to make money
There are many coding resources available to you. Coding is well worth what you spend on it because you can get it back in a heartbeat.

This information may not be easy to master, but it’s critically important for your economic survival—to get what’s rightfully yours and get paid fairly for what you do.

Share your thoughts on this article! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@frontlinemedcom.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

The payment structure for physicians is changing. Our government, the American public, purchasers, and employers are unhappy with the fee-for-service system as it currently exists, and are pushing to drive the system into what is called “value-based purchasing.”

But what is value?

One way to define it is quality divided by cost—but how do we measure quality?

At present, insurers are measuring your quality based on some nebulous definition created at United Healthcare or Blue Cross Blue Shield—looking specifically at your “efficiency,” based on the costs attributed to you, as revealed in the codes you and others submit to payers.

Let’s say you perform minimally invasive surgery, and the referring physician ordered a lot of tests before sending the patient to you. Are you aware that all of those costs may be attributed to you in an administrative system?

ACOG is working hard to establish clinical systems rather than administrative ones to determine the true cost of care. We may want to think of obstetrics and gynecology as primary care and take advantage of advanced payment models and the opportunities afforded to accountable care organizations, but the truth is, insurers frequently do not consider us primary care. Although some of us may develop medical homes for women’s health care, we are unlikely to collect a per-patient, per-month income like primary care physicians do. That means that we need to be more assertive in negotiating contracts with insurers.

In this article, I offer recommendations for such negotiations and explain how to determine what you can and cannot accept in terms of payment.

You are the responsible party
Some of us do our own coding and some of us do not. However, if that coding is inaccurate, it is the physician who goes to jail, not the coder. You are personally responsible and liable for the coding submitted under your provider number.

Clearly, we need to do a better job of advocating for ourselves. We need to lobby. Legislators and bureaucrats are less likely to target people who have strong lobbyists working consistently on their behalf.

Accountable care organizations may have some leverage in negotiating lower prices, and some market forces may come into play in large systems. It remains to be seen which models will succeed as new payment structures develop. The overarching question: What can we do today to optimize our payments, given the system that we have? Here are 13 tactics that can enhance your bottom line.

1. Know the rules
To play the game, you must know the rules. You need to know what systems payers are using to determine your reimbursement—and you have to understand those systems as well as, or better than, the payers do. Then you’ll be able to use them to your advantage.

Payers are well aware that we don’t like to focus on this end of practice, that what we really want to do is spend the day practicing medicine. However, we need to learn these details because we’re leaving money on the table every single day.

2. Educate yourself
With the change to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2015, many of us are worried that payers are going to reject our claims because of our lack of familiarity with ICD-10.

Rest assured. There are crosswalks from ICD-9 to ICD-10. ACOG has published an information sheet for both obstetrics and gynecology that pairs typically used ICD-9 codes with their ICD-10 counterparts. And because it is published by ACOG, payers will find it hard to claim that it’s inaccurate.

ACOG also offers half-day courses on  ICD-10 coding for both physicians and staff.

3. Record your decision-making process
When I audit medical charts, I often discover that this process has been neglected. Instead, the coder has relied on documentation from the electronic health record and a basic description of the treatment plan. But a plan is just that—what someone intends to do. It doesn’t convey the decision-making that underlies it. What was the differential diagnosis? What did you discuss with the patient? These details are critical for appropriate coding of the level of service—whether it’s high, intermediate, or low.

4. Refine your approach to coding
Recognize that the system is currently set up to pay physicians for the services we provide—and that service must be justified by the appropriate diagnosis code. Tougher cases, or high-risk patients, tend to have longer surgeries and hospital stays, and their outcomes often are not as good as those of more typical patients. They may have more complications because they’re obese or have severe diabetes, for example. If so, it is critical that these other conditions—obesity and severe diabetes—be included with the principal diagnosis code so that risk stratification is possible. Otherwise, we will be held to the same standard as someone treating a routine, low-risk case.

Risk stratification is being performed according to algorithms in the payers’ software—and payers are unlikely to share the details with us. However, the only real data payers have to run through these algorithms come from diagnosis coding. Even though you’re not required to code for variables such as obesity and diabetes in order to get paid for what you do, you do need to use those additional codes to make risk stratification possible—so that you don’t get inappropriately placed into a group of low-risk providers when you are treating a higher-risk cohort.

5. Develop an understanding of RVUs
Another variable that changes regularly is relative value units (RVUs) under Medicare rules. ACOG’s Committee on Health Economics and Coding—which enjoys the participation of AAGL, the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS), the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS), and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), as well as other organizations—tries to maintain the RVUs as up to date and appropriate as possible relative to other services in the fee schedule.

For example, about 10 years ago many urogynecologic procedures were getting bundled together when they were performed at the same time. We had only one or two ICD-9 codes to describe prolapse, with no separate codes to describe whether it affected the anterior, apical, or posterior compartment, even though we performed different procedures in the individual compartments. Payers were mapping all prolapse procedures to the same diagnosis code. So ACOG went to the National Center for Health Statistics, where ICD-9 coding was done—and developed a series of about 10 codes to describe the different areas that prolapse could affect.

That kind of nuanced coding is continuing today. In fact, we have a long list of areas to go forward with now that ICD-10 is scheduled to take effect. A good example involves new Pap smear guidelines, which recommend testing every 3 or 5 years except for patients who have undergone hysterectomy for benign disease. How do you code for a patient who has had a hysterectomy? There was no code for a woman with an absent cervix, so we created a “V-code,” a code classification for factors that influence health status, so that it is possible to explain why a Pap smear was not performed.

As we go forward into a value-based system, specialists like us likely will be negotiating contracts according to RVU-based payments. That’s why it’s important for you to understand the resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS). It has three components: a work component, which makes up about 52% of the total RVUs; a practice expense, which makes up more than 45% of total RVUS; and, finally, a malpractice component, a small percentage. There also is a geographic adjustment and a uniform conversion factor.

When you hear about the sustainable growth rate (SGR) fix, and the fact that we’re going to see a 20% or 24% reduction in payment, that talk is referring to a reduction in the conversion factor. Each component of the RVU is adjusted for geography and then multiplied by the dollar conversion factor to calculate the total RVUs. The work, practice, and malpractice components vary by where the service is provided.

Let’s use placement of Essure inserts as an example. If you perform the procedure in the hospital, then the hospital buys the equipment, including the hysteroscope and light source. The hospital also pays for the room and staff and manages equipment sterilization. If, on the other hand, you perform the procedure in your office, all those responsibilities are yours. If it’s done in your office, you get paid more but it also costs you more.

The Relative Value Update Committee, or RUC, plays a major role in determining RVUs. This committee is composed of 31 clinicians, including nonphysician providers, psychologists, and nurses who deliver services under the Medicare fee schedule. The RUC makes recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), but it is the Secretary of Health and Human Services who determines the final rule on RVUs.

Approximately 75% to 95% of the recommendations of the RUC are accepted by the Secretary and become law. So it’s not the RUC or the American Medical Association (AMA) that determines RVUs; in the long run, it is CMS and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. We are fortunate that, when CMS assigns RVUs we’re not happy with, we have an opportunity to appeal.

Under Medicare, all physician payments are based on the same conversion factor, regardless of specialty. That’s not necessarily true for other payers, who may, essentially, do whatever they wish. These other payers frequently will contract at higher or lower rates, depending on how prevalent a specialist is in the community. Sometimes they use a higher conversion factor for surgical specialists than they use for primary care.

6. Find out which RVUs the payer is using
When you negotiate contracts with payers, and you are in private practice or part of a medical practice, it’s important to know what year’s RVUs the payer is using, as RVUs vary from year to year. For example, if the payer is using the RBRVS from 2002, it is paying you less than you should be getting. So when you look at a contract, you should determine not only whether the payer is anchoring your payment to the RBRVS but also whether it is keeping up with current RVUs as well. What dollar conversion factor is the payer using? What global periods—the same as CMS, or something different?

7. Determine what global period is in play
Some private payers use 6 postoperative weeks as the global period for a surgical procedure, whereas Medicare uses 90 days. You need to know which period is in play so that you don’t leave money on the table if you see the patient within 90 days but more than 6 weeks postoperatively.

Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) has global surgical packages that include a 10-day or 90-day period. But those periods do not include services provided more than 24 hours before the procedure. They don’t include the administration of anesthesia or conscious sedation. And they don’t include management of complications, exacerbations, or recurrences. Nor do they include additional services that might be necessary due to the presence of another disease or injury.

Under Medicare, the rules are different. Medicare preoperative services begin 1 day before surgery. However, any preoperative intervention is included whether it’s performed 1 day or 1 week before surgery. If it’s simply a preoperative physical examination for the patient and you aren’t performing significant evaluation and management, it’s included in the global package, along with all the intraoperative work. In addition, under Medicare, you don’t get paid for the management of complications unless a return to the operating room is required.

8. Learn to use modifiers
As ObGyns, we often see patients for multiple conditions or problem reports, so you need to be aware that if a patient is within a global period and you do not submit a bill with a modifier to indicate special circumstances, the intervention will be bundled into the global and you will not get paid for it. Modifiers are two-digit codes that describe these separate services. They provide critical information to payers so that their computer programs separate these services out for payment.

Major surgical procedures don’t include unrelated procedures that are performed at the same time of surgery. Nor do they include visits that take place during the global period that are unrelated to the original surgery. For example, if a patient presents with a breast lump after you performed a hysterectomy, and you do a work-up, you deserve full payment for that evaluation and management service. If you don’t use a modifier, however, you won’t get that payment.

9. Don’t be passive when payers won’t pay
Let’s say you contract with HMOs or independent practice associations (IPAs), and they’re not compensating you for the extra things you’re doing and are failing to recognize surgical modifiers. What can you do about it?

You need to develop a profile of your typical patient. Because these organizations are individualizing it—they are saying that, in a typical scenario, this is the type of work you do. So these organizations offer a different kind of contract. Nevertheless, you can use your coding to help you determine what a fair payment should be, by going through your billing to determine what you’ve spent.

10. Analyze payer bundling
Medicare put in place a correct coding initiative (CCI) that lists services typically provided by the same person on the same day of service. The aim: to prevent separate payment for these services. These are “bundled” services. The CCI bundles are revised every quarter. They are listed on the ACOG Web site under “practice management.”

On October 1, 2014, the CCI inappropriately bundled pelvic organ prolapse repair procedures into the vaginal hysterectomy codes. ACOG, AUGS, SGS, and AAGL are arguing vehemently as this article is going to press to ensure that these damaging bundles are rescinded.

Private payers can bundle anything, and it may or may not make sense or be fair. One ACOG resource is the book Ob/Gyn Coding Manual: Components of Correct Procedural Coding, which is revised every year. It has a tear-out page for every procedure code and will help you determine whether or not a bundle is appropriate.

You need to know about bundling and dispute resolution. Why? Because it is possible to insert clauses into your contract that give you some rights. Insurers have all the clout and you have nothing unless you fight for it.

You may see clauses such as “the company reserves the right to re-bundle to the primary procedure....” You shouldn’t tolerate that. Rather, you want to say, “the company will use CCI bundled rules” so that you at least know what the rules are.

11. Don’t be afraid to revise a contract
If we have to hold a payer harmless, the payer should hold us harmless as well. If we consult an insurer’s Web site to confirm that a patient is covered, and we take her to surgery because we have evidence she has insurance, the insurer shouldn’t be able to rescind payment 6 months later because the patient didn’t pay for her insurance that month. That’s not fair. The company told you she was covered, and you deserve to get paid for that surgery because you are relying on information from the company itself. So when you sign a contract, you need to ensure that you are being held harmless as well as the insurer.

12. Calculate your own RVUs
Use your claims software for data. Consult the Federal Register or ACOG to determine the total number of RVUs for a given CPT code. Multiply the RVUs by the quantity for each code. Let’s say it’s an evaluation and management visit, code 99213, and you’ve done 50 this month. That’s 50 multiplied by 1.3 RVUs. Add all the codes together, then use your monthly profit and loss statement to determine what your expenses are. Divide your total expenses by the total number of RVUs to determine your practice cost per RVU. You then can decide on a conversion factor you can tolerate, and you can use this information when contracting with IPAs, HMOs, and other insurers.

13. Spend money to make money
There are many coding resources available to you. Coding is well worth what you spend on it because you can get it back in a heartbeat.

This information may not be easy to master, but it’s critically important for your economic survival—to get what’s rightfully yours and get paid fairly for what you do.

Share your thoughts on this article! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@frontlinemedcom.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.

Yes, we have been here before. Another day, another delay in implementing International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). But, do not expect another postponement. If you are already conducting training sessions to move to the new system come next October, continue to do so. If you have not yet started, now is the time to start. ICD-10-CM is coming to your practice, and it will change everything.

“Why the switch?” you ask?
This change in our diagnostic coding system is required to allow coding for increased specificity in the reporting of diseases and recently recognized conditions as well as to maintain our status with respect to the rest of the world (which has been using ICD-10 for years). It also will be essential to use this coding system with the electronic medical record (EMR), so that meaningful use can be demonstrated more easily. Keep in mind that failure to show meaningful use will lead to penalties in the future. This new system offers improvements over ICD-9-CM in coding primary care encounters, external causes of injury, mental disorders, neoplasms, obstetric complications, and preventive health. It also allows physicians to demonstrate severity of illness in a way that is not possible with ICD-9-CM.

There will be 65,000 more codes than currently exist in ICD-9-CM. No physician will be able to keep all of these code numbers handy, but by making changes to clinician documentation and applying diagnostic coding guidelines correctly within the framework of the new system, the transition will not be onerous. And consider that, while the number of new codes is great, the number of codes used in the typical ObGyn practice will be a fraction of that number.

Related article: As ICD-10 conversion nears, keep these factors in mind to ensure proper reimbursements in 2014. Barbara S. Levy, MD (Audiocast, January 2014)

For ICD-10, documentation is paramount
The most important issue when considering overall coding and practice changes will be recognizing that clinician documentation will be the key to coding the highest level of specificity—and this high level of specificity may be required by most payers when ­deciding to reimburse for treatments rendered. Complete documentation sets the stage for the severity of illness and should in fact result in fewer denials for medical necessity.

For the new process to work efficiently, however, without a lot of delays due to coders and billers having to get more information from clinician offices before sending out claims, your understanding of and “buy-in” to the more clinically specific documentation will be essential.

To explain, under ICD-9-CM coding, simply documenting amenorrhea was acceptable. But when we switch to ICD-10-CM, documentation will need to specify whether the amenorrhea was primary or secondary. This more specific diagnostic coding will make a difference in the health statistics we collect. These data are used for research and to make decisions about allocation of resources—all essential components to excellent quality patient care.

The codes themselves will look different, which may be why some are resisting the change. Instead of the up to five digits required in ICD-9-CM, ICD-10-CM will require up to seven characters. All of the ICD-10-CM codes begin with a letter, may require a placeholder code of “x” as part of the code number, and the seventh character can be either a number or a letter. For instance, with some ICD-10-CM diagnoses reported by ObGyns, a seventh character might require documentation of the encounter as being initial, subsequent, or a sequel; in other cases, that seventh character will be used to identify which fetus has the problem identified by the diagnostic code.

Related article: The economics of surgical gynecology: How we can not only survive, but thrive, in the 21st Century. Q&A with Barbara S. Levy, MD (Practice Management; February 2013)

Your understanding, although not a necessity, is best for all involved
In truth, most clinicians are not familiar with code formats and code numbers within our current ICD-9-CM code set. The expectation that you will suddenly become fluent in ICD-10-CM “code speak” is not realistic. But an understanding of the new codes in relation to documentation expectations will go a long way to making this transition as smooth as possible. For instance, when a patient currently presents reporting vaginal pain that is found to be due to erosion of a previously placed mesh, the code 628.31 (Erosion of implanted vaginal mesh and other prosthetic materials to surrounding organ or tissue) is  reported. But in ICD-10-CM, the documentation would need to include whether this was an initial encounter and the code would become T83.711A (Erosion of implanted vaginal mesh and other prosthetic materials to surrounding organ or tissue, initial encounter).

Smart search. The good news is that most EMR products will have a “smart search” program available for clinicians to pick the correct code based on the search criteria. The bad news is that you will have to be a bit more exact in the search terms you use to make the process easy. For instance, the patient has pelvic pain but you search only on the term “pain.” That term by itself will result in about 100 codes to select from, and the order of the codes may mean that the correct code for pelvic pain is 25 codes down the list. However, if you instead search on the term “pelvic pain,” the one and only code for this condition will be listed and you can simply select it and move on.

Develop cheat sheets. Health-care professionals who are not using an EMR or some sort of computerized code search program will have a harder time, but the use of multiple paper “cheat sheets” for general gynecology, family planning, surgical cases, urology, infertility, obstetrics, etc., will ease that burden. Practice management staff can develop these forms, built on the codes that are currently being reported by the clinician. Place all of the options to replace the older code on the sheet so the correct selection can be made.

For instance, if the provider previously had reported vaginitis with one code, when we move to ICD-10-CM the code would expand to four code selections based on documentation of acute vaginitis, subacute and chronic vaginitis, acute vulvitis, or subacute and chronic vulvitis. If you only had documented vaginitis in the medical record, this gives you the opportunity to refine the documentation to something more specific that supports selection of the correct code and supports the medical need for management options.

Related article: Dos, don’ts, and dollars: Making the switch to an HER. Neil H. Baum, MD; Paul Kepper, MS. (Practice Management; November 2013)

Take advantage of the extra time
Now that we have a delay in the rollout, take this time to critically examine your documentation styles, and practice selecting ICD-10-CM codes before it counts toward payment or nonpayment of a claim. When the time comes, your practice will be fluent in the new system and there will be no delays in getting claims out the door or payment due to incorrect diagnostic coding. In other words, practice makes perfect.

In fact, some ObGyn practices that were ready for the new system have decided to switch to ICD-10-CM coding as of October 1, 2014. They will code each encounter by reporting both the ICD-9-CM code and the ICD-10-CM code on the revised CMS claim form or electronic billing format that permits dual diagnostic coding. This type of experience will ensure that all physicians and other health-care professionals in the practice have ample opportunity to improve their documentation and make any adjustments before the 2015 deadline.

Related article: The 2014 CPT and Medicare code changes affecting ObGyn practice. Melanie Witt, RN, CPC, COBGC, MA (Reimbursement Adviser; January 2014)

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Drop us a line and let us know what you think about current articles, which topics you'd like to see covered in future issues, and what challenges you face in daily practice. Tell us what you think by emailing us at: obg@frontlinemedcom.com

Yes, we have been here before. Another day, another delay in implementing International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). But, do not expect another postponement. If you are already conducting training sessions to move to the new system come next October, continue to do so. If you have not yet started, now is the time to start. ICD-10-CM is coming to your practice, and it will change everything.

“Why the switch?” you ask?
This change in our diagnostic coding system is required to allow coding for increased specificity in the reporting of diseases and recently recognized conditions as well as to maintain our status with respect to the rest of the world (which has been using ICD-10 for years). It also will be essential to use this coding system with the electronic medical record (EMR), so that meaningful use can be demonstrated more easily. Keep in mind that failure to show meaningful use will lead to penalties in the future. This new system offers improvements over ICD-9-CM in coding primary care encounters, external causes of injury, mental disorders, neoplasms, obstetric complications, and preventive health. It also allows physicians to demonstrate severity of illness in a way that is not possible with ICD-9-CM.

There will be 65,000 more codes than currently exist in ICD-9-CM. No physician will be able to keep all of these code numbers handy, but by making changes to clinician documentation and applying diagnostic coding guidelines correctly within the framework of the new system, the transition will not be onerous. And consider that, while the number of new codes is great, the number of codes used in the typical ObGyn practice will be a fraction of that number.

Related article: As ICD-10 conversion nears, keep these factors in mind to ensure proper reimbursements in 2014. Barbara S. Levy, MD (Audiocast, January 2014)

For ICD-10, documentation is paramount
The most important issue when considering overall coding and practice changes will be recognizing that clinician documentation will be the key to coding the highest level of specificity—and this high level of specificity may be required by most payers when ­deciding to reimburse for treatments rendered. Complete documentation sets the stage for the severity of illness and should in fact result in fewer denials for medical necessity.

For the new process to work efficiently, however, without a lot of delays due to coders and billers having to get more information from clinician offices before sending out claims, your understanding of and “buy-in” to the more clinically specific documentation will be essential.

To explain, under ICD-9-CM coding, simply documenting amenorrhea was acceptable. But when we switch to ICD-10-CM, documentation will need to specify whether the amenorrhea was primary or secondary. This more specific diagnostic coding will make a difference in the health statistics we collect. These data are used for research and to make decisions about allocation of resources—all essential components to excellent quality patient care.

The codes themselves will look different, which may be why some are resisting the change. Instead of the up to five digits required in ICD-9-CM, ICD-10-CM will require up to seven characters. All of the ICD-10-CM codes begin with a letter, may require a placeholder code of “x” as part of the code number, and the seventh character can be either a number or a letter. For instance, with some ICD-10-CM diagnoses reported by ObGyns, a seventh character might require documentation of the encounter as being initial, subsequent, or a sequel; in other cases, that seventh character will be used to identify which fetus has the problem identified by the diagnostic code.

Related article: The economics of surgical gynecology: How we can not only survive, but thrive, in the 21st Century. Q&A with Barbara S. Levy, MD (Practice Management; February 2013)

Your understanding, although not a necessity, is best for all involved
In truth, most clinicians are not familiar with code formats and code numbers within our current ICD-9-CM code set. The expectation that you will suddenly become fluent in ICD-10-CM “code speak” is not realistic. But an understanding of the new codes in relation to documentation expectations will go a long way to making this transition as smooth as possible. For instance, when a patient currently presents reporting vaginal pain that is found to be due to erosion of a previously placed mesh, the code 628.31 (Erosion of implanted vaginal mesh and other prosthetic materials to surrounding organ or tissue) is  reported. But in ICD-10-CM, the documentation would need to include whether this was an initial encounter and the code would become T83.711A (Erosion of implanted vaginal mesh and other prosthetic materials to surrounding organ or tissue, initial encounter).

Smart search. The good news is that most EMR products will have a “smart search” program available for clinicians to pick the correct code based on the search criteria. The bad news is that you will have to be a bit more exact in the search terms you use to make the process easy. For instance, the patient has pelvic pain but you search only on the term “pain.” That term by itself will result in about 100 codes to select from, and the order of the codes may mean that the correct code for pelvic pain is 25 codes down the list. However, if you instead search on the term “pelvic pain,” the one and only code for this condition will be listed and you can simply select it and move on.

Develop cheat sheets. Health-care professionals who are not using an EMR or some sort of computerized code search program will have a harder time, but the use of multiple paper “cheat sheets” for general gynecology, family planning, surgical cases, urology, infertility, obstetrics, etc., will ease that burden. Practice management staff can develop these forms, built on the codes that are currently being reported by the clinician. Place all of the options to replace the older code on the sheet so the correct selection can be made.

For instance, if the provider previously had reported vaginitis with one code, when we move to ICD-10-CM the code would expand to four code selections based on documentation of acute vaginitis, subacute and chronic vaginitis, acute vulvitis, or subacute and chronic vulvitis. If you only had documented vaginitis in the medical record, this gives you the opportunity to refine the documentation to something more specific that supports selection of the correct code and supports the medical need for management options.

Related article: Dos, don’ts, and dollars: Making the switch to an HER. Neil H. Baum, MD; Paul Kepper, MS. (Practice Management; November 2013)

Take advantage of the extra time
Now that we have a delay in the rollout, take this time to critically examine your documentation styles, and practice selecting ICD-10-CM codes before it counts toward payment or nonpayment of a claim. When the time comes, your practice will be fluent in the new system and there will be no delays in getting claims out the door or payment due to incorrect diagnostic coding. In other words, practice makes perfect.

In fact, some ObGyn practices that were ready for the new system have decided to switch to ICD-10-CM coding as of October 1, 2014. They will code each encounter by reporting both the ICD-9-CM code and the ICD-10-CM code on the revised CMS claim form or electronic billing format that permits dual diagnostic coding. This type of experience will ensure that all physicians and other health-care professionals in the practice have ample opportunity to improve their documentation and make any adjustments before the 2015 deadline.

Related article: The 2014 CPT and Medicare code changes affecting ObGyn practice. Melanie Witt, RN, CPC, COBGC, MA (Reimbursement Adviser; January 2014)

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Drop us a line and let us know what you think about current articles, which topics you'd like to see covered in future issues, and what challenges you face in daily practice. Tell us what you think by emailing us at: obg@frontlinemedcom.com

Yes, we have been here before. Another day, another delay in implementing International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). But, do not expect another postponement. If you are already conducting training sessions to move to the new system come next October, continue to do so. If you have not yet started, now is the time to start. ICD-10-CM is coming to your practice, and it will change everything.

“Why the switch?” you ask?
This change in our diagnostic coding system is required to allow coding for increased specificity in the reporting of diseases and recently recognized conditions as well as to maintain our status with respect to the rest of the world (which has been using ICD-10 for years). It also will be essential to use this coding system with the electronic medical record (EMR), so that meaningful use can be demonstrated more easily. Keep in mind that failure to show meaningful use will lead to penalties in the future. This new system offers improvements over ICD-9-CM in coding primary care encounters, external causes of injury, mental disorders, neoplasms, obstetric complications, and preventive health. It also allows physicians to demonstrate severity of illness in a way that is not possible with ICD-9-CM.

There will be 65,000 more codes than currently exist in ICD-9-CM. No physician will be able to keep all of these code numbers handy, but by making changes to clinician documentation and applying diagnostic coding guidelines correctly within the framework of the new system, the transition will not be onerous. And consider that, while the number of new codes is great, the number of codes used in the typical ObGyn practice will be a fraction of that number.

Related article: As ICD-10 conversion nears, keep these factors in mind to ensure proper reimbursements in 2014. Barbara S. Levy, MD (Audiocast, January 2014)

For ICD-10, documentation is paramount
The most important issue when considering overall coding and practice changes will be recognizing that clinician documentation will be the key to coding the highest level of specificity—and this high level of specificity may be required by most payers when ­deciding to reimburse for treatments rendered. Complete documentation sets the stage for the severity of illness and should in fact result in fewer denials for medical necessity.

For the new process to work efficiently, however, without a lot of delays due to coders and billers having to get more information from clinician offices before sending out claims, your understanding of and “buy-in” to the more clinically specific documentation will be essential.

To explain, under ICD-9-CM coding, simply documenting amenorrhea was acceptable. But when we switch to ICD-10-CM, documentation will need to specify whether the amenorrhea was primary or secondary. This more specific diagnostic coding will make a difference in the health statistics we collect. These data are used for research and to make decisions about allocation of resources—all essential components to excellent quality patient care.

The codes themselves will look different, which may be why some are resisting the change. Instead of the up to five digits required in ICD-9-CM, ICD-10-CM will require up to seven characters. All of the ICD-10-CM codes begin with a letter, may require a placeholder code of “x” as part of the code number, and the seventh character can be either a number or a letter. For instance, with some ICD-10-CM diagnoses reported by ObGyns, a seventh character might require documentation of the encounter as being initial, subsequent, or a sequel; in other cases, that seventh character will be used to identify which fetus has the problem identified by the diagnostic code.

Related article: The economics of surgical gynecology: How we can not only survive, but thrive, in the 21st Century. Q&A with Barbara S. Levy, MD (Practice Management; February 2013)

Your understanding, although not a necessity, is best for all involved
In truth, most clinicians are not familiar with code formats and code numbers within our current ICD-9-CM code set. The expectation that you will suddenly become fluent in ICD-10-CM “code speak” is not realistic. But an understanding of the new codes in relation to documentation expectations will go a long way to making this transition as smooth as possible. For instance, when a patient currently presents reporting vaginal pain that is found to be due to erosion of a previously placed mesh, the code 628.31 (Erosion of implanted vaginal mesh and other prosthetic materials to surrounding organ or tissue) is  reported. But in ICD-10-CM, the documentation would need to include whether this was an initial encounter and the code would become T83.711A (Erosion of implanted vaginal mesh and other prosthetic materials to surrounding organ or tissue, initial encounter).

Smart search. The good news is that most EMR products will have a “smart search” program available for clinicians to pick the correct code based on the search criteria. The bad news is that you will have to be a bit more exact in the search terms you use to make the process easy. For instance, the patient has pelvic pain but you search only on the term “pain.” That term by itself will result in about 100 codes to select from, and the order of the codes may mean that the correct code for pelvic pain is 25 codes down the list. However, if you instead search on the term “pelvic pain,” the one and only code for this condition will be listed and you can simply select it and move on.

Develop cheat sheets. Health-care professionals who are not using an EMR or some sort of computerized code search program will have a harder time, but the use of multiple paper “cheat sheets” for general gynecology, family planning, surgical cases, urology, infertility, obstetrics, etc., will ease that burden. Practice management staff can develop these forms, built on the codes that are currently being reported by the clinician. Place all of the options to replace the older code on the sheet so the correct selection can be made.

For instance, if the provider previously had reported vaginitis with one code, when we move to ICD-10-CM the code would expand to four code selections based on documentation of acute vaginitis, subacute and chronic vaginitis, acute vulvitis, or subacute and chronic vulvitis. If you only had documented vaginitis in the medical record, this gives you the opportunity to refine the documentation to something more specific that supports selection of the correct code and supports the medical need for management options.

Related article: Dos, don’ts, and dollars: Making the switch to an HER. Neil H. Baum, MD; Paul Kepper, MS. (Practice Management; November 2013)

Take advantage of the extra time
Now that we have a delay in the rollout, take this time to critically examine your documentation styles, and practice selecting ICD-10-CM codes before it counts toward payment or nonpayment of a claim. When the time comes, your practice will be fluent in the new system and there will be no delays in getting claims out the door or payment due to incorrect diagnostic coding. In other words, practice makes perfect.

In fact, some ObGyn practices that were ready for the new system have decided to switch to ICD-10-CM coding as of October 1, 2014. They will code each encounter by reporting both the ICD-9-CM code and the ICD-10-CM code on the revised CMS claim form or electronic billing format that permits dual diagnostic coding. This type of experience will ensure that all physicians and other health-care professionals in the practice have ample opportunity to improve their documentation and make any adjustments before the 2015 deadline.

Related article: The 2014 CPT and Medicare code changes affecting ObGyn practice. Melanie Witt, RN, CPC, COBGC, MA (Reimbursement Adviser; January 2014)

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Drop us a line and let us know what you think about current articles, which topics you'd like to see covered in future issues, and what challenges you face in daily practice. Tell us what you think by emailing us at: obg@frontlinemedcom.com

The code set of the 2014 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), which took effect on January 1, includes several changes that affect all women’s health-care providers, including:

• a clarification of who should bill discharge-day management

• the addition of interprofessional telephone and Internet consultations

• new codes for image-guided fluid drainage

• new codes for fibroid embolization and laparoscopic ablation of fibroids.

There are also some new laboratory codes: one that captures the work of the noninvasive prenatal DNA test Harmony, and one to test for Trichomonas vaginalis. Finally, the code for anogenital examinations was revised to reflect current practice.

Medicare also has made some changes you should note, related to the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system Skyla and billing for “incident to” services, and the type of provider who can order a fecal occult blood test. In addition, Medicare changes to some of the practice expense relative value units (RVUs) and geographic payment adjustor values will have an impact on some frequently used ObGyn services.

The changes to the CPT code set took effect January 1. Because of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements, insurers were required to accept new codes on that date.

CPT CODE CHANGES
Discharge-day management coding clarified
Codes 99238 and 99239 should be reported by the admitting provider for all services rendered on the date of discharge as long as the admission and discharge were not on the same date of service. Concurrent hospital services performed by the nonadmitting clinician on the date of discharge should be billed instead as a subsequent inpatient hospital encounter (codes 99231–99233).

Interprofessional phone and Web consultations now reimbursed
Most clinicians at one time or another end up giving advice to another health-care provider about the care of a patient he or she never sees and, up until 2014, there was no way to ask for reimbursement for this additional work. Starting on January 1, however, there were four new codes to allow a consultant clinician to report this work. These services, of a consulting physician who has specific specialty expertise, typically will be provided in complex or urgent situations where a timely face-to-face service with the patient may not be feasible.

The new codes are billed based on total documented cumulative time spent (to account for more than one telephone/Internet contact to complete the consultation request). The codes are for interprofessional telephone/Internet assessment and management service provided by a consultative physician including a verbal and written report to the patient’s treating/requesting physician or other qualified health-care professional, with varying time intervals for medical consultative discussion and review:

• 99446 5–10 minutes

• 99447 11–20 minutes

• 99448 21–30 minutes

• 99449 31 minutes or more

Like all new codes, these have some very specific requirements:

• The billing physician cannot have had a face-to-face encounter with the patient within the past 14 days. If the consultation leads to scheduling a face-to-face appointment or surgery within 14 days, these codes cannot be reported.

• If the consultation is to accept transfer of care or arrange for an immediate face-to-face encounter with the consulting physician, these codes should not be billed.

• The documentation must include a review of all pertinent medical records, studies, medications, etc., that may be required to render an opinion on how to proceed with care of the patient, and reviewing of any data is not reported separately.

• The patient either can be new to the consultant or can be established (with a new or an exacerbated problem).

• The majority of the service (more than 50%) must be devoted to the medical consultative verbal/Internet real-time discussion, and not be reported more than once within a 7-day interval.

• The request for advice by the qualified health-care professional must be documented in the patient’s medical record, including the reason for the request.

• There must be a verbal opinion report and written report from the consultant to the treating physician.

• The treating physician who asks for the telephone/Internet advice can report a prolonged services, non–face-to-face code if the time exceeds the typical time of a problem E/M service by 30 minutes to get credit for the discussion with the consultant.

CASE
As an example, Dr. Moody, Mary’s primary care physician, has ordered a computed tomography scan for her due to reports of sharp epigastric pain. A large mass in the area of the right ovary is detected. Dr. Moody phones Dr. Gerard, the patient’s ObGyn of record, for an opinion about additional testing for this mass. Mary was last seen by Dr. Gerard at her well-woman visit 8 months ago; there were no complaints reported or problems detected.

Dr. Gerard recommends that additional views of the mass be obtained and that a CA 125 test be performed due to Mary’s family history of ovarian cancer. He also recommends that Mary be sent for a consultation with a gynecologic oncologist as soon as possible. The total time spent on this consultation is 15 minutes, and Dr. Gerard reports Mary’s consultative session to her insurance company with CPT code 99447.

Image-guided drainage of a fluid collection
CPT code 10030 has been added to report image-guided drainage of a fluid collection using a catheter for areas just under the skin. This code would be used if the patient had an abscess, hematoma, seroma, lymphocele, or cyst that was drained percutaneously. For instance, this code could be reported for a hematoma located in the abdominal wall or just under the skin. The code bundles image guidance, but it can be reported more than once if there is more than one collection drained with a separate catheter.

CPT also has added additional codes for image-guided fluid collection drainage by catheter (eg, abscess, hematoma, seroma, lymphocele, cyst) of visceral, peritoneal, or retroperitoneal collections. The codes for these procedures are:

• 49405...; visceral (eg, kidney, liver, spleen, lung/mediastinum), percutaneous

• 49406...; peritoneal or retroperitoneal, percutaneous

• 49407...; peritoneal or retroperitoneal, transvaginal or transrectal

With the addition of these new codes, the old code 58823 has been eliminated.

Uterine fibroid treatment
There are two changes with regard to the treatment of uterine fibroids. First, CPT code 37210 (Uterine fibroid embolization [UFE, embolization of the uterine arteries to treat uterine fibroids, leiomyomata], percutaneous approach inclusive of vascular access, vessel selection, embolization, and all radiologic supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance necessary to complete the procedure) has been eliminated and replaced by a more general code that will apply to any tumor or organ. This new code is 37243 (Vascular embolization or occlusion, inclusive of all radiological supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance necessary to complete the intervention; for tumors, organ ischemia, or infarction).

Second, there is now a Category III code for the laparoscopic ablation of uterine fibroids: 0336T (Laparoscopy, surgical, ablation of uterine fibroid[s], including intraoperative ultrasound guidance and monitoring, radiofrequency). Clinical research has shown that radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is effective in treating fibroids, resolving associated symptoms in more than 80% of treated patients. Because RFA is not yet a standard of care, this Category III code must be reported in order for data on its use to be collected. Under CPT rules, you may not use an unlisted code in place of the Category III code for this procedure. If you are performing RFA, it may be considered experimental by some payers, but you can still make a case for payment with the submission of adequate documentation with the claim in the form of peer-reviewed articles and the patient’s circumstances that preclude more standard surgeries.

Anogenital examination coding
Code 99170 was revised to reflect current practice. The procedure is not always performed with a colposcope, but usually requires digital imaging for legal recoding and documentation. The revised code reads “anogenital examination, magnified, in childhood for suspected trauma, including image recording when performed.” Moderate sedation, if performed, may be billed separately using code 99143-99150.

LABORATORY CODE CHANGES
Cell-free DNA testing code added
As of January 1, there is a new code to report cell-free prenatal DNA testing to screen for fetal aneuploidy. This new code is 81507 (Fetal aneuploidy [trisomy 21, 18, and 13] DNA sequence analysis of selected regions using maternal plasma, algorithm reported as a risk score for each trisomy).

Related Article: Update on Obstetrics Jaimey Pauli, MD, and John T. Repke, MD (January 2014)

In addition, the code 84112, which used to be defined as “placental alpha microglobulin-1 (PAMG-1), cervicovaginal secretion, qualitative,” has been revised. The revision was done to make it clear that it can be ordered for other proteins that are tested in amniotic fluid. Code 84112 is now defined as follows: Evaluation of cervicovaginal fluid for specific amniotic fluid protein(s) (eg, placental alpha microglobulin-1 [PAMG-1], placental protein 12 [PP12], alpha-fetoprotein), qualitative, each specimen.

This test is normally ordered to determine whether the fetal membranes have ruptured, but this is not a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waived or Provider Performed Microscopy Procedures (PPMP) test. Therefore, only the laboratory with the applicable CLIA certificate can bill for it.

There are now two code options for T vaginalis testing
To the existing code 87660 (direct probe technique) is added the new code 87661, T vaginalis, amplified probe technique.

Three new codes for the flu vaccine:

• 90673, Flublok (effective January 2013)

• 90686, Fluzone, preservative-free (effective December 2012)

• 90688, FluLaval (effective August 2013)

In addition, Medicare has deleted code G2033, which was used to report Flublok. It will now accept the CPT code 90673 for this influenza product.

Keep in mind that reporting the administration of the influenza vaccine is different for Medicare than private payers. Administration code G0008 and diagnosis code V04.81 would be reported in conjunction with the appropriate vaccine code for Medicare, while CPT instructs you to report 90471 instead for the administration.

MEDICARE CODING CHANGES
Skyla. The new code is J7301, levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive, 13.5 mg. This replaces the temporary code Q0090, which was added by Medicare on July 1, 2013.

Related Article: 5 IUD myths dispelled Anne A. Moore, DNP, APN (September 2013)

More providers can order fecal occult blood tests. To expand access to screening fecal occult blood testing, Medicare has revised the rules on who can order these tests. Effective January 1, 2014, not only a physician but also the billing physician’s assistant (PA), certified nurse specialist (CNS), or nurse practitioner (NP) can order the test. But as before January 1, the physician, PA, CNS, or NP is responsible for using the results of the screening test in the overall management of the patient’s medical care.

“Incident to” providers must be state-licensed. Medicare recently became aware that it was being billed in several situations for ‘‘incident to’’ services that were provided by auxiliary personnel (rather than the physician or practitioner billing for the services) who did not meet the state standards for those services. For this reason, Medicare has revised the “incident to” rules to make it clear that the person who is assigned to provide the aspect of the service must be licensed within their state to provide the services performed.

SGR fate, and your reimbursement, unknown at this time
At the time this article was finalized, there was no information about the fate of the Medicare payment mechanism for 2014. If the sustained growth formula used to calculate the Medicare conversion factor for physician reimbursement is not fixed by Congress, the projected 2014 conversion factor will be $27.2006, a decrease from the current conversion factor of $34.023.
But even without concrete, final information on this complicating factor, changes to the geographic adjustment units (which in turn determine the payment allowance for physicians based on their practice location), as well as changes to the practice expense RVUs for such office procedures as urodynamic testing, may spell decreased payments in 2014 from Medicare or payers who use Medicare as the basis for reimbursement.
Some states will fare better than others. The geographic payment cost index for all but a handful of states will be adjusted downward. The good news is that if you practice in Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Virginia, certain areas of California (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Marin County), and the Washington DC area, your geographic factors will increase. This increase may offset any decrease in the RVUs.
ObGyn reimbursements hardest hit by decreased RVUs. The RVUs for 2014 for the technical component of all the urodynamic testing codes will be reduced by 6% to 40%, with the biggest hit coming to codes 51726-51727 (complex cystometrogram with urethral and voiding pressure studies). In-office procedures such as endometrial ablation, endometrial cryoablation, and hysteroscopic sterilization will see around an 8% decrease to the practice expense RVUs. This same reduction will be noticed in the technical-component reimbursement for gynecologic and obstetric ultrasounds, with the notable exception that the RVUs were increased for umbilical artery Doppler.
The final result for increased or decreased payments via the relative value system will therefore depend on your practice location, and whether you are billing the technical component only for many of these procedures (and, of course, the final outcome of the SGR). WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Drop us a line and let us know what you think about current articles, which topics you'd like to see covered in future issues, and what challenges you face in daily practice. Tell us what you think by emailing us at: obg@frontlinemedcom.com

The code set of the 2014 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), which took effect on January 1, includes several changes that affect all women’s health-care providers, including:

• a clarification of who should bill discharge-day management

• the addition of interprofessional telephone and Internet consultations

• new codes for image-guided fluid drainage

• new codes for fibroid embolization and laparoscopic ablation of fibroids.

There are also some new laboratory codes: one that captures the work of the noninvasive prenatal DNA test Harmony, and one to test for Trichomonas vaginalis. Finally, the code for anogenital examinations was revised to reflect current practice.

Medicare also has made some changes you should note, related to the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system Skyla and billing for “incident to” services, and the type of provider who can order a fecal occult blood test. In addition, Medicare changes to some of the practice expense relative value units (RVUs) and geographic payment adjustor values will have an impact on some frequently used ObGyn services.

The changes to the CPT code set took effect January 1. Because of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements, insurers were required to accept new codes on that date.

CPT CODE CHANGES
Discharge-day management coding clarified
Codes 99238 and 99239 should be reported by the admitting provider for all services rendered on the date of discharge as long as the admission and discharge were not on the same date of service. Concurrent hospital services performed by the nonadmitting clinician on the date of discharge should be billed instead as a subsequent inpatient hospital encounter (codes 99231–99233).

Interprofessional phone and Web consultations now reimbursed
Most clinicians at one time or another end up giving advice to another health-care provider about the care of a patient he or she never sees and, up until 2014, there was no way to ask for reimbursement for this additional work. Starting on January 1, however, there were four new codes to allow a consultant clinician to report this work. These services, of a consulting physician who has specific specialty expertise, typically will be provided in complex or urgent situations where a timely face-to-face service with the patient may not be feasible.

The new codes are billed based on total documented cumulative time spent (to account for more than one telephone/Internet contact to complete the consultation request). The codes are for interprofessional telephone/Internet assessment and management service provided by a consultative physician including a verbal and written report to the patient’s treating/requesting physician or other qualified health-care professional, with varying time intervals for medical consultative discussion and review:

• 99446 5–10 minutes

• 99447 11–20 minutes

• 99448 21–30 minutes

• 99449 31 minutes or more

Like all new codes, these have some very specific requirements:

• The billing physician cannot have had a face-to-face encounter with the patient within the past 14 days. If the consultation leads to scheduling a face-to-face appointment or surgery within 14 days, these codes cannot be reported.

• If the consultation is to accept transfer of care or arrange for an immediate face-to-face encounter with the consulting physician, these codes should not be billed.

• The documentation must include a review of all pertinent medical records, studies, medications, etc., that may be required to render an opinion on how to proceed with care of the patient, and reviewing of any data is not reported separately.

• The patient either can be new to the consultant or can be established (with a new or an exacerbated problem).

• The majority of the service (more than 50%) must be devoted to the medical consultative verbal/Internet real-time discussion, and not be reported more than once within a 7-day interval.

• The request for advice by the qualified health-care professional must be documented in the patient’s medical record, including the reason for the request.

• There must be a verbal opinion report and written report from the consultant to the treating physician.

• The treating physician who asks for the telephone/Internet advice can report a prolonged services, non–face-to-face code if the time exceeds the typical time of a problem E/M service by 30 minutes to get credit for the discussion with the consultant.

CASE
As an example, Dr. Moody, Mary’s primary care physician, has ordered a computed tomography scan for her due to reports of sharp epigastric pain. A large mass in the area of the right ovary is detected. Dr. Moody phones Dr. Gerard, the patient’s ObGyn of record, for an opinion about additional testing for this mass. Mary was last seen by Dr. Gerard at her well-woman visit 8 months ago; there were no complaints reported or problems detected.

Dr. Gerard recommends that additional views of the mass be obtained and that a CA 125 test be performed due to Mary’s family history of ovarian cancer. He also recommends that Mary be sent for a consultation with a gynecologic oncologist as soon as possible. The total time spent on this consultation is 15 minutes, and Dr. Gerard reports Mary’s consultative session to her insurance company with CPT code 99447.

Image-guided drainage of a fluid collection
CPT code 10030 has been added to report image-guided drainage of a fluid collection using a catheter for areas just under the skin. This code would be used if the patient had an abscess, hematoma, seroma, lymphocele, or cyst that was drained percutaneously. For instance, this code could be reported for a hematoma located in the abdominal wall or just under the skin. The code bundles image guidance, but it can be reported more than once if there is more than one collection drained with a separate catheter.

CPT also has added additional codes for image-guided fluid collection drainage by catheter (eg, abscess, hematoma, seroma, lymphocele, cyst) of visceral, peritoneal, or retroperitoneal collections. The codes for these procedures are:

• 49405...; visceral (eg, kidney, liver, spleen, lung/mediastinum), percutaneous

• 49406...; peritoneal or retroperitoneal, percutaneous

• 49407...; peritoneal or retroperitoneal, transvaginal or transrectal

With the addition of these new codes, the old code 58823 has been eliminated.

Uterine fibroid treatment
There are two changes with regard to the treatment of uterine fibroids. First, CPT code 37210 (Uterine fibroid embolization [UFE, embolization of the uterine arteries to treat uterine fibroids, leiomyomata], percutaneous approach inclusive of vascular access, vessel selection, embolization, and all radiologic supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance necessary to complete the procedure) has been eliminated and replaced by a more general code that will apply to any tumor or organ. This new code is 37243 (Vascular embolization or occlusion, inclusive of all radiological supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance necessary to complete the intervention; for tumors, organ ischemia, or infarction).

Second, there is now a Category III code for the laparoscopic ablation of uterine fibroids: 0336T (Laparoscopy, surgical, ablation of uterine fibroid[s], including intraoperative ultrasound guidance and monitoring, radiofrequency). Clinical research has shown that radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is effective in treating fibroids, resolving associated symptoms in more than 80% of treated patients. Because RFA is not yet a standard of care, this Category III code must be reported in order for data on its use to be collected. Under CPT rules, you may not use an unlisted code in place of the Category III code for this procedure. If you are performing RFA, it may be considered experimental by some payers, but you can still make a case for payment with the submission of adequate documentation with the claim in the form of peer-reviewed articles and the patient’s circumstances that preclude more standard surgeries.

Anogenital examination coding
Code 99170 was revised to reflect current practice. The procedure is not always performed with a colposcope, but usually requires digital imaging for legal recoding and documentation. The revised code reads “anogenital examination, magnified, in childhood for suspected trauma, including image recording when performed.” Moderate sedation, if performed, may be billed separately using code 99143-99150.

LABORATORY CODE CHANGES
Cell-free DNA testing code added
As of January 1, there is a new code to report cell-free prenatal DNA testing to screen for fetal aneuploidy. This new code is 81507 (Fetal aneuploidy [trisomy 21, 18, and 13] DNA sequence analysis of selected regions using maternal plasma, algorithm reported as a risk score for each trisomy).

Related Article: Update on Obstetrics Jaimey Pauli, MD, and John T. Repke, MD (January 2014)

In addition, the code 84112, which used to be defined as “placental alpha microglobulin-1 (PAMG-1), cervicovaginal secretion, qualitative,” has been revised. The revision was done to make it clear that it can be ordered for other proteins that are tested in amniotic fluid. Code 84112 is now defined as follows: Evaluation of cervicovaginal fluid for specific amniotic fluid protein(s) (eg, placental alpha microglobulin-1 [PAMG-1], placental protein 12 [PP12], alpha-fetoprotein), qualitative, each specimen.

This test is normally ordered to determine whether the fetal membranes have ruptured, but this is not a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waived or Provider Performed Microscopy Procedures (PPMP) test. Therefore, only the laboratory with the applicable CLIA certificate can bill for it.

There are now two code options for T vaginalis testing
To the existing code 87660 (direct probe technique) is added the new code 87661, T vaginalis, amplified probe technique.

Three new codes for the flu vaccine:

• 90673, Flublok (effective January 2013)

• 90686, Fluzone, preservative-free (effective December 2012)

• 90688, FluLaval (effective August 2013)

In addition, Medicare has deleted code G2033, which was used to report Flublok. It will now accept the CPT code 90673 for this influenza product.

Keep in mind that reporting the administration of the influenza vaccine is different for Medicare than private payers. Administration code G0008 and diagnosis code V04.81 would be reported in conjunction with the appropriate vaccine code for Medicare, while CPT instructs you to report 90471 instead for the administration.

MEDICARE CODING CHANGES
Skyla. The new code is J7301, levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive, 13.5 mg. This replaces the temporary code Q0090, which was added by Medicare on July 1, 2013.

Related Article: 5 IUD myths dispelled Anne A. Moore, DNP, APN (September 2013)

More providers can order fecal occult blood tests. To expand access to screening fecal occult blood testing, Medicare has revised the rules on who can order these tests. Effective January 1, 2014, not only a physician but also the billing physician’s assistant (PA), certified nurse specialist (CNS), or nurse practitioner (NP) can order the test. But as before January 1, the physician, PA, CNS, or NP is responsible for using the results of the screening test in the overall management of the patient’s medical care.

“Incident to” providers must be state-licensed. Medicare recently became aware that it was being billed in several situations for ‘‘incident to’’ services that were provided by auxiliary personnel (rather than the physician or practitioner billing for the services) who did not meet the state standards for those services. For this reason, Medicare has revised the “incident to” rules to make it clear that the person who is assigned to provide the aspect of the service must be licensed within their state to provide the services performed.

SGR fate, and your reimbursement, unknown at this time
At the time this article was finalized, there was no information about the fate of the Medicare payment mechanism for 2014. If the sustained growth formula used to calculate the Medicare conversion factor for physician reimbursement is not fixed by Congress, the projected 2014 conversion factor will be $27.2006, a decrease from the current conversion factor of $34.023.
But even without concrete, final information on this complicating factor, changes to the geographic adjustment units (which in turn determine the payment allowance for physicians based on their practice location), as well as changes to the practice expense RVUs for such office procedures as urodynamic testing, may spell decreased payments in 2014 from Medicare or payers who use Medicare as the basis for reimbursement.
Some states will fare better than others. The geographic payment cost index for all but a handful of states will be adjusted downward. The good news is that if you practice in Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Virginia, certain areas of California (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Marin County), and the Washington DC area, your geographic factors will increase. This increase may offset any decrease in the RVUs.
ObGyn reimbursements hardest hit by decreased RVUs. The RVUs for 2014 for the technical component of all the urodynamic testing codes will be reduced by 6% to 40%, with the biggest hit coming to codes 51726-51727 (complex cystometrogram with urethral and voiding pressure studies). In-office procedures such as endometrial ablation, endometrial cryoablation, and hysteroscopic sterilization will see around an 8% decrease to the practice expense RVUs. This same reduction will be noticed in the technical-component reimbursement for gynecologic and obstetric ultrasounds, with the notable exception that the RVUs were increased for umbilical artery Doppler.
The final result for increased or decreased payments via the relative value system will therefore depend on your practice location, and whether you are billing the technical component only for many of these procedures (and, of course, the final outcome of the SGR). WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Drop us a line and let us know what you think about current articles, which topics you'd like to see covered in future issues, and what challenges you face in daily practice. Tell us what you think by emailing us at: obg@frontlinemedcom.com

The code set of the 2014 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), which took effect on January 1, includes several changes that affect all women’s health-care providers, including:

• a clarification of who should bill discharge-day management

• the addition of interprofessional telephone and Internet consultations

• new codes for image-guided fluid drainage

• new codes for fibroid embolization and laparoscopic ablation of fibroids.

There are also some new laboratory codes: one that captures the work of the noninvasive prenatal DNA test Harmony, and one to test for Trichomonas vaginalis. Finally, the code for anogenital examinations was revised to reflect current practice.

Medicare also has made some changes you should note, related to the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system Skyla and billing for “incident to” services, and the type of provider who can order a fecal occult blood test. In addition, Medicare changes to some of the practice expense relative value units (RVUs) and geographic payment adjustor values will have an impact on some frequently used ObGyn services.

The changes to the CPT code set took effect January 1. Because of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements, insurers were required to accept new codes on that date.

CPT CODE CHANGES
Discharge-day management coding clarified
Codes 99238 and 99239 should be reported by the admitting provider for all services rendered on the date of discharge as long as the admission and discharge were not on the same date of service. Concurrent hospital services performed by the nonadmitting clinician on the date of discharge should be billed instead as a subsequent inpatient hospital encounter (codes 99231–99233).

Interprofessional phone and Web consultations now reimbursed
Most clinicians at one time or another end up giving advice to another health-care provider about the care of a patient he or she never sees and, up until 2014, there was no way to ask for reimbursement for this additional work. Starting on January 1, however, there were four new codes to allow a consultant clinician to report this work. These services, of a consulting physician who has specific specialty expertise, typically will be provided in complex or urgent situations where a timely face-to-face service with the patient may not be feasible.

The new codes are billed based on total documented cumulative time spent (to account for more than one telephone/Internet contact to complete the consultation request). The codes are for interprofessional telephone/Internet assessment and management service provided by a consultative physician including a verbal and written report to the patient’s treating/requesting physician or other qualified health-care professional, with varying time intervals for medical consultative discussion and review:

• 99446 5–10 minutes

• 99447 11–20 minutes

• 99448 21–30 minutes

• 99449 31 minutes or more

Like all new codes, these have some very specific requirements:

• The billing physician cannot have had a face-to-face encounter with the patient within the past 14 days. If the consultation leads to scheduling a face-to-face appointment or surgery within 14 days, these codes cannot be reported.

• If the consultation is to accept transfer of care or arrange for an immediate face-to-face encounter with the consulting physician, these codes should not be billed.

• The documentation must include a review of all pertinent medical records, studies, medications, etc., that may be required to render an opinion on how to proceed with care of the patient, and reviewing of any data is not reported separately.

• The patient either can be new to the consultant or can be established (with a new or an exacerbated problem).

• The majority of the service (more than 50%) must be devoted to the medical consultative verbal/Internet real-time discussion, and not be reported more than once within a 7-day interval.

• The request for advice by the qualified health-care professional must be documented in the patient’s medical record, including the reason for the request.

• There must be a verbal opinion report and written report from the consultant to the treating physician.

• The treating physician who asks for the telephone/Internet advice can report a prolonged services, non–face-to-face code if the time exceeds the typical time of a problem E/M service by 30 minutes to get credit for the discussion with the consultant.

CASE
As an example, Dr. Moody, Mary’s primary care physician, has ordered a computed tomography scan for her due to reports of sharp epigastric pain. A large mass in the area of the right ovary is detected. Dr. Moody phones Dr. Gerard, the patient’s ObGyn of record, for an opinion about additional testing for this mass. Mary was last seen by Dr. Gerard at her well-woman visit 8 months ago; there were no complaints reported or problems detected.

Dr. Gerard recommends that additional views of the mass be obtained and that a CA 125 test be performed due to Mary’s family history of ovarian cancer. He also recommends that Mary be sent for a consultation with a gynecologic oncologist as soon as possible. The total time spent on this consultation is 15 minutes, and Dr. Gerard reports Mary’s consultative session to her insurance company with CPT code 99447.

Image-guided drainage of a fluid collection
CPT code 10030 has been added to report image-guided drainage of a fluid collection using a catheter for areas just under the skin. This code would be used if the patient had an abscess, hematoma, seroma, lymphocele, or cyst that was drained percutaneously. For instance, this code could be reported for a hematoma located in the abdominal wall or just under the skin. The code bundles image guidance, but it can be reported more than once if there is more than one collection drained with a separate catheter.

CPT also has added additional codes for image-guided fluid collection drainage by catheter (eg, abscess, hematoma, seroma, lymphocele, cyst) of visceral, peritoneal, or retroperitoneal collections. The codes for these procedures are:

• 49405...; visceral (eg, kidney, liver, spleen, lung/mediastinum), percutaneous

• 49406...; peritoneal or retroperitoneal, percutaneous

• 49407...; peritoneal or retroperitoneal, transvaginal or transrectal

With the addition of these new codes, the old code 58823 has been eliminated.

Uterine fibroid treatment
There are two changes with regard to the treatment of uterine fibroids. First, CPT code 37210 (Uterine fibroid embolization [UFE, embolization of the uterine arteries to treat uterine fibroids, leiomyomata], percutaneous approach inclusive of vascular access, vessel selection, embolization, and all radiologic supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance necessary to complete the procedure) has been eliminated and replaced by a more general code that will apply to any tumor or organ. This new code is 37243 (Vascular embolization or occlusion, inclusive of all radiological supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance necessary to complete the intervention; for tumors, organ ischemia, or infarction).

Second, there is now a Category III code for the laparoscopic ablation of uterine fibroids: 0336T (Laparoscopy, surgical, ablation of uterine fibroid[s], including intraoperative ultrasound guidance and monitoring, radiofrequency). Clinical research has shown that radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is effective in treating fibroids, resolving associated symptoms in more than 80% of treated patients. Because RFA is not yet a standard of care, this Category III code must be reported in order for data on its use to be collected. Under CPT rules, you may not use an unlisted code in place of the Category III code for this procedure. If you are performing RFA, it may be considered experimental by some payers, but you can still make a case for payment with the submission of adequate documentation with the claim in the form of peer-reviewed articles and the patient’s circumstances that preclude more standard surgeries.

Anogenital examination coding
Code 99170 was revised to reflect current practice. The procedure is not always performed with a colposcope, but usually requires digital imaging for legal recoding and documentation. The revised code reads “anogenital examination, magnified, in childhood for suspected trauma, including image recording when performed.” Moderate sedation, if performed, may be billed separately using code 99143-99150.

LABORATORY CODE CHANGES
Cell-free DNA testing code added
As of January 1, there is a new code to report cell-free prenatal DNA testing to screen for fetal aneuploidy. This new code is 81507 (Fetal aneuploidy [trisomy 21, 18, and 13] DNA sequence analysis of selected regions using maternal plasma, algorithm reported as a risk score for each trisomy).

Related Article: Update on Obstetrics Jaimey Pauli, MD, and John T. Repke, MD (January 2014)

In addition, the code 84112, which used to be defined as “placental alpha microglobulin-1 (PAMG-1), cervicovaginal secretion, qualitative,” has been revised. The revision was done to make it clear that it can be ordered for other proteins that are tested in amniotic fluid. Code 84112 is now defined as follows: Evaluation of cervicovaginal fluid for specific amniotic fluid protein(s) (eg, placental alpha microglobulin-1 [PAMG-1], placental protein 12 [PP12], alpha-fetoprotein), qualitative, each specimen.

This test is normally ordered to determine whether the fetal membranes have ruptured, but this is not a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waived or Provider Performed Microscopy Procedures (PPMP) test. Therefore, only the laboratory with the applicable CLIA certificate can bill for it.

There are now two code options for T vaginalis testing
To the existing code 87660 (direct probe technique) is added the new code 87661, T vaginalis, amplified probe technique.

Three new codes for the flu vaccine:

• 90673, Flublok (effective January 2013)

• 90686, Fluzone, preservative-free (effective December 2012)

• 90688, FluLaval (effective August 2013)

In addition, Medicare has deleted code G2033, which was used to report Flublok. It will now accept the CPT code 90673 for this influenza product.

Keep in mind that reporting the administration of the influenza vaccine is different for Medicare than private payers. Administration code G0008 and diagnosis code V04.81 would be reported in conjunction with the appropriate vaccine code for Medicare, while CPT instructs you to report 90471 instead for the administration.

MEDICARE CODING CHANGES
Skyla. The new code is J7301, levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive, 13.5 mg. This replaces the temporary code Q0090, which was added by Medicare on July 1, 2013.

Related Article: 5 IUD myths dispelled Anne A. Moore, DNP, APN (September 2013)

More providers can order fecal occult blood tests. To expand access to screening fecal occult blood testing, Medicare has revised the rules on who can order these tests. Effective January 1, 2014, not only a physician but also the billing physician’s assistant (PA), certified nurse specialist (CNS), or nurse practitioner (NP) can order the test. But as before January 1, the physician, PA, CNS, or NP is responsible for using the results of the screening test in the overall management of the patient’s medical care.

“Incident to” providers must be state-licensed. Medicare recently became aware that it was being billed in several situations for ‘‘incident to’’ services that were provided by auxiliary personnel (rather than the physician or practitioner billing for the services) who did not meet the state standards for those services. For this reason, Medicare has revised the “incident to” rules to make it clear that the person who is assigned to provide the aspect of the service must be licensed within their state to provide the services performed.

SGR fate, and your reimbursement, unknown at this time
At the time this article was finalized, there was no information about the fate of the Medicare payment mechanism for 2014. If the sustained growth formula used to calculate the Medicare conversion factor for physician reimbursement is not fixed by Congress, the projected 2014 conversion factor will be $27.2006, a decrease from the current conversion factor of $34.023.
But even without concrete, final information on this complicating factor, changes to the geographic adjustment units (which in turn determine the payment allowance for physicians based on their practice location), as well as changes to the practice expense RVUs for such office procedures as urodynamic testing, may spell decreased payments in 2014 from Medicare or payers who use Medicare as the basis for reimbursement.
Some states will fare better than others. The geographic payment cost index for all but a handful of states will be adjusted downward. The good news is that if you practice in Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Virginia, certain areas of California (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Marin County), and the Washington DC area, your geographic factors will increase. This increase may offset any decrease in the RVUs.
ObGyn reimbursements hardest hit by decreased RVUs. The RVUs for 2014 for the technical component of all the urodynamic testing codes will be reduced by 6% to 40%, with the biggest hit coming to codes 51726-51727 (complex cystometrogram with urethral and voiding pressure studies). In-office procedures such as endometrial ablation, endometrial cryoablation, and hysteroscopic sterilization will see around an 8% decrease to the practice expense RVUs. This same reduction will be noticed in the technical-component reimbursement for gynecologic and obstetric ultrasounds, with the notable exception that the RVUs were increased for umbilical artery Doppler.
The final result for increased or decreased payments via the relative value system will therefore depend on your practice location, and whether you are billing the technical component only for many of these procedures (and, of course, the final outcome of the SGR). WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Drop us a line and let us know what you think about current articles, which topics you'd like to see covered in future issues, and what challenges you face in daily practice. Tell us what you think by emailing us at: obg@frontlinemedcom.com

Ms. Witt reports no financial relationships relevant to this article.

Among changes to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) that took effect on January 1 are several of interest to our specialty:

• the addition of “typical” times to the evaluation and management (E/M) codes for same-day admission and discharge
• a new code for bladder injection
• bundling of imaging guidance associated with percutaneous implantation of a neurostimulator electrode array, if performed, using code 64561, Percutaneous implantation of neurostimulator electrode array; sacral nerve (transforaminal placement).

In addition, CPT made it clear that all E/M codes can be reported by qualified nonphysician health-care providers, as well as physicians. As for Medicare, coding for administration of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) has been modified, as has the billing process for interpretation of ultrasonography performed outside of the office.

Because of requirements in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), insurers were required to accept the new codes and revisions on January 1.

Providers can now characterize their level of service by how long it took to provide

As I mentioned, typical times have been added to the set of observation and inpatient care codes that involve admission and discharge on the same date of service. Until now, these codes did not have a pre-assigned typical time, and the provider had to select the level of service based solely on three key components: history, examination, and medical decision-making. The addition of times allows the provider to select the level of service based on counseling or coordination of care, if that activity dominated the visit.

The typical times are:

• 99234, 40 minutes
• 99235, 50 minutes
• 99236, 55 minutes.

Chemodenervation of the bladder gets its own code

A new code, 52287, cystourethroscopy, with injection(s) for chemodenervation of the bladder, has been added to CPT. This procedure is performed to treat idiopathic overactive bladder that can’t be managed any other way. It typically involves the injection of botulinum. Before January 1, this procedure was reported using codes 52000 and 64614, but this approach represented an inexact match.

Payers will be looking closely at diagnostic coding for this procedure. The most frequently accepted diagnostic codes are:

• 596.51, hypertonicity of bladder
• 596.54, neurogenic bladder NOS
• 596.55, detrusor sphincter dyssynergia
• 596.59, other functional disorder of bladder
• 788.41, urinary frequency.

Because costs will vary, depending on the chemotoxin used, the agent may be reported separately using the descriptive “J” code or another Medicare-designated alphanumeric code, such as J0585, injection of botulinum toxin type A, 1 unit.

Qualified providers now include nonphysicians as well as physicians

CPT has clarified that all E/M codes can be reported not only by physicians but by qualified nonphysicians as well.

CPT also changed wording in each of the codes so that the use of counseling time applies to all providers when counseling dominates the visit. In other words, if a payer allows someone other than a physician to provide and bill for a service, the CPT E/M codes can be used by all providers who qualify and have documented the service. These changes have no effect on the codes themselves.

Please note, however, that registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are not normally recognized as billing providers and will still be restricted to code 99211, Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, that may not require the presence of a physician. Usually, with this code, presenting problems are minimal. Typically, 5 minutes are spent performing or supervising these services. This code is often referred to as the “nurse-only” code.

As a result of this clarification, references to physicians have been removed from CPT code 59300, Episiotomy or vaginal repair, by other than attending. This change signifies that this code may be reported by any qualified provider who did not perform the delivery or was not covering for a physician group who billed for the delivery.

Three new codes for the flu vaccine

Two of the new codes are CPT codes, and the other is for Medicare:

• 90653, Influenza vaccine, inactivated, subunit, adjuvanted, for intramuscular use
• 90672, Influenza virus vaccine, live, for intranasal use
• Q2034, Agriflu.

Keep in mind that the administration of the flu vaccine is reported differently for Medicare, compared with private payers. Administration code G0008 and diagnosis code V04.81 would be reported in conjunction with the appropriate vaccine code for Medicare. CPT requires that code 90471 be reported for administration.

CPT also revised all flu vaccine codes (90655–90660) to include the term “trivalent” to signify that all flu vaccines are made up of three strains of the virus.

Medicare refines billing for MPA administration

When billing for MPA or MPA in combination with estradiol, be aware that Medicare has eliminated the J codes for these drugs, replacing them with a single new code.

The deleted codes are:

• J1051, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 50 mg
• J1055, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 150 mg, for contraceptive use
• J1056, medroxyprogesterone acetate/ estradiol cypionate, 5 mg/25 mg.

The new code is J1050, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 1 mg. To use it, you must indicate the dosage as a quantity. For example, if you injected 150 mg, you would use code J1050 x 150 on the claim. The diagnosis code will indicate the reason for the injection—that is, medical treatment or contraception. In the event that the combination drug is being administered, separate billing of J1000, Injection, depo-estradiol cypionate, up to 5 mg, would need to be reported in addition to J1050.

Medicare has also issued a national policy on Place of Service (POS) billing because the office of the inspector general has found that physicians and other suppliers frequently report an incorrect POS, and Medicare pays more for some sites. Medicare rules for the billing of POS for the professional component of an imaging service are changing, effective April 1, 2013. This rule was postponed from its original date of October 1, 2012. Under this rule, when the professional and technical components of a service are performed in different locations, the appropriate POS to report for the interpretive aspect is the location where the technical component was performed. This change would apply to an ObGyn practice that contracts out for the technical component of an ultrasound but performs the interpretation in the office. In that case, the POS should not be listed as “office” or POS 11, but should match the POS of the imaging contractor.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

Ms. Witt reports no financial relationships relevant to this article.

Among changes to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) that took effect on January 1 are several of interest to our specialty:

• the addition of “typical” times to the evaluation and management (E/M) codes for same-day admission and discharge
• a new code for bladder injection
• bundling of imaging guidance associated with percutaneous implantation of a neurostimulator electrode array, if performed, using code 64561, Percutaneous implantation of neurostimulator electrode array; sacral nerve (transforaminal placement).

In addition, CPT made it clear that all E/M codes can be reported by qualified nonphysician health-care providers, as well as physicians. As for Medicare, coding for administration of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) has been modified, as has the billing process for interpretation of ultrasonography performed outside of the office.

Because of requirements in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), insurers were required to accept the new codes and revisions on January 1.

Providers can now characterize their level of service by how long it took to provide

As I mentioned, typical times have been added to the set of observation and inpatient care codes that involve admission and discharge on the same date of service. Until now, these codes did not have a pre-assigned typical time, and the provider had to select the level of service based solely on three key components: history, examination, and medical decision-making. The addition of times allows the provider to select the level of service based on counseling or coordination of care, if that activity dominated the visit.

The typical times are:

• 99234, 40 minutes
• 99235, 50 minutes
• 99236, 55 minutes.

Chemodenervation of the bladder gets its own code

A new code, 52287, cystourethroscopy, with injection(s) for chemodenervation of the bladder, has been added to CPT. This procedure is performed to treat idiopathic overactive bladder that can’t be managed any other way. It typically involves the injection of botulinum. Before January 1, this procedure was reported using codes 52000 and 64614, but this approach represented an inexact match.

Payers will be looking closely at diagnostic coding for this procedure. The most frequently accepted diagnostic codes are:

• 596.51, hypertonicity of bladder
• 596.54, neurogenic bladder NOS
• 596.55, detrusor sphincter dyssynergia
• 596.59, other functional disorder of bladder
• 788.41, urinary frequency.

Because costs will vary, depending on the chemotoxin used, the agent may be reported separately using the descriptive “J” code or another Medicare-designated alphanumeric code, such as J0585, injection of botulinum toxin type A, 1 unit.

Qualified providers now include nonphysicians as well as physicians

CPT has clarified that all E/M codes can be reported not only by physicians but by qualified nonphysicians as well.

CPT also changed wording in each of the codes so that the use of counseling time applies to all providers when counseling dominates the visit. In other words, if a payer allows someone other than a physician to provide and bill for a service, the CPT E/M codes can be used by all providers who qualify and have documented the service. These changes have no effect on the codes themselves.

Please note, however, that registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are not normally recognized as billing providers and will still be restricted to code 99211, Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, that may not require the presence of a physician. Usually, with this code, presenting problems are minimal. Typically, 5 minutes are spent performing or supervising these services. This code is often referred to as the “nurse-only” code.

As a result of this clarification, references to physicians have been removed from CPT code 59300, Episiotomy or vaginal repair, by other than attending. This change signifies that this code may be reported by any qualified provider who did not perform the delivery or was not covering for a physician group who billed for the delivery.

Three new codes for the flu vaccine

Two of the new codes are CPT codes, and the other is for Medicare:

• 90653, Influenza vaccine, inactivated, subunit, adjuvanted, for intramuscular use
• 90672, Influenza virus vaccine, live, for intranasal use
• Q2034, Agriflu.

Keep in mind that the administration of the flu vaccine is reported differently for Medicare, compared with private payers. Administration code G0008 and diagnosis code V04.81 would be reported in conjunction with the appropriate vaccine code for Medicare. CPT requires that code 90471 be reported for administration.

CPT also revised all flu vaccine codes (90655–90660) to include the term “trivalent” to signify that all flu vaccines are made up of three strains of the virus.

Medicare refines billing for MPA administration

When billing for MPA or MPA in combination with estradiol, be aware that Medicare has eliminated the J codes for these drugs, replacing them with a single new code.

The deleted codes are:

• J1051, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 50 mg
• J1055, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 150 mg, for contraceptive use
• J1056, medroxyprogesterone acetate/ estradiol cypionate, 5 mg/25 mg.

The new code is J1050, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 1 mg. To use it, you must indicate the dosage as a quantity. For example, if you injected 150 mg, you would use code J1050 x 150 on the claim. The diagnosis code will indicate the reason for the injection—that is, medical treatment or contraception. In the event that the combination drug is being administered, separate billing of J1000, Injection, depo-estradiol cypionate, up to 5 mg, would need to be reported in addition to J1050.

Medicare has also issued a national policy on Place of Service (POS) billing because the office of the inspector general has found that physicians and other suppliers frequently report an incorrect POS, and Medicare pays more for some sites. Medicare rules for the billing of POS for the professional component of an imaging service are changing, effective April 1, 2013. This rule was postponed from its original date of October 1, 2012. Under this rule, when the professional and technical components of a service are performed in different locations, the appropriate POS to report for the interpretive aspect is the location where the technical component was performed. This change would apply to an ObGyn practice that contracts out for the technical component of an ultrasound but performs the interpretation in the office. In that case, the POS should not be listed as “office” or POS 11, but should match the POS of the imaging contractor.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

Ms. Witt reports no financial relationships relevant to this article.

Among changes to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) that took effect on January 1 are several of interest to our specialty:

• the addition of “typical” times to the evaluation and management (E/M) codes for same-day admission and discharge
• a new code for bladder injection
• bundling of imaging guidance associated with percutaneous implantation of a neurostimulator electrode array, if performed, using code 64561, Percutaneous implantation of neurostimulator electrode array; sacral nerve (transforaminal placement).

In addition, CPT made it clear that all E/M codes can be reported by qualified nonphysician health-care providers, as well as physicians. As for Medicare, coding for administration of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) has been modified, as has the billing process for interpretation of ultrasonography performed outside of the office.

Because of requirements in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), insurers were required to accept the new codes and revisions on January 1.

Providers can now characterize their level of service by how long it took to provide

As I mentioned, typical times have been added to the set of observation and inpatient care codes that involve admission and discharge on the same date of service. Until now, these codes did not have a pre-assigned typical time, and the provider had to select the level of service based solely on three key components: history, examination, and medical decision-making. The addition of times allows the provider to select the level of service based on counseling or coordination of care, if that activity dominated the visit.

The typical times are:

• 99234, 40 minutes
• 99235, 50 minutes
• 99236, 55 minutes.

Chemodenervation of the bladder gets its own code

A new code, 52287, cystourethroscopy, with injection(s) for chemodenervation of the bladder, has been added to CPT. This procedure is performed to treat idiopathic overactive bladder that can’t be managed any other way. It typically involves the injection of botulinum. Before January 1, this procedure was reported using codes 52000 and 64614, but this approach represented an inexact match.

Payers will be looking closely at diagnostic coding for this procedure. The most frequently accepted diagnostic codes are:

• 596.51, hypertonicity of bladder
• 596.54, neurogenic bladder NOS
• 596.55, detrusor sphincter dyssynergia
• 596.59, other functional disorder of bladder
• 788.41, urinary frequency.

Because costs will vary, depending on the chemotoxin used, the agent may be reported separately using the descriptive “J” code or another Medicare-designated alphanumeric code, such as J0585, injection of botulinum toxin type A, 1 unit.

Qualified providers now include nonphysicians as well as physicians

CPT has clarified that all E/M codes can be reported not only by physicians but by qualified nonphysicians as well.

CPT also changed wording in each of the codes so that the use of counseling time applies to all providers when counseling dominates the visit. In other words, if a payer allows someone other than a physician to provide and bill for a service, the CPT E/M codes can be used by all providers who qualify and have documented the service. These changes have no effect on the codes themselves.

Please note, however, that registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are not normally recognized as billing providers and will still be restricted to code 99211, Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, that may not require the presence of a physician. Usually, with this code, presenting problems are minimal. Typically, 5 minutes are spent performing or supervising these services. This code is often referred to as the “nurse-only” code.

As a result of this clarification, references to physicians have been removed from CPT code 59300, Episiotomy or vaginal repair, by other than attending. This change signifies that this code may be reported by any qualified provider who did not perform the delivery or was not covering for a physician group who billed for the delivery.

Three new codes for the flu vaccine

Two of the new codes are CPT codes, and the other is for Medicare:

• 90653, Influenza vaccine, inactivated, subunit, adjuvanted, for intramuscular use
• 90672, Influenza virus vaccine, live, for intranasal use
• Q2034, Agriflu.

Keep in mind that the administration of the flu vaccine is reported differently for Medicare, compared with private payers. Administration code G0008 and diagnosis code V04.81 would be reported in conjunction with the appropriate vaccine code for Medicare. CPT requires that code 90471 be reported for administration.

CPT also revised all flu vaccine codes (90655–90660) to include the term “trivalent” to signify that all flu vaccines are made up of three strains of the virus.

Medicare refines billing for MPA administration

When billing for MPA or MPA in combination with estradiol, be aware that Medicare has eliminated the J codes for these drugs, replacing them with a single new code.

The deleted codes are:

• J1051, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 50 mg
• J1055, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 150 mg, for contraceptive use
• J1056, medroxyprogesterone acetate/ estradiol cypionate, 5 mg/25 mg.

The new code is J1050, medroxyprogesterone acetate, 1 mg. To use it, you must indicate the dosage as a quantity. For example, if you injected 150 mg, you would use code J1050 x 150 on the claim. The diagnosis code will indicate the reason for the injection—that is, medical treatment or contraception. In the event that the combination drug is being administered, separate billing of J1000, Injection, depo-estradiol cypionate, up to 5 mg, would need to be reported in addition to J1050.

Medicare has also issued a national policy on Place of Service (POS) billing because the office of the inspector general has found that physicians and other suppliers frequently report an incorrect POS, and Medicare pays more for some sites. Medicare rules for the billing of POS for the professional component of an imaging service are changing, effective April 1, 2013. This rule was postponed from its original date of October 1, 2012. Under this rule, when the professional and technical components of a service are performed in different locations, the appropriate POS to report for the interpretive aspect is the location where the technical component was performed. This change would apply to an ObGyn practice that contracts out for the technical component of an ultrasound but performs the interpretation in the office. In that case, the POS should not be listed as “office” or POS 11, but should match the POS of the imaging contractor.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

Coding and billing for the care provided at a well-woman visit can be uncomplicated if you know the right codes for the right program. Here, I present information for straightforward preventive care. (I am assuming the patient has not also presented with a significant problem at the same visit.)

First, a patient who is not Medicare-eligible should have the annual well-woman exam billed using the CPT preventive medicine codes. There are some private insurers, however, that will only accept HCPCS codes for an annual gyn exam. These special codes are:

S0610 Annual gynecological examination, new patient

S0612 Annual gynecological examination, established patient

S0613 Annual gynecological examination; clinical breast examination without pelvic evaluation

Notably, Aetna Cigna, and United Healthcare require these codes for a gyn exam, but many BC/BS programs, for whom these codes were originally created, are now reverting to the CPT preventive medicine codes for all preventive care.

The CPT preventive codes are grouped by age and require an age- and gender-appropriate history, examination, and counseling/anticipatory guidance. The Medicare E/M documentation guidelines do not apply to preventive services, and a head-to-toe examination is also not required. CPT recognizes ACOG as an authoritative body to make recommendations for the expected preventive service for women, and if such a service is provided and documented, the preventive codes are to be reported.

The chart below summarizes the CPT preventive codes by patient status and age in comparison to ACOG age groupings.

The main code

The appropriate diagnostic link for the CPT preventive gyn annual well-woman exam is V72.31, whether or not a Pap specimen is collected. The collection of the Pap specimen is included in the preventive service, as is counseling regarding birth control, or general questions about preventing problems, including hormone replacement therapy.

If a pelvic examination is not performed, say because the patient is young and not sexually active, but an examination of other areas is carried out, the same preventive codes are reported, but the diagnosis code changes to V70.0, general health exam.

What about Medicare?

Coding. Medicare requirements are somewhat different. First, Medicare covers only a small portion of the preventive service; that is, they cover a physical examination of the genital organs and breasts and the collection and conveyance of a Pap specimen to the lab in the covered year only. Think of the complete preventive service as described in CPT as a pie—Medicare pays for 2 slices of that pie in a covered year. The two codes for these services are:

G0101 (Cervical or vaginal cancer screening; pelvic and clinical breast examination)

Q0091 (Screening Papanicolaou smear; obtaining, preparing, and conveyance of cervical or vaginal smear to laboratory)

If the patient is at low risk for developing cervical or vaginal cancer, the screening pelvic exam and Pap collection are paid every 2 years. If the woman is at high risk, Medicare will cover this portion of the encounter every year. The high-risk criteria must be re-documented every year and must include one of the following:

1. Early onset of sexual activity (under age 16)
2. Multiple sexual partners (five or more in a lifetime)
3. History of a sexually transmitted disease (including HIV infection)
4. Fewer than three negative Pap smears within the previous 7 years
5. Diethylstilbestrol (DES)-exposed daughters of women who took DES during pregnancy.

If the Medicare-eligible patient is still of childbearing age, she is also considered high-risk if she has had an examination that indicated the presence of cervical or vaginal cancer or other genital abnormalities during any of the preceding 3 years. Note that these criteria do not include a history of breast cancer or a past history of cancer more than 3 years ago.

Billing. Because Medicare is paying only for a portion of the preventive service, you will need to subtract the Medicare allowable for codes G0101 and Q0091 from your normal fee for the preventive service.

• Example: If your usual fee for 99397 is $200, and the Medicare allowable for both the G and Q service is $82, you will charge the patient for the noncovered parts of the service at the rate of $118, and you will bill Medicare for their share of $82. You will collect from all sources the $200 for the preventive service. Remember, however, to get the patient to sign an ABN with regard to the Medicare part of the service. This will ensure that, if denied by Medicare, the patient will be held fully responsible for the denied amount.

The Medicare modifier is –GA (add it to codes G0101 and Q0091). Diagnostic coding is V72.31 (because a pelvic exam is performed). This code may also be linked to the collection code. For a high-risk patient, use code V15.89 (rather than V72.31). This code must be linked to the G and Q codes.

“Guide to Billing the Medicare Annual Exam” is a detailed Medicare checklist offered by the author that includes all billing scenarios for a Medicare patient. Click here to download a PDF.

Ms. Witt can be contacted directly at nielynco@aol.com should you have additional questions regarding coding and billing for preventive services.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

Coding and billing for the care provided at a well-woman visit can be uncomplicated if you know the right codes for the right program. Here, I present information for straightforward preventive care. (I am assuming the patient has not also presented with a significant problem at the same visit.)

First, a patient who is not Medicare-eligible should have the annual well-woman exam billed using the CPT preventive medicine codes. There are some private insurers, however, that will only accept HCPCS codes for an annual gyn exam. These special codes are:

S0610 Annual gynecological examination, new patient

S0612 Annual gynecological examination, established patient

S0613 Annual gynecological examination; clinical breast examination without pelvic evaluation

Notably, Aetna Cigna, and United Healthcare require these codes for a gyn exam, but many BC/BS programs, for whom these codes were originally created, are now reverting to the CPT preventive medicine codes for all preventive care.

The CPT preventive codes are grouped by age and require an age- and gender-appropriate history, examination, and counseling/anticipatory guidance. The Medicare E/M documentation guidelines do not apply to preventive services, and a head-to-toe examination is also not required. CPT recognizes ACOG as an authoritative body to make recommendations for the expected preventive service for women, and if such a service is provided and documented, the preventive codes are to be reported.

The chart below summarizes the CPT preventive codes by patient status and age in comparison to ACOG age groupings.

The main code

The appropriate diagnostic link for the CPT preventive gyn annual well-woman exam is V72.31, whether or not a Pap specimen is collected. The collection of the Pap specimen is included in the preventive service, as is counseling regarding birth control, or general questions about preventing problems, including hormone replacement therapy.

If a pelvic examination is not performed, say because the patient is young and not sexually active, but an examination of other areas is carried out, the same preventive codes are reported, but the diagnosis code changes to V70.0, general health exam.

What about Medicare?

Coding. Medicare requirements are somewhat different. First, Medicare covers only a small portion of the preventive service; that is, they cover a physical examination of the genital organs and breasts and the collection and conveyance of a Pap specimen to the lab in the covered year only. Think of the complete preventive service as described in CPT as a pie—Medicare pays for 2 slices of that pie in a covered year. The two codes for these services are:

G0101 (Cervical or vaginal cancer screening; pelvic and clinical breast examination)

Q0091 (Screening Papanicolaou smear; obtaining, preparing, and conveyance of cervical or vaginal smear to laboratory)

If the patient is at low risk for developing cervical or vaginal cancer, the screening pelvic exam and Pap collection are paid every 2 years. If the woman is at high risk, Medicare will cover this portion of the encounter every year. The high-risk criteria must be re-documented every year and must include one of the following:

1. Early onset of sexual activity (under age 16)
2. Multiple sexual partners (five or more in a lifetime)
3. History of a sexually transmitted disease (including HIV infection)
4. Fewer than three negative Pap smears within the previous 7 years
5. Diethylstilbestrol (DES)-exposed daughters of women who took DES during pregnancy.

If the Medicare-eligible patient is still of childbearing age, she is also considered high-risk if she has had an examination that indicated the presence of cervical or vaginal cancer or other genital abnormalities during any of the preceding 3 years. Note that these criteria do not include a history of breast cancer or a past history of cancer more than 3 years ago.

Billing. Because Medicare is paying only for a portion of the preventive service, you will need to subtract the Medicare allowable for codes G0101 and Q0091 from your normal fee for the preventive service.

• Example: If your usual fee for 99397 is $200, and the Medicare allowable for both the G and Q service is $82, you will charge the patient for the noncovered parts of the service at the rate of $118, and you will bill Medicare for their share of $82. You will collect from all sources the $200 for the preventive service. Remember, however, to get the patient to sign an ABN with regard to the Medicare part of the service. This will ensure that, if denied by Medicare, the patient will be held fully responsible for the denied amount.

The Medicare modifier is –GA (add it to codes G0101 and Q0091). Diagnostic coding is V72.31 (because a pelvic exam is performed). This code may also be linked to the collection code. For a high-risk patient, use code V15.89 (rather than V72.31). This code must be linked to the G and Q codes.

“Guide to Billing the Medicare Annual Exam” is a detailed Medicare checklist offered by the author that includes all billing scenarios for a Medicare patient. Click here to download a PDF.

Ms. Witt can be contacted directly at nielynco@aol.com should you have additional questions regarding coding and billing for preventive services.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

Coding and billing for the care provided at a well-woman visit can be uncomplicated if you know the right codes for the right program. Here, I present information for straightforward preventive care. (I am assuming the patient has not also presented with a significant problem at the same visit.)

First, a patient who is not Medicare-eligible should have the annual well-woman exam billed using the CPT preventive medicine codes. There are some private insurers, however, that will only accept HCPCS codes for an annual gyn exam. These special codes are:

S0610 Annual gynecological examination, new patient

S0612 Annual gynecological examination, established patient

S0613 Annual gynecological examination; clinical breast examination without pelvic evaluation

Notably, Aetna Cigna, and United Healthcare require these codes for a gyn exam, but many BC/BS programs, for whom these codes were originally created, are now reverting to the CPT preventive medicine codes for all preventive care.

The CPT preventive codes are grouped by age and require an age- and gender-appropriate history, examination, and counseling/anticipatory guidance. The Medicare E/M documentation guidelines do not apply to preventive services, and a head-to-toe examination is also not required. CPT recognizes ACOG as an authoritative body to make recommendations for the expected preventive service for women, and if such a service is provided and documented, the preventive codes are to be reported.

The chart below summarizes the CPT preventive codes by patient status and age in comparison to ACOG age groupings.

The main code

The appropriate diagnostic link for the CPT preventive gyn annual well-woman exam is V72.31, whether or not a Pap specimen is collected. The collection of the Pap specimen is included in the preventive service, as is counseling regarding birth control, or general questions about preventing problems, including hormone replacement therapy.

If a pelvic examination is not performed, say because the patient is young and not sexually active, but an examination of other areas is carried out, the same preventive codes are reported, but the diagnosis code changes to V70.0, general health exam.

What about Medicare?

Coding. Medicare requirements are somewhat different. First, Medicare covers only a small portion of the preventive service; that is, they cover a physical examination of the genital organs and breasts and the collection and conveyance of a Pap specimen to the lab in the covered year only. Think of the complete preventive service as described in CPT as a pie—Medicare pays for 2 slices of that pie in a covered year. The two codes for these services are:

G0101 (Cervical or vaginal cancer screening; pelvic and clinical breast examination)

Q0091 (Screening Papanicolaou smear; obtaining, preparing, and conveyance of cervical or vaginal smear to laboratory)

If the patient is at low risk for developing cervical or vaginal cancer, the screening pelvic exam and Pap collection are paid every 2 years. If the woman is at high risk, Medicare will cover this portion of the encounter every year. The high-risk criteria must be re-documented every year and must include one of the following:

1. Early onset of sexual activity (under age 16)
2. Multiple sexual partners (five or more in a lifetime)
3. History of a sexually transmitted disease (including HIV infection)
4. Fewer than three negative Pap smears within the previous 7 years
5. Diethylstilbestrol (DES)-exposed daughters of women who took DES during pregnancy.

If the Medicare-eligible patient is still of childbearing age, she is also considered high-risk if she has had an examination that indicated the presence of cervical or vaginal cancer or other genital abnormalities during any of the preceding 3 years. Note that these criteria do not include a history of breast cancer or a past history of cancer more than 3 years ago.

Billing. Because Medicare is paying only for a portion of the preventive service, you will need to subtract the Medicare allowable for codes G0101 and Q0091 from your normal fee for the preventive service.

• Example: If your usual fee for 99397 is $200, and the Medicare allowable for both the G and Q service is $82, you will charge the patient for the noncovered parts of the service at the rate of $118, and you will bill Medicare for their share of $82. You will collect from all sources the $200 for the preventive service. Remember, however, to get the patient to sign an ABN with regard to the Medicare part of the service. This will ensure that, if denied by Medicare, the patient will be held fully responsible for the denied amount.

The Medicare modifier is –GA (add it to codes G0101 and Q0091). Diagnostic coding is V72.31 (because a pelvic exam is performed). This code may also be linked to the collection code. For a high-risk patient, use code V15.89 (rather than V72.31). This code must be linked to the G and Q codes.

“Guide to Billing the Medicare Annual Exam” is a detailed Medicare checklist offered by the author that includes all billing scenarios for a Medicare patient. Click here to download a PDF.

Ms. Witt can be contacted directly at nielynco@aol.com should you have additional questions regarding coding and billing for preventive services.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

Did you know? When October 1 rolled around a short time ago, so did new codes for you to learn in the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM).

If you consider that unpleasant news for your billing efforts, I also have what I consider good news: The 2012 fiscal year is the final year for changes to ICD-9-CM codes: On October 1, 2013, the nation switches to 10^th Revision (that is, ICD-10-CM) codes. The National Center for Health Statistics has indicated that the only changes to ICD-9 codes permitted from now on are ones describing new diseases that require immediate reporting during this transition/freeze period.

This last set of changes isn’t as massive as what we saw in previous years. Nevertheless, the changes certainly enhance the ability of ObGyn practices to report the reasons for patient encounters.

The major gyn change this year involves reporting vaginal mesh complications. There are several new obstetric codes, too, to enhance reporting of cesarean delivery and management of high-risk OB conditions.

The new codes were added to the national code set on October 1. As in prior years, there is no grace period.

Changes to obstetric codes

ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY

Antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus anticoagulant are associated with complications of pregnancy that include fetal loss, fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, thrombosis, and autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Until now, the obstetrician reporting 649.3x (Coagulation defects complicating pregnancy, childbirth, or the puerperium), had only two secondary code options to further describe the patient’s condition: 795.79, used to report a finding of antiphospholipid antibody in a blood specimen, and 289.81, antiphospholipid antibody with hypercoagulable state.

A new code, 286.53 (Antiphospholipid antibody with hemorrhagic disorder), provides a third option when reporting 649.3x.

CHEMICAL PREGNANCY AND BLIGHTED OVUM

Fertility clinics and physicians who specialize in the use of assisted reproductive technology requested a code to identify patients who have what is referred to (imprecisely) as a “false-positive pregnancy,” “chemical pregnancy,” or “biochemical pregnancy.” These terms do not, however, accurately describe a pregnancy achieved using hormone stimulation or other such “chemical” methods.

In some cases, of course, a woman’s pregnancy test comes back positive, indicating a serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level, but, when she is followed with ultrasonography, no fetus is present—in effect, she has had an early miscarriage. But there has been no ICD-9 code to use at this stage that discriminates between confirmed ectopic pregnancy and confirmed miscarriage—only a code for a laboratory finding.

To improve the specificity of coding, therefore, and to track such pregnancies, existing code 631 (Other abnormal product of conception) has been expanded and divided in two:

Documentation by the physician that signals that 631.0 should be reported might include a reference to biochemical pregnancy, chemical pregnancy, or an inappropriate level of quantitative hCG for gestational age in early pregnancy. For 631.8 to be reported, documentation might mention such findings as a “blighted ovum” or “fleshy mole.”

Note: Because of this code expansion, the three-digit code 631 will no longer be a valid code for billing purposes.

ELECTIVE CESAREAN DELIVERY BEFORE 39 WEEKS’ GESTATION

ACOG requested new codes for elective cesarean delivery before 39 weeks’ gestation—a scenario that is one of the new markers of quality of care. Whereas ICD-9 has two diagnosis codes that mention cesarean delivery (654.2x, [Previous cesarean delivery not otherwise specified] and 669.71 [Cesarean delivery, without mention of indication]), neither code captures a case in which a woman presents in labor at 37 to 38 weeks’ gestation and the physician determines that it is best to deliver at that time rather than try to take measures that will forestall delivery until the 39th week.

Although ICD-9 already also has a code for early onset of delivery (644.21), it applies only to pregnancies before 37 completed weeks.

The new codes are:

Note: The new code has two options for a fifth digit:

• Reporting a fifth digit 1 indicates that the patient may, or may not, have had a complication in the antepartum period that is related to early onset of labor.
• Reporting a fifth digit 2 indicates that the patient developed a complication after delivery (but before discharge) that is related to the delivery.

For any hospitalization that results in a delivery, you must select a fifth digit 1 or 2; the choice depends on the overriding complication. You may not list code 649.8 twice—i.e., once with a fifth digit 1 and once with a fifth digit 2.

If the patient had a condition that was documented to be why cesarean delivery was medically indicated, list that as a secondary diagnosis—for example, cephalopelvic disproportion (653.4x) or prior cesarean delivery (654.2x).

SUPERVISION OF HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY

Code subcategory V23.4 (Pregnancy with other poor obstetric history) had only two coding options before October 1, 2011: V23.41 (Pregnancy with history of pre-term labor) and V23.49 (Pregnancy with other poor obstetric history).

Ectopic pregnancy. ACOG considers that it is important to track patients who had a prior ectopic pregnancy because such a history gives rise to an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy during the current pregnancy. Therefore, a new code for this status was requested by ACOG, and provided.

Note: Use the new history code only until the patient is confirmed not to have an ectopic pregnancy, if that is the outcome. Once you’ve confirmed that she has only a normal, intrauterine pregnancy, the risk posed by her history no longer has an impact on the current pregnancy. (ICD-9 rules direct you to report conditions that require active intervention or a change in routine care of the pregnancy—not conditions that merely exist without the need for intervention or additional monitoring.)

The new code is:

Fetal viability. There was also no specific code before October 1 to report the need for a sonogram to check fetal viability, especially when a previously confirmed pregnancy comes into question because of the apparent absence of a fetal heartbeat on examination of the mother. In such a case, an additional sonogram might be required beyond the initial scan to confirm fetal demise or a continuing viable pregnancy. Until now, either of these findings could have been reported only with codes that do not accurately describe the situation, such as 659.7 (Abnormality in fetal heart rate or rhythm); V28.89 (Other specified antenatal screening); and V23.89 (Other high-risk pregnancy).

The new code is:

Changes to gyn codes

COMPLICATIONS OF VAGINAL MESH

An effective surgical treatment for vaginal vault prolapse is sacrocolpopexy that uses a graft to suspend the upper vagina to the anterior longitudinal ligament of the sacrum. But, regrettably, synthetic graft material has also been associated with erosion of the mesh and subsequent pelvic infection (by erosion into surrounding organs or tissue). Exposure of the mesh in the vagina can also occur (see “Take this simplified approach to correcting exposure of vaginal mesh” in the July 2011 issue, available at obgmanagement.com).

Before October 1, erosion or exposure of mesh (without infection) would have been reported with code 996.39 (Mechanical complication of a genitourinary device, implant and graft) or 996.76 (Other complications due to genitourinary device, implant, and graft). With creation of a new subcategory code, 629.3 (Complication of implanted vaginal mesh and other prosthetic materials), however, these specific complications can be reported and tracked. The new codes also give you a specific linking diagnosis for revision of the mesh.

The two new codes are:

Note: If the patient’s graft material has caused fibrosis, hemorrhage, occlusion, or pain, continue to report 996.76. And, of course, any infection or inflammatory reaction caused by mesh is reported with existing code 996.65.

Because erosion and exposure can occur at the same time, it is proper to report both new codes, if that is the case.

HISTORY OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Code V12.2 (Personal history of endocrine, metabolic, and immunity disorders) has been expanded and divided into two five-digit codes:

With this change, four-digit code V12.2 became an invalid diagnosis code; your claim will be denied if you report it as the reason for an encounter.

Note: Code V12.21 may not be reported as a primary diagnosis for an obstetrical patient. Instead, a personal history that may be having an impact on the current pregnancy should be reported with a V23.xx code (Supervision of high risk pregnancy), until (and if) the patient develops a condition.

For example: If a patient had gestational diabetes during a prior pregnancy, she risks developing it again in the current pregnancy. In that case, report V23.49 (Pregnancy with other poor obstetric history) as the primary code and assign V12.21 as the secondary code.

LONG-TERM USE OF BISPHOSPHONATES

In a woman being treated to prevent loss of bone mass, the side-effect profile of the medication and the need to measure its effectiveness require regular follow-up visits. Effective October 1, code V58.68 (Long-term [current] use of bisphosphonates) should be reported for these follow-up visits. The code can be also used to support ordering follow-up bone densitometry.

Medications that might be applicable here are alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), risedronate (Actonel), and zoledronic acid (Reclast).

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

Did you know? When October 1 rolled around a short time ago, so did new codes for you to learn in the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM).

If you consider that unpleasant news for your billing efforts, I also have what I consider good news: The 2012 fiscal year is the final year for changes to ICD-9-CM codes: On October 1, 2013, the nation switches to 10^th Revision (that is, ICD-10-CM) codes. The National Center for Health Statistics has indicated that the only changes to ICD-9 codes permitted from now on are ones describing new diseases that require immediate reporting during this transition/freeze period.

This last set of changes isn’t as massive as what we saw in previous years. Nevertheless, the changes certainly enhance the ability of ObGyn practices to report the reasons for patient encounters.

The major gyn change this year involves reporting vaginal mesh complications. There are several new obstetric codes, too, to enhance reporting of cesarean delivery and management of high-risk OB conditions.

The new codes were added to the national code set on October 1. As in prior years, there is no grace period.

Changes to obstetric codes

ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY

Antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus anticoagulant are associated with complications of pregnancy that include fetal loss, fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, thrombosis, and autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Until now, the obstetrician reporting 649.3x (Coagulation defects complicating pregnancy, childbirth, or the puerperium), had only two secondary code options to further describe the patient’s condition: 795.79, used to report a finding of antiphospholipid antibody in a blood specimen, and 289.81, antiphospholipid antibody with hypercoagulable state.

A new code, 286.53 (Antiphospholipid antibody with hemorrhagic disorder), provides a third option when reporting 649.3x.

CHEMICAL PREGNANCY AND BLIGHTED OVUM

Fertility clinics and physicians who specialize in the use of assisted reproductive technology requested a code to identify patients who have what is referred to (imprecisely) as a “false-positive pregnancy,” “chemical pregnancy,” or “biochemical pregnancy.” These terms do not, however, accurately describe a pregnancy achieved using hormone stimulation or other such “chemical” methods.

In some cases, of course, a woman’s pregnancy test comes back positive, indicating a serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level, but, when she is followed with ultrasonography, no fetus is present—in effect, she has had an early miscarriage. But there has been no ICD-9 code to use at this stage that discriminates between confirmed ectopic pregnancy and confirmed miscarriage—only a code for a laboratory finding.

To improve the specificity of coding, therefore, and to track such pregnancies, existing code 631 (Other abnormal product of conception) has been expanded and divided in two:

Documentation by the physician that signals that 631.0 should be reported might include a reference to biochemical pregnancy, chemical pregnancy, or an inappropriate level of quantitative hCG for gestational age in early pregnancy. For 631.8 to be reported, documentation might mention such findings as a “blighted ovum” or “fleshy mole.”

Note: Because of this code expansion, the three-digit code 631 will no longer be a valid code for billing purposes.

ELECTIVE CESAREAN DELIVERY BEFORE 39 WEEKS’ GESTATION

ACOG requested new codes for elective cesarean delivery before 39 weeks’ gestation—a scenario that is one of the new markers of quality of care. Whereas ICD-9 has two diagnosis codes that mention cesarean delivery (654.2x, [Previous cesarean delivery not otherwise specified] and 669.71 [Cesarean delivery, without mention of indication]), neither code captures a case in which a woman presents in labor at 37 to 38 weeks’ gestation and the physician determines that it is best to deliver at that time rather than try to take measures that will forestall delivery until the 39th week.

Although ICD-9 already also has a code for early onset of delivery (644.21), it applies only to pregnancies before 37 completed weeks.

The new codes are:

Note: The new code has two options for a fifth digit:

• Reporting a fifth digit 1 indicates that the patient may, or may not, have had a complication in the antepartum period that is related to early onset of labor.
• Reporting a fifth digit 2 indicates that the patient developed a complication after delivery (but before discharge) that is related to the delivery.

For any hospitalization that results in a delivery, you must select a fifth digit 1 or 2; the choice depends on the overriding complication. You may not list code 649.8 twice—i.e., once with a fifth digit 1 and once with a fifth digit 2.

If the patient had a condition that was documented to be why cesarean delivery was medically indicated, list that as a secondary diagnosis—for example, cephalopelvic disproportion (653.4x) or prior cesarean delivery (654.2x).

SUPERVISION OF HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY

Code subcategory V23.4 (Pregnancy with other poor obstetric history) had only two coding options before October 1, 2011: V23.41 (Pregnancy with history of pre-term labor) and V23.49 (Pregnancy with other poor obstetric history).

Ectopic pregnancy. ACOG considers that it is important to track patients who had a prior ectopic pregnancy because such a history gives rise to an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy during the current pregnancy. Therefore, a new code for this status was requested by ACOG, and provided.

Note: Use the new history code only until the patient is confirmed not to have an ectopic pregnancy, if that is the outcome. Once you’ve confirmed that she has only a normal, intrauterine pregnancy, the risk posed by her history no longer has an impact on the current pregnancy. (ICD-9 rules direct you to report conditions that require active intervention or a change in routine care of the pregnancy—not conditions that merely exist without the need for intervention or additional monitoring.)

The new code is:

Fetal viability. There was also no specific code before October 1 to report the need for a sonogram to check fetal viability, especially when a previously confirmed pregnancy comes into question because of the apparent absence of a fetal heartbeat on examination of the mother. In such a case, an additional sonogram might be required beyond the initial scan to confirm fetal demise or a continuing viable pregnancy. Until now, either of these findings could have been reported only with codes that do not accurately describe the situation, such as 659.7 (Abnormality in fetal heart rate or rhythm); V28.89 (Other specified antenatal screening); and V23.89 (Other high-risk pregnancy).

The new code is:

Changes to gyn codes

COMPLICATIONS OF VAGINAL MESH

An effective surgical treatment for vaginal vault prolapse is sacrocolpopexy that uses a graft to suspend the upper vagina to the anterior longitudinal ligament of the sacrum. But, regrettably, synthetic graft material has also been associated with erosion of the mesh and subsequent pelvic infection (by erosion into surrounding organs or tissue). Exposure of the mesh in the vagina can also occur (see “Take this simplified approach to correcting exposure of vaginal mesh” in the July 2011 issue, available at obgmanagement.com).

Before October 1, erosion or exposure of mesh (without infection) would have been reported with code 996.39 (Mechanical complication of a genitourinary device, implant and graft) or 996.76 (Other complications due to genitourinary device, implant, and graft). With creation of a new subcategory code, 629.3 (Complication of implanted vaginal mesh and other prosthetic materials), however, these specific complications can be reported and tracked. The new codes also give you a specific linking diagnosis for revision of the mesh.

The two new codes are:

Note: If the patient’s graft material has caused fibrosis, hemorrhage, occlusion, or pain, continue to report 996.76. And, of course, any infection or inflammatory reaction caused by mesh is reported with existing code 996.65.

Because erosion and exposure can occur at the same time, it is proper to report both new codes, if that is the case.

HISTORY OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Code V12.2 (Personal history of endocrine, metabolic, and immunity disorders) has been expanded and divided into two five-digit codes:

With this change, four-digit code V12.2 became an invalid diagnosis code; your claim will be denied if you report it as the reason for an encounter.

Note: Code V12.21 may not be reported as a primary diagnosis for an obstetrical patient. Instead, a personal history that may be having an impact on the current pregnancy should be reported with a V23.xx code (Supervision of high risk pregnancy), until (and if) the patient develops a condition.

For example: If a patient had gestational diabetes during a prior pregnancy, she risks developing it again in the current pregnancy. In that case, report V23.49 (Pregnancy with other poor obstetric history) as the primary code and assign V12.21 as the secondary code.

LONG-TERM USE OF BISPHOSPHONATES

In a woman being treated to prevent loss of bone mass, the side-effect profile of the medication and the need to measure its effectiveness require regular follow-up visits. Effective October 1, code V58.68 (Long-term [current] use of bisphosphonates) should be reported for these follow-up visits. The code can be also used to support ordering follow-up bone densitometry.

Medications that might be applicable here are alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), risedronate (Actonel), and zoledronic acid (Reclast).

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

Did you know? When October 1 rolled around a short time ago, so did new codes for you to learn in the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM).

If you consider that unpleasant news for your billing efforts, I also have what I consider good news: The 2012 fiscal year is the final year for changes to ICD-9-CM codes: On October 1, 2013, the nation switches to 10^th Revision (that is, ICD-10-CM) codes. The National Center for Health Statistics has indicated that the only changes to ICD-9 codes permitted from now on are ones describing new diseases that require immediate reporting during this transition/freeze period.

This last set of changes isn’t as massive as what we saw in previous years. Nevertheless, the changes certainly enhance the ability of ObGyn practices to report the reasons for patient encounters.

The major gyn change this year involves reporting vaginal mesh complications. There are several new obstetric codes, too, to enhance reporting of cesarean delivery and management of high-risk OB conditions.

The new codes were added to the national code set on October 1. As in prior years, there is no grace period.

Changes to obstetric codes

ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY

Antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus anticoagulant are associated with complications of pregnancy that include fetal loss, fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, thrombosis, and autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Until now, the obstetrician reporting 649.3x (Coagulation defects complicating pregnancy, childbirth, or the puerperium), had only two secondary code options to further describe the patient’s condition: 795.79, used to report a finding of antiphospholipid antibody in a blood specimen, and 289.81, antiphospholipid antibody with hypercoagulable state.

A new code, 286.53 (Antiphospholipid antibody with hemorrhagic disorder), provides a third option when reporting 649.3x.

CHEMICAL PREGNANCY AND BLIGHTED OVUM

Fertility clinics and physicians who specialize in the use of assisted reproductive technology requested a code to identify patients who have what is referred to (imprecisely) as a “false-positive pregnancy,” “chemical pregnancy,” or “biochemical pregnancy.” These terms do not, however, accurately describe a pregnancy achieved using hormone stimulation or other such “chemical” methods.

In some cases, of course, a woman’s pregnancy test comes back positive, indicating a serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level, but, when she is followed with ultrasonography, no fetus is present—in effect, she has had an early miscarriage. But there has been no ICD-9 code to use at this stage that discriminates between confirmed ectopic pregnancy and confirmed miscarriage—only a code for a laboratory finding.

To improve the specificity of coding, therefore, and to track such pregnancies, existing code 631 (Other abnormal product of conception) has been expanded and divided in two:

Documentation by the physician that signals that 631.0 should be reported might include a reference to biochemical pregnancy, chemical pregnancy, or an inappropriate level of quantitative hCG for gestational age in early pregnancy. For 631.8 to be reported, documentation might mention such findings as a “blighted ovum” or “fleshy mole.”

Note: Because of this code expansion, the three-digit code 631 will no longer be a valid code for billing purposes.

ELECTIVE CESAREAN DELIVERY BEFORE 39 WEEKS’ GESTATION

ACOG requested new codes for elective cesarean delivery before 39 weeks’ gestation—a scenario that is one of the new markers of quality of care. Whereas ICD-9 has two diagnosis codes that mention cesarean delivery (654.2x, [Previous cesarean delivery not otherwise specified] and 669.71 [Cesarean delivery, without mention of indication]), neither code captures a case in which a woman presents in labor at 37 to 38 weeks’ gestation and the physician determines that it is best to deliver at that time rather than try to take measures that will forestall delivery until the 39th week.

Although ICD-9 already also has a code for early onset of delivery (644.21), it applies only to pregnancies before 37 completed weeks.

The new codes are:

Note: The new code has two options for a fifth digit:

• Reporting a fifth digit 1 indicates that the patient may, or may not, have had a complication in the antepartum period that is related to early onset of labor.
• Reporting a fifth digit 2 indicates that the patient developed a complication after delivery (but before discharge) that is related to the delivery.

For any hospitalization that results in a delivery, you must select a fifth digit 1 or 2; the choice depends on the overriding complication. You may not list code 649.8 twice—i.e., once with a fifth digit 1 and once with a fifth digit 2.

If the patient had a condition that was documented to be why cesarean delivery was medically indicated, list that as a secondary diagnosis—for example, cephalopelvic disproportion (653.4x) or prior cesarean delivery (654.2x).

SUPERVISION OF HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY

Code subcategory V23.4 (Pregnancy with other poor obstetric history) had only two coding options before October 1, 2011: V23.41 (Pregnancy with history of pre-term labor) and V23.49 (Pregnancy with other poor obstetric history).

Ectopic pregnancy. ACOG considers that it is important to track patients who had a prior ectopic pregnancy because such a history gives rise to an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy during the current pregnancy. Therefore, a new code for this status was requested by ACOG, and provided.

Note: Use the new history code only until the patient is confirmed not to have an ectopic pregnancy, if that is the outcome. Once you’ve confirmed that she has only a normal, intrauterine pregnancy, the risk posed by her history no longer has an impact on the current pregnancy. (ICD-9 rules direct you to report conditions that require active intervention or a change in routine care of the pregnancy—not conditions that merely exist without the need for intervention or additional monitoring.)

The new code is:

Fetal viability. There was also no specific code before October 1 to report the need for a sonogram to check fetal viability, especially when a previously confirmed pregnancy comes into question because of the apparent absence of a fetal heartbeat on examination of the mother. In such a case, an additional sonogram might be required beyond the initial scan to confirm fetal demise or a continuing viable pregnancy. Until now, either of these findings could have been reported only with codes that do not accurately describe the situation, such as 659.7 (Abnormality in fetal heart rate or rhythm); V28.89 (Other specified antenatal screening); and V23.89 (Other high-risk pregnancy).

The new code is:

Changes to gyn codes

COMPLICATIONS OF VAGINAL MESH

An effective surgical treatment for vaginal vault prolapse is sacrocolpopexy that uses a graft to suspend the upper vagina to the anterior longitudinal ligament of the sacrum. But, regrettably, synthetic graft material has also been associated with erosion of the mesh and subsequent pelvic infection (by erosion into surrounding organs or tissue). Exposure of the mesh in the vagina can also occur (see “Take this simplified approach to correcting exposure of vaginal mesh” in the July 2011 issue, available at obgmanagement.com).

Before October 1, erosion or exposure of mesh (without infection) would have been reported with code 996.39 (Mechanical complication of a genitourinary device, implant and graft) or 996.76 (Other complications due to genitourinary device, implant, and graft). With creation of a new subcategory code, 629.3 (Complication of implanted vaginal mesh and other prosthetic materials), however, these specific complications can be reported and tracked. The new codes also give you a specific linking diagnosis for revision of the mesh.

The two new codes are:

Note: If the patient’s graft material has caused fibrosis, hemorrhage, occlusion, or pain, continue to report 996.76. And, of course, any infection or inflammatory reaction caused by mesh is reported with existing code 996.65.

Because erosion and exposure can occur at the same time, it is proper to report both new codes, if that is the case.

HISTORY OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Code V12.2 (Personal history of endocrine, metabolic, and immunity disorders) has been expanded and divided into two five-digit codes:

With this change, four-digit code V12.2 became an invalid diagnosis code; your claim will be denied if you report it as the reason for an encounter.

Note: Code V12.21 may not be reported as a primary diagnosis for an obstetrical patient. Instead, a personal history that may be having an impact on the current pregnancy should be reported with a V23.xx code (Supervision of high risk pregnancy), until (and if) the patient develops a condition.

For example: If a patient had gestational diabetes during a prior pregnancy, she risks developing it again in the current pregnancy. In that case, report V23.49 (Pregnancy with other poor obstetric history) as the primary code and assign V12.21 as the secondary code.

LONG-TERM USE OF BISPHOSPHONATES

In a woman being treated to prevent loss of bone mass, the side-effect profile of the medication and the need to measure its effectiveness require regular follow-up visits. Effective October 1, code V58.68 (Long-term [current] use of bisphosphonates) should be reported for these follow-up visits. The code can be also used to support ordering follow-up bone densitometry.

Medications that might be applicable here are alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), risedronate (Actonel), and zoledronic acid (Reclast).

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set for 2011 includes several changes of interest to ObGyns. These include 1) guideline clarifications regarding wound debridement and obstetric care codes; 2) new codes for subsequent observation care; micro-remodeling of the bladder neck; insertion of a vaginal after-loading device; and 3) a lab code for detecting amniotic fluid in cervicovaginal secretions (using the AmniSure kit).

There is also a new code for vaccine counseling that will have an impact on you if your practice offers the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to patients younger than 19 years.

There are changes to Medicare this year that you should take note of if you care for these patients, particularly in the area of preventive visit billing.

CPT and Medicare changes both took effect on January 1. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires that insurers accepted the new codes on that date.

Changes to the CPT code set

OBSERVATION CARE

One of the biggest headaches for medical practices has been standardized coding and billing for observation care that lasts more than 1 day. In the past, payers accepted a problem E/M for Day 2 of observation care, or instructed practices to code an unlisted E/M service. Now, you may report all care rendered in the observation setting with the addition of three new codes for subsequent care:

99244 Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: problem focused interval history, problem focused examination; medical decision making that is straightforward or of low complexity. 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. Usually, the patient is stable, recovering, or improving. Physicians typically spend 15 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

99225 Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: an expanded problem focused interval history; an expanded problem focused examination; medical decision making of moderate complexity. 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. Usually, the patient is responding inadequately to therapy or has developed a minor complication. Physicians typically spend 25 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

99226 Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: a detailed interval history; a detailed examination; medical decision making of high complexity. 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. Usually, the patient is unstable or has developed a significant complication or a significant new problem. Physicians typically spend 35 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

Note that each of these codes 1) “suggests” the status of the patient for each level of billing, and 2) includes a typical time. This means that, unlike the observation care admission codes or the observation admission/same-day discharge codes, time that is spent with the patient, or on the unit, may be used to select the code—if you document 1) the requirement that more than 50% of the typical time was spent on counseling or coordination of care, or both, and 2) a detailed description of this activity.

WOUND MANAGEMENT

Codes for wound debridement were given a facelift with the addition of a new guideline that addresses both surgical and medical debridement. The surgical debridement codes, (11042–11047) are now reported on the basis of the depth of tissue removed and the surface area of the wound. This means that codes 11040 and 11041 were deleted to make room for new and revised codes.

This change will mean that, when you report these codes, you will need to document more information to bill. It’s also understood that coding separately for debridement of dermis or epidermis at the same time you code for debriding underlying structures would be inappropriate.

CPT has also indicated that active wound management codes 97597 and 97598 can now be reported by physicians or nonphysician providers as long as the provider has direct (one-on-one) contact. These codes should be reported for skin-surface debridement only.

The new and revised codes (some of which have been published in CPT in nonsequential order) are:

11042 Debridement, subcutaneous tissue (includes epidermis and dermis, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less

+11045 (new add-on code reported with 11042 only) each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof

11043 Debridement, muscle and/or facia (includes epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less

+11046 (new add-on code reported with 11043 only) each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof

11044 Debridement, bone (includes epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous tissue, muscle and/or fascia, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less

+11047 (new add-on code reported with 11044 only) each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof

97597 Debridement (e.g., high pressure waterjet with/without suction, sharp selective debridement with scissors, scalpel and forceps), open wound, (e.g., fibrin, devitalized epidermis and/or dermis, exudate, debris, biofilm), including topical application(s), wound assessment, use of a whirlpool, when performed and instruction(s) for ongoing care, per session, total wound(s) surface area; first 20 sq cm or less

+95798 (add-on code reported with 97597 only) Each additional 20 sq cm, or part thereof.

TRANSURETHRAL RADIOFREQUENCY

Category III code 0193T, which described transurethral radiofrequency micro-remodeling for stress urinary incontinence, has been deleted and converted to a Category I CPT code, 53860 (Transurethral radiofrequency micro-remodeling of the female bladder neck and proximal urethra for stress urinary incontinence). The procedure includes a periurethral block and flushing the bladder with a lidocaine slurry, and can be performed in the office.

In all, the procedure requires nine treatment cycles during the session, but the code is billed only once. Catheterization and measurement of a voiding sample after the procedure are included in the code.

AFTERLOADING DEVICES FOR CLINICAL BRACHYTHERAPY

CPT revised—slightly—existing code 57155, and added code 57156 (Insertion of a vaginal radiation afterloading apparatus for clinical brachytherapy).

• Code 57155 was revised to clarify that only a single tandem is inserted into the uterus. There had been confusion earlier in this regard.
• The new code describes a procedure that may also include dilation of the vaginal canal to remove postradiation adhesions. That procedure also involves 1) placement of bladder and rectal catheters and 2) radiographic imaging to confirm placement, which are not coded separately.

CLARIFICATION OF OBSTETRIC GUIDELINES

Been having problems with payers and their interpretation of the delivery only, postpartum only, and delivery with postpartum care codes? CPT has, at last, clarified what you can, and cannot, bill in those circumstances. (Keep in mind, however, that you may not unbundle these procedures if more extensive care is provided: Most payers want you to bill the global OB care code that includes antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care.)

In some cases (such as Medicaid), the payer stipulates that only the physician who actually performed the delivery may bill for it, even if the delivering physician is covering for, or is a member of, the same group practice as the primary attending of record. The “delivery-only” codes should be reported when 1) an unaffiliated physician has delivered the baby but will not be providing any outpatient postpartum care or 2) the payer has specified this method of billing for the covering or affiliated provider.

CPT has clarified that delivery-only codes (59409, 59514, or 59612, 59620) include admission to the hospital, the admission history and physical exam, uncomplicated labor and delivery (including delivery of the placenta, or use of forceps or vacuum extraction). These codes do not include inpatient rounding or discharge day care after delivery (and, of course, include no outpatient postpartum care). When, as the delivering physician, you also provide inpatient postdelivery care, therefore, you may additionally bill subsequent hospital care codes and discharge day management codes (99231-99233, 99238-99239).

If the unaffiliated physician performs the delivery and also intends on providing outpatient postpartum care, the CPT codes for delivery with postpartum are to be reported (59410, 59515, 59614, 59622). In addition to the delivery, these codes include all inpatient and outpatient postpartum care. And finally, for those physicians who are only providing outpatient postpartum care, the code 59430, Postpartum care only, should be reported.

PLACENTAL ALPHA MICROGLOBULIN-1

A new code, 84112 (Placental alpha microglobulin-1 [PAMG-11], cervicovaginal secretion, qualitative), has been added to allow the clinical laboratory to bill for this immunoassay that detects amniotic fluid in the secretions. Physician work involves collection of the specimen but, under CPT rules, collection is included as part of any E/M service.

Note: An existing code for this test that is used by Blue Cross/Blue Shield payers (S3628) remains valid in 2011.

HPV VACCINE COUNSELING

Before January 1, 2011, if you counseled a patient about the HPV vaccine, you could report preventive counseling codes, such as 99401–99404, in addition to the vaccine administration code, 90471 (Immunization administration, 1 vaccine). Now, however, you have a new code for counseling and vaccine administration for a patient who is younger than 19 years—the age group most likely to be counseled about this vaccine. When you see, and counsel, such a patient before administering the vaccine, on the same date of service, code 90460 (Immunization administration through 18 years of age via any route of administration, with counseling by physician or other qualified health care profession; first vaccine/toxoid component), and 90649 for the quadrivalent or 90650 for the bivalent HPV vaccine.

If your patient is 19 years or older and requires counseling, continue to bill 99401– 99404 for counseling, with 90471 for immunization and 90649 or 90650 for the vaccine. Keep in mind: Whether you report 90460 or the 9940X codes, you are required to document the content of the counseling. Codes 9940X also require documentation of the duration of counseling.

INFLUENZA VACCINE

New codes have been established for the flu vaccine, but you won’t be using them: They are intended to address future pandemic strains of influenza. This year’s vaccine contains the H1N1 strain, but is coded as the normal seasonal flu vaccine, based on the type given:

90656 (preservative-free)

90658 (split virus)

90660 (intranasal)

90662 (enhanced vaccine for patients older than 65 years).

Changes to Medicare billing

Some of the coding and billing changes this year that have an impact on ObGyn practice come from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Affordable Care Act.

TIMELY FILING

The Affordable Care Act calls for a reduction in the maximum time period for submission of Medicare fee-for-service claims. Before January 1, a provider had 15 to 27 months to submit first-time claims to Medicare. Now, these claims must be filed within a calendar year of the date of service. Exceptions can be made for retroactive entitlement or in situations in which there is a secondary payer.

PAYMENTS TO CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIVES

Next, more good news—if you employ a certified nurse midwife (CNM) in your practice. Before January 1, Medicare reimbursed direct billing from a CNM at only 65% of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Now, a CNM is paid the same as a physician when she (he) bills under her own number.

In the past, some practices billed for the services of a CNM under “incident to” rules, to capture the physician payment—but this also meant that the CNM could not see a new patient. Under the change I’m describing, all CNMs can bill Medicare directly; see new patients; and be paid the same as the physician is paid. In addition, CNMs are no longer required to be supervised by a physician when they perform diagnostic tests that fall under the scope of their practice.

ANNUAL WELLNESS VISIT

The Affordable Care Act extended preventive coverage to Medicare beneficiaries in the form of an annual wellness visit. The two new codes here have been valued based on a level 4-problem new and established E/M service:

G0438 Annual wellness visit, including personalized prevention plan services, first visit

G0439 Annual wellness visit, including personalized prevention plan services, subsequent visit

Payment for the initial visit is made only beginning the second year the patient is eligible for Medicare Part B—during the first year of coverage, only the Initial Preventive Physical Examination (IPPE) (the “Welcome to Medicare”) exam will be covered.

CMS has stated that only one physician will be paid for the initial visit; when the patient returns to the same or a new physician in the third year, only a subsequent visit will be paid. It is, therefore, important that this information be conveyed to any new physician who sees the patient.

The annual codes can be billed in addition to any other preventive service, such as G0101 or Q0091; no modifier is needed for this combination. Medicare has waived both the copayment and the deductible for the annual wellness visit, as well as all Medicare-covered preventive services that have been recommended with a grade of “A” (“strongly recommends”) or “B” (“recommends”) by the US Preventive Services Task Force.

The annual wellness visit requires seven elements at a minimum (i.e., you may document and perform more elements than this, but not fewer):

• Establish or update the patient’s medical and family history
• List her current medical providers and suppliers and all prescribed medications
• Record measurements of height, weight, body mass index (initial visit only), blood pressure, and other routine measurements
• Detect any cognitive impairment
• Establish or update a screening schedule for the next 5 to 10 years, including screenings appropriate for the general population, and any additional screenings that may be appropriate because of her particular risk factors
• Review the patient’s 1) potential (i.e., risk factors) for depression, based on use of an appropriate screening instrument, and 2) functional ability and level of safety based on direct observation or screening questions
• Furnish 1) personalized health advice and 2) refer her appropriately to health education or preventive services.

CMS has also indicated that, although they will pay for a problem E/M service and the annual wellness visit on the same date of service with a modifier -25 added to the E/M service, they expect this type of billing to be rare—because of the nature of the wellness visit, which is time-intensive. They also expect that, given these requirements, the patient will not be billed additionally for a noncovered preventive service.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set for 2011 includes several changes of interest to ObGyns. These include 1) guideline clarifications regarding wound debridement and obstetric care codes; 2) new codes for subsequent observation care; micro-remodeling of the bladder neck; insertion of a vaginal after-loading device; and 3) a lab code for detecting amniotic fluid in cervicovaginal secretions (using the AmniSure kit).

There is also a new code for vaccine counseling that will have an impact on you if your practice offers the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to patients younger than 19 years.

There are changes to Medicare this year that you should take note of if you care for these patients, particularly in the area of preventive visit billing.

CPT and Medicare changes both took effect on January 1. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires that insurers accepted the new codes on that date.

Changes to the CPT code set

OBSERVATION CARE

One of the biggest headaches for medical practices has been standardized coding and billing for observation care that lasts more than 1 day. In the past, payers accepted a problem E/M for Day 2 of observation care, or instructed practices to code an unlisted E/M service. Now, you may report all care rendered in the observation setting with the addition of three new codes for subsequent care:

99244 Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: problem focused interval history, problem focused examination; medical decision making that is straightforward or of low complexity. 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. Usually, the patient is stable, recovering, or improving. Physicians typically spend 15 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

99225 Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: an expanded problem focused interval history; an expanded problem focused examination; medical decision making of moderate complexity. 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. Usually, the patient is responding inadequately to therapy or has developed a minor complication. Physicians typically spend 25 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

99226 Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: a detailed interval history; a detailed examination; medical decision making of high complexity. 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. Usually, the patient is unstable or has developed a significant complication or a significant new problem. Physicians typically spend 35 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

Note that each of these codes 1) “suggests” the status of the patient for each level of billing, and 2) includes a typical time. This means that, unlike the observation care admission codes or the observation admission/same-day discharge codes, time that is spent with the patient, or on the unit, may be used to select the code—if you document 1) the requirement that more than 50% of the typical time was spent on counseling or coordination of care, or both, and 2) a detailed description of this activity.

WOUND MANAGEMENT

Codes for wound debridement were given a facelift with the addition of a new guideline that addresses both surgical and medical debridement. The surgical debridement codes, (11042–11047) are now reported on the basis of the depth of tissue removed and the surface area of the wound. This means that codes 11040 and 11041 were deleted to make room for new and revised codes.

This change will mean that, when you report these codes, you will need to document more information to bill. It’s also understood that coding separately for debridement of dermis or epidermis at the same time you code for debriding underlying structures would be inappropriate.

CPT has also indicated that active wound management codes 97597 and 97598 can now be reported by physicians or nonphysician providers as long as the provider has direct (one-on-one) contact. These codes should be reported for skin-surface debridement only.

The new and revised codes (some of which have been published in CPT in nonsequential order) are:

11042 Debridement, subcutaneous tissue (includes epidermis and dermis, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less

+11045 (new add-on code reported with 11042 only) each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof

11043 Debridement, muscle and/or facia (includes epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less

+11046 (new add-on code reported with 11043 only) each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof

11044 Debridement, bone (includes epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous tissue, muscle and/or fascia, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less

+11047 (new add-on code reported with 11044 only) each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof

97597 Debridement (e.g., high pressure waterjet with/without suction, sharp selective debridement with scissors, scalpel and forceps), open wound, (e.g., fibrin, devitalized epidermis and/or dermis, exudate, debris, biofilm), including topical application(s), wound assessment, use of a whirlpool, when performed and instruction(s) for ongoing care, per session, total wound(s) surface area; first 20 sq cm or less

+95798 (add-on code reported with 97597 only) Each additional 20 sq cm, or part thereof.

TRANSURETHRAL RADIOFREQUENCY

Category III code 0193T, which described transurethral radiofrequency micro-remodeling for stress urinary incontinence, has been deleted and converted to a Category I CPT code, 53860 (Transurethral radiofrequency micro-remodeling of the female bladder neck and proximal urethra for stress urinary incontinence). The procedure includes a periurethral block and flushing the bladder with a lidocaine slurry, and can be performed in the office.

In all, the procedure requires nine treatment cycles during the session, but the code is billed only once. Catheterization and measurement of a voiding sample after the procedure are included in the code.

AFTERLOADING DEVICES FOR CLINICAL BRACHYTHERAPY

CPT revised—slightly—existing code 57155, and added code 57156 (Insertion of a vaginal radiation afterloading apparatus for clinical brachytherapy).

• Code 57155 was revised to clarify that only a single tandem is inserted into the uterus. There had been confusion earlier in this regard.
• The new code describes a procedure that may also include dilation of the vaginal canal to remove postradiation adhesions. That procedure also involves 1) placement of bladder and rectal catheters and 2) radiographic imaging to confirm placement, which are not coded separately.

CLARIFICATION OF OBSTETRIC GUIDELINES

Been having problems with payers and their interpretation of the delivery only, postpartum only, and delivery with postpartum care codes? CPT has, at last, clarified what you can, and cannot, bill in those circumstances. (Keep in mind, however, that you may not unbundle these procedures if more extensive care is provided: Most payers want you to bill the global OB care code that includes antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care.)

In some cases (such as Medicaid), the payer stipulates that only the physician who actually performed the delivery may bill for it, even if the delivering physician is covering for, or is a member of, the same group practice as the primary attending of record. The “delivery-only” codes should be reported when 1) an unaffiliated physician has delivered the baby but will not be providing any outpatient postpartum care or 2) the payer has specified this method of billing for the covering or affiliated provider.

CPT has clarified that delivery-only codes (59409, 59514, or 59612, 59620) include admission to the hospital, the admission history and physical exam, uncomplicated labor and delivery (including delivery of the placenta, or use of forceps or vacuum extraction). These codes do not include inpatient rounding or discharge day care after delivery (and, of course, include no outpatient postpartum care). When, as the delivering physician, you also provide inpatient postdelivery care, therefore, you may additionally bill subsequent hospital care codes and discharge day management codes (99231-99233, 99238-99239).

If the unaffiliated physician performs the delivery and also intends on providing outpatient postpartum care, the CPT codes for delivery with postpartum are to be reported (59410, 59515, 59614, 59622). In addition to the delivery, these codes include all inpatient and outpatient postpartum care. And finally, for those physicians who are only providing outpatient postpartum care, the code 59430, Postpartum care only, should be reported.

PLACENTAL ALPHA MICROGLOBULIN-1

A new code, 84112 (Placental alpha microglobulin-1 [PAMG-11], cervicovaginal secretion, qualitative), has been added to allow the clinical laboratory to bill for this immunoassay that detects amniotic fluid in the secretions. Physician work involves collection of the specimen but, under CPT rules, collection is included as part of any E/M service.

Note: An existing code for this test that is used by Blue Cross/Blue Shield payers (S3628) remains valid in 2011.

HPV VACCINE COUNSELING

Before January 1, 2011, if you counseled a patient about the HPV vaccine, you could report preventive counseling codes, such as 99401–99404, in addition to the vaccine administration code, 90471 (Immunization administration, 1 vaccine). Now, however, you have a new code for counseling and vaccine administration for a patient who is younger than 19 years—the age group most likely to be counseled about this vaccine. When you see, and counsel, such a patient before administering the vaccine, on the same date of service, code 90460 (Immunization administration through 18 years of age via any route of administration, with counseling by physician or other qualified health care profession; first vaccine/toxoid component), and 90649 for the quadrivalent or 90650 for the bivalent HPV vaccine.

If your patient is 19 years or older and requires counseling, continue to bill 99401– 99404 for counseling, with 90471 for immunization and 90649 or 90650 for the vaccine. Keep in mind: Whether you report 90460 or the 9940X codes, you are required to document the content of the counseling. Codes 9940X also require documentation of the duration of counseling.

INFLUENZA VACCINE

New codes have been established for the flu vaccine, but you won’t be using them: They are intended to address future pandemic strains of influenza. This year’s vaccine contains the H1N1 strain, but is coded as the normal seasonal flu vaccine, based on the type given:

90656 (preservative-free)

90658 (split virus)

90660 (intranasal)

90662 (enhanced vaccine for patients older than 65 years).

Changes to Medicare billing

Some of the coding and billing changes this year that have an impact on ObGyn practice come from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Affordable Care Act.

TIMELY FILING

The Affordable Care Act calls for a reduction in the maximum time period for submission of Medicare fee-for-service claims. Before January 1, a provider had 15 to 27 months to submit first-time claims to Medicare. Now, these claims must be filed within a calendar year of the date of service. Exceptions can be made for retroactive entitlement or in situations in which there is a secondary payer.

PAYMENTS TO CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIVES

Next, more good news—if you employ a certified nurse midwife (CNM) in your practice. Before January 1, Medicare reimbursed direct billing from a CNM at only 65% of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Now, a CNM is paid the same as a physician when she (he) bills under her own number.

In the past, some practices billed for the services of a CNM under “incident to” rules, to capture the physician payment—but this also meant that the CNM could not see a new patient. Under the change I’m describing, all CNMs can bill Medicare directly; see new patients; and be paid the same as the physician is paid. In addition, CNMs are no longer required to be supervised by a physician when they perform diagnostic tests that fall under the scope of their practice.

ANNUAL WELLNESS VISIT

The Affordable Care Act extended preventive coverage to Medicare beneficiaries in the form of an annual wellness visit. The two new codes here have been valued based on a level 4-problem new and established E/M service:

G0438 Annual wellness visit, including personalized prevention plan services, first visit

G0439 Annual wellness visit, including personalized prevention plan services, subsequent visit

Payment for the initial visit is made only beginning the second year the patient is eligible for Medicare Part B—during the first year of coverage, only the Initial Preventive Physical Examination (IPPE) (the “Welcome to Medicare”) exam will be covered.

CMS has stated that only one physician will be paid for the initial visit; when the patient returns to the same or a new physician in the third year, only a subsequent visit will be paid. It is, therefore, important that this information be conveyed to any new physician who sees the patient.

The annual codes can be billed in addition to any other preventive service, such as G0101 or Q0091; no modifier is needed for this combination. Medicare has waived both the copayment and the deductible for the annual wellness visit, as well as all Medicare-covered preventive services that have been recommended with a grade of “A” (“strongly recommends”) or “B” (“recommends”) by the US Preventive Services Task Force.

The annual wellness visit requires seven elements at a minimum (i.e., you may document and perform more elements than this, but not fewer):

• Establish or update the patient’s medical and family history
• List her current medical providers and suppliers and all prescribed medications
• Record measurements of height, weight, body mass index (initial visit only), blood pressure, and other routine measurements
• Detect any cognitive impairment
• Establish or update a screening schedule for the next 5 to 10 years, including screenings appropriate for the general population, and any additional screenings that may be appropriate because of her particular risk factors
• Review the patient’s 1) potential (i.e., risk factors) for depression, based on use of an appropriate screening instrument, and 2) functional ability and level of safety based on direct observation or screening questions
• Furnish 1) personalized health advice and 2) refer her appropriately to health education or preventive services.

CMS has also indicated that, although they will pay for a problem E/M service and the annual wellness visit on the same date of service with a modifier -25 added to the E/M service, they expect this type of billing to be rare—because of the nature of the wellness visit, which is time-intensive. They also expect that, given these requirements, the patient will not be billed additionally for a noncovered preventive service.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set for 2011 includes several changes of interest to ObGyns. These include 1) guideline clarifications regarding wound debridement and obstetric care codes; 2) new codes for subsequent observation care; micro-remodeling of the bladder neck; insertion of a vaginal after-loading device; and 3) a lab code for detecting amniotic fluid in cervicovaginal secretions (using the AmniSure kit).

There is also a new code for vaccine counseling that will have an impact on you if your practice offers the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to patients younger than 19 years.

There are changes to Medicare this year that you should take note of if you care for these patients, particularly in the area of preventive visit billing.

CPT and Medicare changes both took effect on January 1. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires that insurers accepted the new codes on that date.

Changes to the CPT code set

OBSERVATION CARE

One of the biggest headaches for medical practices has been standardized coding and billing for observation care that lasts more than 1 day. In the past, payers accepted a problem E/M for Day 2 of observation care, or instructed practices to code an unlisted E/M service. Now, you may report all care rendered in the observation setting with the addition of three new codes for subsequent care:

99244 Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: problem focused interval history, problem focused examination; medical decision making that is straightforward or of low complexity. 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. Usually, the patient is stable, recovering, or improving. Physicians typically spend 15 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

99225 Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: an expanded problem focused interval history; an expanded problem focused examination; medical decision making of moderate complexity. 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. Usually, the patient is responding inadequately to therapy or has developed a minor complication. Physicians typically spend 25 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

99226 Subsequent observation care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: a detailed interval history; a detailed examination; medical decision making of high complexity. 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. Usually, the patient is unstable or has developed a significant complication or a significant new problem. Physicians typically spend 35 minutes at the bedside and on the patient’s hospital floor or unit.

Note that each of these codes 1) “suggests” the status of the patient for each level of billing, and 2) includes a typical time. This means that, unlike the observation care admission codes or the observation admission/same-day discharge codes, time that is spent with the patient, or on the unit, may be used to select the code—if you document 1) the requirement that more than 50% of the typical time was spent on counseling or coordination of care, or both, and 2) a detailed description of this activity.

WOUND MANAGEMENT

Codes for wound debridement were given a facelift with the addition of a new guideline that addresses both surgical and medical debridement. The surgical debridement codes, (11042–11047) are now reported on the basis of the depth of tissue removed and the surface area of the wound. This means that codes 11040 and 11041 were deleted to make room for new and revised codes.

This change will mean that, when you report these codes, you will need to document more information to bill. It’s also understood that coding separately for debridement of dermis or epidermis at the same time you code for debriding underlying structures would be inappropriate.

CPT has also indicated that active wound management codes 97597 and 97598 can now be reported by physicians or nonphysician providers as long as the provider has direct (one-on-one) contact. These codes should be reported for skin-surface debridement only.

The new and revised codes (some of which have been published in CPT in nonsequential order) are:

11042 Debridement, subcutaneous tissue (includes epidermis and dermis, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less

+11045 (new add-on code reported with 11042 only) each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof

11043 Debridement, muscle and/or facia (includes epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less

+11046 (new add-on code reported with 11043 only) each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof

11044 Debridement, bone (includes epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous tissue, muscle and/or fascia, if performed); first 20 sq cm or less

+11047 (new add-on code reported with 11044 only) each additional 20 sq cm or part thereof

97597 Debridement (e.g., high pressure waterjet with/without suction, sharp selective debridement with scissors, scalpel and forceps), open wound, (e.g., fibrin, devitalized epidermis and/or dermis, exudate, debris, biofilm), including topical application(s), wound assessment, use of a whirlpool, when performed and instruction(s) for ongoing care, per session, total wound(s) surface area; first 20 sq cm or less

+95798 (add-on code reported with 97597 only) Each additional 20 sq cm, or part thereof.

TRANSURETHRAL RADIOFREQUENCY

Category III code 0193T, which described transurethral radiofrequency micro-remodeling for stress urinary incontinence, has been deleted and converted to a Category I CPT code, 53860 (Transurethral radiofrequency micro-remodeling of the female bladder neck and proximal urethra for stress urinary incontinence). The procedure includes a periurethral block and flushing the bladder with a lidocaine slurry, and can be performed in the office.

In all, the procedure requires nine treatment cycles during the session, but the code is billed only once. Catheterization and measurement of a voiding sample after the procedure are included in the code.

AFTERLOADING DEVICES FOR CLINICAL BRACHYTHERAPY

CPT revised—slightly—existing code 57155, and added code 57156 (Insertion of a vaginal radiation afterloading apparatus for clinical brachytherapy).

• Code 57155 was revised to clarify that only a single tandem is inserted into the uterus. There had been confusion earlier in this regard.
• The new code describes a procedure that may also include dilation of the vaginal canal to remove postradiation adhesions. That procedure also involves 1) placement of bladder and rectal catheters and 2) radiographic imaging to confirm placement, which are not coded separately.

CLARIFICATION OF OBSTETRIC GUIDELINES

Been having problems with payers and their interpretation of the delivery only, postpartum only, and delivery with postpartum care codes? CPT has, at last, clarified what you can, and cannot, bill in those circumstances. (Keep in mind, however, that you may not unbundle these procedures if more extensive care is provided: Most payers want you to bill the global OB care code that includes antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care.)

In some cases (such as Medicaid), the payer stipulates that only the physician who actually performed the delivery may bill for it, even if the delivering physician is covering for, or is a member of, the same group practice as the primary attending of record. The “delivery-only” codes should be reported when 1) an unaffiliated physician has delivered the baby but will not be providing any outpatient postpartum care or 2) the payer has specified this method of billing for the covering or affiliated provider.

CPT has clarified that delivery-only codes (59409, 59514, or 59612, 59620) include admission to the hospital, the admission history and physical exam, uncomplicated labor and delivery (including delivery of the placenta, or use of forceps or vacuum extraction). These codes do not include inpatient rounding or discharge day care after delivery (and, of course, include no outpatient postpartum care). When, as the delivering physician, you also provide inpatient postdelivery care, therefore, you may additionally bill subsequent hospital care codes and discharge day management codes (99231-99233, 99238-99239).

If the unaffiliated physician performs the delivery and also intends on providing outpatient postpartum care, the CPT codes for delivery with postpartum are to be reported (59410, 59515, 59614, 59622). In addition to the delivery, these codes include all inpatient and outpatient postpartum care. And finally, for those physicians who are only providing outpatient postpartum care, the code 59430, Postpartum care only, should be reported.

PLACENTAL ALPHA MICROGLOBULIN-1

A new code, 84112 (Placental alpha microglobulin-1 [PAMG-11], cervicovaginal secretion, qualitative), has been added to allow the clinical laboratory to bill for this immunoassay that detects amniotic fluid in the secretions. Physician work involves collection of the specimen but, under CPT rules, collection is included as part of any E/M service.

Note: An existing code for this test that is used by Blue Cross/Blue Shield payers (S3628) remains valid in 2011.

HPV VACCINE COUNSELING

Before January 1, 2011, if you counseled a patient about the HPV vaccine, you could report preventive counseling codes, such as 99401–99404, in addition to the vaccine administration code, 90471 (Immunization administration, 1 vaccine). Now, however, you have a new code for counseling and vaccine administration for a patient who is younger than 19 years—the age group most likely to be counseled about this vaccine. When you see, and counsel, such a patient before administering the vaccine, on the same date of service, code 90460 (Immunization administration through 18 years of age via any route of administration, with counseling by physician or other qualified health care profession; first vaccine/toxoid component), and 90649 for the quadrivalent or 90650 for the bivalent HPV vaccine.

If your patient is 19 years or older and requires counseling, continue to bill 99401– 99404 for counseling, with 90471 for immunization and 90649 or 90650 for the vaccine. Keep in mind: Whether you report 90460 or the 9940X codes, you are required to document the content of the counseling. Codes 9940X also require documentation of the duration of counseling.

INFLUENZA VACCINE

New codes have been established for the flu vaccine, but you won’t be using them: They are intended to address future pandemic strains of influenza. This year’s vaccine contains the H1N1 strain, but is coded as the normal seasonal flu vaccine, based on the type given:

90656 (preservative-free)

90658 (split virus)

90660 (intranasal)

90662 (enhanced vaccine for patients older than 65 years).

Changes to Medicare billing

Some of the coding and billing changes this year that have an impact on ObGyn practice come from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Affordable Care Act.

TIMELY FILING

The Affordable Care Act calls for a reduction in the maximum time period for submission of Medicare fee-for-service claims. Before January 1, a provider had 15 to 27 months to submit first-time claims to Medicare. Now, these claims must be filed within a calendar year of the date of service. Exceptions can be made for retroactive entitlement or in situations in which there is a secondary payer.

PAYMENTS TO CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIVES

Next, more good news—if you employ a certified nurse midwife (CNM) in your practice. Before January 1, Medicare reimbursed direct billing from a CNM at only 65% of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Now, a CNM is paid the same as a physician when she (he) bills under her own number.

In the past, some practices billed for the services of a CNM under “incident to” rules, to capture the physician payment—but this also meant that the CNM could not see a new patient. Under the change I’m describing, all CNMs can bill Medicare directly; see new patients; and be paid the same as the physician is paid. In addition, CNMs are no longer required to be supervised by a physician when they perform diagnostic tests that fall under the scope of their practice.

ANNUAL WELLNESS VISIT

The Affordable Care Act extended preventive coverage to Medicare beneficiaries in the form of an annual wellness visit. The two new codes here have been valued based on a level 4-problem new and established E/M service:

G0438 Annual wellness visit, including personalized prevention plan services, first visit

G0439 Annual wellness visit, including personalized prevention plan services, subsequent visit

Payment for the initial visit is made only beginning the second year the patient is eligible for Medicare Part B—during the first year of coverage, only the Initial Preventive Physical Examination (IPPE) (the “Welcome to Medicare”) exam will be covered.

CMS has stated that only one physician will be paid for the initial visit; when the patient returns to the same or a new physician in the third year, only a subsequent visit will be paid. It is, therefore, important that this information be conveyed to any new physician who sees the patient.

The annual codes can be billed in addition to any other preventive service, such as G0101 or Q0091; no modifier is needed for this combination. Medicare has waived both the copayment and the deductible for the annual wellness visit, as well as all Medicare-covered preventive services that have been recommended with a grade of “A” (“strongly recommends”) or “B” (“recommends”) by the US Preventive Services Task Force.

The annual wellness visit requires seven elements at a minimum (i.e., you may document and perform more elements than this, but not fewer):

• Establish or update the patient’s medical and family history
• List her current medical providers and suppliers and all prescribed medications
• Record measurements of height, weight, body mass index (initial visit only), blood pressure, and other routine measurements
• Detect any cognitive impairment
• Establish or update a screening schedule for the next 5 to 10 years, including screenings appropriate for the general population, and any additional screenings that may be appropriate because of her particular risk factors
• Review the patient’s 1) potential (i.e., risk factors) for depression, based on use of an appropriate screening instrument, and 2) functional ability and level of safety based on direct observation or screening questions
• Furnish 1) personalized health advice and 2) refer her appropriately to health education or preventive services.

CMS has also indicated that, although they will pay for a problem E/M service and the annual wellness visit on the same date of service with a modifier -25 added to the E/M service, they expect this type of billing to be rare—because of the nature of the wellness visit, which is time-intensive. They also expect that, given these requirements, the patient will not be billed additionally for a noncovered preventive service.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

This year, ObGyn-related additions and revisions to the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), involve tinkering with existing codes and adding some new code categories. The latter development means that more information will be required of you to code to the highest level of specificity.

On the obstetrics side, there are now specific codes for placental status for multiple gestations and some revised terminology.

In gynecology, changes include new codes for congenital anomalies of the cervix, vagina, and uterus; reporting an expanded list of a history of dysplasia; and reporting the insertion and removal of an intrauterine device for contraception.

In addition, new codes have been established for fecal incontinence and for reporting a body mass index >40.

Last, changes to the alphabetical index of codes have been put in place that will help you select the most appropriate code.

The new and revised ICD-9-CM codes were added to the national code set on October 1, 2010. As in previous years, there is no grace period for failing to use the new code set!

Changes to obstetric codes

PLACENTAL/AMNIOTIC SAC SPECIFICATION FOR MULTIPLE-GESTATION PREGNANCY

Multiple-gestation pregnancies are classified as monochorionic/monoamniotic, monochorionic/diamniotic, and dichorionic/diamniotic. Until now, however, you’ve had no way to report this additional information to a payer.

For fiscal year 2011, you are able to be more specific, which can increase your ability to report medical support care for a higher-risk pregnancy or an expanded treatment plan.

Because the current category of multiple-gestation codes (651) did not allow for expansion to include this information, a new code category, V91 (multiple gestation placenta status), was created for that purpose. The V91 category has distinct codes for twin gestation, triplet gestation, quadruplet gestation, and other “unspecified” gestations to denote placental/amniotic sac status.

Be aware that use of the V91 codes is optional, and that they can be reported only as a secondary diagnosis, with a category 651.xx (multiple gestation, etc.) code as primary. As I noted, however, the new codes may provide better information to the payer—and that might result in additional reimbursement for your care of such pregnancies.

The new codes for a twin pregnancy are:

V91.00 Twin gestation, unspecified number of placentae, unspecified number of amniotic sacs

V91.01 Twin gestation, monochorionic/monoamniotic (one placenta, one amniotic sac)

V91.02 Twin gestation, monochorionic/diamniotic (one placenta, two amniotic sacs)

V91.03 Twin gestation, dichorionic/diamniotic (two placentae, two amniotic sacs)

V91.09 Twin gestation, unable to determine number of placentae and number of amniotic sacs

There are similar V codes for triplet gestations (V91.10–V91.19), quadruplet gestations (V91.20–V91.29), and other unspecified multiple gestations (V91.91– V91.99).

RECURRENT PREGNANCY LOSS

The term “habitual aborter” has been replaced for 2011 with the more clinically accurate term “recurrent pregnancy loss.” This change is noted in both the ICD-9 alphabetical index and in the code definitions in the tabular section. The codes affected by this terminology change are:

629.81 Recurrent pregnancy loss without current pregnancy

646.3x Recurrent pregnancy loss (affecting the current pregnancy)

INDEX AND INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES

These OB changes took effect on October 1, 2010:

• Periurethral trauma should be reported using 664.8x (other specified trauma to perineum and vulva), not 665.5x (other injury to pelvic organs).
• If you report puerperal sepsis (670.2x), you must report an additional code to identify severe sepsis (995.92) and any associated acute organ dysfunction, if applicable.
• If your diagnosis is superficial thrombosis (671.2x), an additional code—either 453.6, 453.71, or 453.81—should be reported to further explain the type of thrombophlebitis.
• If your patient has either asymptomatic, inactive, or a history of genital herpes that is complicating her current pregnancy, report 647.6x (other viral diseases).
• If you report pneumonia as complicating pregnancy, assign code 648.9x (other current conditions classifiable elsewhere).

Changes to gyn codes

CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE UTERUS, CERVIX, AND VAGINA

Before October 1, 2010, of the seven distinct types of uterine anomalies, only a didelphus uterus (752.2, doubling of the uterus) and a diethylstilbestrol-related anomaly (760.76 [noxious influences affecting fetus or newborn via placenta or breast milk; diethylstilbestrol (DES)]) had specific codes. All other uterine anomalies were coded to “other” or “unspecified” codes that could include many different conditions.

Although vaginal and cervical anomalies may be less common, the only codes available before October 1, 2010, were ones that described an unspecified anomaly (753.40), imperforate hymen (752.42), or an embryonic cyst (752.41).

A higher level of specificity in coding, however, can make all the difference in receiving adequate reimbursement and preventing denials. For example, if you perform a Pap smear on a patient who has two cervices, a code that specifies a duplicate cervix can clearly tell the payer that billing for both is not a duplicate service or billing error.

Changes to codes in this area of care take the form of expanding existing codes. Code 752.3 (other anomalies of uterus) has been expanded to seven distinct five-digit codes to capture the seven anomalies of the uterus:

752.31 Agenesis of uterus

752.32 Hypoplasia of uterus

752.33 Unicornuate uterus (This code would be reported if the unicornuate uterus did or did not have a separate uterine horn, or if the uterus had only one functioning horn.)

752.34 Bicornuate uterus

752.35 Septate uterus (This code would be reported whether the septate was complete or partial.)

752.36 Arcuate uterus

752.39 Other anomalies of uterus (This code category includes aplasia or any other Müllerian anomaly of the uterus that is not otherwise or elsewhere classified.)

New codes have been added to the 752.4 code category (anomalies of cervix, vagina, and external female genitalia) to expand the options. Before October 1, 2010, any of these conditions would have been coded as 752.49, an “other” category.

752.43 Cervical agenesis

752.44 Cervical duplication

752.45 Vaginal agenesis (This code can also be reported for vaginal hypoplasia.)

752.46 Transverse vaginal septum

752.47 Longitudinal vaginal septum

For a patient who has a history of one of these anomalies, you would report new code V13.62, (personal history of other [corrected] congenital malformations of genitourinary system) if this history was a factor in her current care.

IUD INSERTION AND REMOVAL

Inserting and removing an IUD are integral services that most ObGyn practices provide, so it is imperative that your encounter forms reflect two new codes, to avoid denials for an invalid diagnosis code. A reminder: Code V45.51 (intrauterine contraceptive device) is a status code. It indicates that a patient has an IUD in place but you should never use it as a diagnosis code when the purpose of the visit is for you to check on the device and assess how it is working.

Changes in this area are:

Before October 1, 2010:

V25.1 Insertion

V25.42 Checking, reinsertion and/or removal After October 1, 2010:

V25.11 Encounter for insertion of intrauterine contraceptive device

V25.12 Encounter for removal of intrauterine contraceptive device

V25.13 Encounter for removal and reinsertion of intrauterine contraceptive device

V25.42 Encounter for routine checking of intrauterine contraceptive device

BODY MASS INDEX

Regrettably, the number of patients who have a very high body mass index (BMI) is increasing. When surgery is planned, reporting this information in your coding can help establish 1) the medical need for significant additional work during the procedure or 2) health risks in support of therapy.

Code V85.4 (Body mass index 40 and over, adult) has been expanded to five new codes. They should be reported secondary to the type of obesity (i.e., codes 278.0x [overweight and obesity]).

V85.41 Body Mass Index 40.0–44.9, adult

V85.42 Body Mass Index 45.0–49.9, adult

V85.43 Body Mass Index 50.0–59.9, adult

V85.44 Body Mass Index 60.0–69.9, adult

V85.45 Body Mass Index 70 and over, adult

FECAL INCONTINENCE

Fecal incontinence can present as problematic symptoms—fecal smearing, fecal urgency, incomplete defecation—but, until now, you only had one code to report any of these problems.

For that reason, 787.6 (incontinence of feces) has been expanded into four new five-digit codes. In addition, a new code has been added to report fecal impaction, which, in the past, was reported as 560.39, an “other” category code that was not specific to this problem.

New codes are:

560.32 Fecal impaction

787.60 Full incontinence of feces

787.61 Incomplete defecation

787.62 Fecal smearing

787.63 Fecal urgency

PERSONAL HISTORY OF DYSPLASIA

New codes have been added to complete the personal history codes for dysplasia. In addition to the existing code for cervical dysplasia history (V13.22), you can now report:

V13.23 Personal history of vaginal dysplasia

V13.34 Personal history of vulvar dysplasia

INDEX AND INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES

These changes take effect October 1, 2010:

• Clarification that an abnormal Pap result indicated non-atypical endometrial cells should be reported using 795.09.
• Clearly indicate whether a fistula between the uterus and another organ is congenital (752.39) or noncongenital (619.0-619.9).
• Precocious menstruation should be coded as 259.1, not as a menstrual disorder.
• The terminology in the index and tabular sections has been revised to more clearly differentiate long-term from prophylactic use of medications. This change affects only code category titles and lookup terms, not existing code numbers.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

This year, ObGyn-related additions and revisions to the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), involve tinkering with existing codes and adding some new code categories. The latter development means that more information will be required of you to code to the highest level of specificity.

On the obstetrics side, there are now specific codes for placental status for multiple gestations and some revised terminology.

In gynecology, changes include new codes for congenital anomalies of the cervix, vagina, and uterus; reporting an expanded list of a history of dysplasia; and reporting the insertion and removal of an intrauterine device for contraception.

In addition, new codes have been established for fecal incontinence and for reporting a body mass index >40.

Last, changes to the alphabetical index of codes have been put in place that will help you select the most appropriate code.

The new and revised ICD-9-CM codes were added to the national code set on October 1, 2010. As in previous years, there is no grace period for failing to use the new code set!

Changes to obstetric codes

PLACENTAL/AMNIOTIC SAC SPECIFICATION FOR MULTIPLE-GESTATION PREGNANCY

Multiple-gestation pregnancies are classified as monochorionic/monoamniotic, monochorionic/diamniotic, and dichorionic/diamniotic. Until now, however, you’ve had no way to report this additional information to a payer.

For fiscal year 2011, you are able to be more specific, which can increase your ability to report medical support care for a higher-risk pregnancy or an expanded treatment plan.

Because the current category of multiple-gestation codes (651) did not allow for expansion to include this information, a new code category, V91 (multiple gestation placenta status), was created for that purpose. The V91 category has distinct codes for twin gestation, triplet gestation, quadruplet gestation, and other “unspecified” gestations to denote placental/amniotic sac status.

Be aware that use of the V91 codes is optional, and that they can be reported only as a secondary diagnosis, with a category 651.xx (multiple gestation, etc.) code as primary. As I noted, however, the new codes may provide better information to the payer—and that might result in additional reimbursement for your care of such pregnancies.

The new codes for a twin pregnancy are:

V91.00 Twin gestation, unspecified number of placentae, unspecified number of amniotic sacs

V91.01 Twin gestation, monochorionic/monoamniotic (one placenta, one amniotic sac)

V91.02 Twin gestation, monochorionic/diamniotic (one placenta, two amniotic sacs)

V91.03 Twin gestation, dichorionic/diamniotic (two placentae, two amniotic sacs)

V91.09 Twin gestation, unable to determine number of placentae and number of amniotic sacs

There are similar V codes for triplet gestations (V91.10–V91.19), quadruplet gestations (V91.20–V91.29), and other unspecified multiple gestations (V91.91– V91.99).

RECURRENT PREGNANCY LOSS

The term “habitual aborter” has been replaced for 2011 with the more clinically accurate term “recurrent pregnancy loss.” This change is noted in both the ICD-9 alphabetical index and in the code definitions in the tabular section. The codes affected by this terminology change are:

629.81 Recurrent pregnancy loss without current pregnancy

646.3x Recurrent pregnancy loss (affecting the current pregnancy)

INDEX AND INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES

These OB changes took effect on October 1, 2010:

• Periurethral trauma should be reported using 664.8x (other specified trauma to perineum and vulva), not 665.5x (other injury to pelvic organs).
• If you report puerperal sepsis (670.2x), you must report an additional code to identify severe sepsis (995.92) and any associated acute organ dysfunction, if applicable.
• If your diagnosis is superficial thrombosis (671.2x), an additional code—either 453.6, 453.71, or 453.81—should be reported to further explain the type of thrombophlebitis.
• If your patient has either asymptomatic, inactive, or a history of genital herpes that is complicating her current pregnancy, report 647.6x (other viral diseases).
• If you report pneumonia as complicating pregnancy, assign code 648.9x (other current conditions classifiable elsewhere).

Changes to gyn codes

CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE UTERUS, CERVIX, AND VAGINA

Before October 1, 2010, of the seven distinct types of uterine anomalies, only a didelphus uterus (752.2, doubling of the uterus) and a diethylstilbestrol-related anomaly (760.76 [noxious influences affecting fetus or newborn via placenta or breast milk; diethylstilbestrol (DES)]) had specific codes. All other uterine anomalies were coded to “other” or “unspecified” codes that could include many different conditions.

Although vaginal and cervical anomalies may be less common, the only codes available before October 1, 2010, were ones that described an unspecified anomaly (753.40), imperforate hymen (752.42), or an embryonic cyst (752.41).

A higher level of specificity in coding, however, can make all the difference in receiving adequate reimbursement and preventing denials. For example, if you perform a Pap smear on a patient who has two cervices, a code that specifies a duplicate cervix can clearly tell the payer that billing for both is not a duplicate service or billing error.

Changes to codes in this area of care take the form of expanding existing codes. Code 752.3 (other anomalies of uterus) has been expanded to seven distinct five-digit codes to capture the seven anomalies of the uterus:

752.31 Agenesis of uterus

752.32 Hypoplasia of uterus

752.33 Unicornuate uterus (This code would be reported if the unicornuate uterus did or did not have a separate uterine horn, or if the uterus had only one functioning horn.)

752.34 Bicornuate uterus

752.35 Septate uterus (This code would be reported whether the septate was complete or partial.)

752.36 Arcuate uterus

752.39 Other anomalies of uterus (This code category includes aplasia or any other Müllerian anomaly of the uterus that is not otherwise or elsewhere classified.)

New codes have been added to the 752.4 code category (anomalies of cervix, vagina, and external female genitalia) to expand the options. Before October 1, 2010, any of these conditions would have been coded as 752.49, an “other” category.

752.43 Cervical agenesis

752.44 Cervical duplication

752.45 Vaginal agenesis (This code can also be reported for vaginal hypoplasia.)

752.46 Transverse vaginal septum

752.47 Longitudinal vaginal septum

For a patient who has a history of one of these anomalies, you would report new code V13.62, (personal history of other [corrected] congenital malformations of genitourinary system) if this history was a factor in her current care.

IUD INSERTION AND REMOVAL

Inserting and removing an IUD are integral services that most ObGyn practices provide, so it is imperative that your encounter forms reflect two new codes, to avoid denials for an invalid diagnosis code. A reminder: Code V45.51 (intrauterine contraceptive device) is a status code. It indicates that a patient has an IUD in place but you should never use it as a diagnosis code when the purpose of the visit is for you to check on the device and assess how it is working.

Changes in this area are:

Before October 1, 2010:

V25.1 Insertion

V25.42 Checking, reinsertion and/or removal After October 1, 2010:

V25.11 Encounter for insertion of intrauterine contraceptive device

V25.12 Encounter for removal of intrauterine contraceptive device

V25.13 Encounter for removal and reinsertion of intrauterine contraceptive device

V25.42 Encounter for routine checking of intrauterine contraceptive device

BODY MASS INDEX

Regrettably, the number of patients who have a very high body mass index (BMI) is increasing. When surgery is planned, reporting this information in your coding can help establish 1) the medical need for significant additional work during the procedure or 2) health risks in support of therapy.

Code V85.4 (Body mass index 40 and over, adult) has been expanded to five new codes. They should be reported secondary to the type of obesity (i.e., codes 278.0x [overweight and obesity]).

V85.41 Body Mass Index 40.0–44.9, adult

V85.42 Body Mass Index 45.0–49.9, adult

V85.43 Body Mass Index 50.0–59.9, adult

V85.44 Body Mass Index 60.0–69.9, adult

V85.45 Body Mass Index 70 and over, adult

FECAL INCONTINENCE

Fecal incontinence can present as problematic symptoms—fecal smearing, fecal urgency, incomplete defecation—but, until now, you only had one code to report any of these problems.

For that reason, 787.6 (incontinence of feces) has been expanded into four new five-digit codes. In addition, a new code has been added to report fecal impaction, which, in the past, was reported as 560.39, an “other” category code that was not specific to this problem.

New codes are:

560.32 Fecal impaction

787.60 Full incontinence of feces

787.61 Incomplete defecation

787.62 Fecal smearing

787.63 Fecal urgency

PERSONAL HISTORY OF DYSPLASIA

New codes have been added to complete the personal history codes for dysplasia. In addition to the existing code for cervical dysplasia history (V13.22), you can now report:

V13.23 Personal history of vaginal dysplasia

V13.34 Personal history of vulvar dysplasia

INDEX AND INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES

These changes take effect October 1, 2010:

• Clarification that an abnormal Pap result indicated non-atypical endometrial cells should be reported using 795.09.
• Clearly indicate whether a fistula between the uterus and another organ is congenital (752.39) or noncongenital (619.0-619.9).
• Precocious menstruation should be coded as 259.1, not as a menstrual disorder.
• The terminology in the index and tabular sections has been revised to more clearly differentiate long-term from prophylactic use of medications. This change affects only code category titles and lookup terms, not existing code numbers.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

This year, ObGyn-related additions and revisions to the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), involve tinkering with existing codes and adding some new code categories. The latter development means that more information will be required of you to code to the highest level of specificity.

On the obstetrics side, there are now specific codes for placental status for multiple gestations and some revised terminology.

In gynecology, changes include new codes for congenital anomalies of the cervix, vagina, and uterus; reporting an expanded list of a history of dysplasia; and reporting the insertion and removal of an intrauterine device for contraception.

In addition, new codes have been established for fecal incontinence and for reporting a body mass index >40.

Last, changes to the alphabetical index of codes have been put in place that will help you select the most appropriate code.

The new and revised ICD-9-CM codes were added to the national code set on October 1, 2010. As in previous years, there is no grace period for failing to use the new code set!

Changes to obstetric codes

PLACENTAL/AMNIOTIC SAC SPECIFICATION FOR MULTIPLE-GESTATION PREGNANCY

Multiple-gestation pregnancies are classified as monochorionic/monoamniotic, monochorionic/diamniotic, and dichorionic/diamniotic. Until now, however, you’ve had no way to report this additional information to a payer.

For fiscal year 2011, you are able to be more specific, which can increase your ability to report medical support care for a higher-risk pregnancy or an expanded treatment plan.

Because the current category of multiple-gestation codes (651) did not allow for expansion to include this information, a new code category, V91 (multiple gestation placenta status), was created for that purpose. The V91 category has distinct codes for twin gestation, triplet gestation, quadruplet gestation, and other “unspecified” gestations to denote placental/amniotic sac status.

Be aware that use of the V91 codes is optional, and that they can be reported only as a secondary diagnosis, with a category 651.xx (multiple gestation, etc.) code as primary. As I noted, however, the new codes may provide better information to the payer—and that might result in additional reimbursement for your care of such pregnancies.

The new codes for a twin pregnancy are:

V91.00 Twin gestation, unspecified number of placentae, unspecified number of amniotic sacs

V91.01 Twin gestation, monochorionic/monoamniotic (one placenta, one amniotic sac)

V91.02 Twin gestation, monochorionic/diamniotic (one placenta, two amniotic sacs)

V91.03 Twin gestation, dichorionic/diamniotic (two placentae, two amniotic sacs)

V91.09 Twin gestation, unable to determine number of placentae and number of amniotic sacs

There are similar V codes for triplet gestations (V91.10–V91.19), quadruplet gestations (V91.20–V91.29), and other unspecified multiple gestations (V91.91– V91.99).

RECURRENT PREGNANCY LOSS

The term “habitual aborter” has been replaced for 2011 with the more clinically accurate term “recurrent pregnancy loss.” This change is noted in both the ICD-9 alphabetical index and in the code definitions in the tabular section. The codes affected by this terminology change are:

629.81 Recurrent pregnancy loss without current pregnancy

646.3x Recurrent pregnancy loss (affecting the current pregnancy)

INDEX AND INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES

These OB changes took effect on October 1, 2010:

• Periurethral trauma should be reported using 664.8x (other specified trauma to perineum and vulva), not 665.5x (other injury to pelvic organs).
• If you report puerperal sepsis (670.2x), you must report an additional code to identify severe sepsis (995.92) and any associated acute organ dysfunction, if applicable.
• If your diagnosis is superficial thrombosis (671.2x), an additional code—either 453.6, 453.71, or 453.81—should be reported to further explain the type of thrombophlebitis.
• If your patient has either asymptomatic, inactive, or a history of genital herpes that is complicating her current pregnancy, report 647.6x (other viral diseases).
• If you report pneumonia as complicating pregnancy, assign code 648.9x (other current conditions classifiable elsewhere).

Changes to gyn codes

CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE UTERUS, CERVIX, AND VAGINA

Before October 1, 2010, of the seven distinct types of uterine anomalies, only a didelphus uterus (752.2, doubling of the uterus) and a diethylstilbestrol-related anomaly (760.76 [noxious influences affecting fetus or newborn via placenta or breast milk; diethylstilbestrol (DES)]) had specific codes. All other uterine anomalies were coded to “other” or “unspecified” codes that could include many different conditions.

Although vaginal and cervical anomalies may be less common, the only codes available before October 1, 2010, were ones that described an unspecified anomaly (753.40), imperforate hymen (752.42), or an embryonic cyst (752.41).

A higher level of specificity in coding, however, can make all the difference in receiving adequate reimbursement and preventing denials. For example, if you perform a Pap smear on a patient who has two cervices, a code that specifies a duplicate cervix can clearly tell the payer that billing for both is not a duplicate service or billing error.

Changes to codes in this area of care take the form of expanding existing codes. Code 752.3 (other anomalies of uterus) has been expanded to seven distinct five-digit codes to capture the seven anomalies of the uterus:

752.31 Agenesis of uterus

752.32 Hypoplasia of uterus

752.33 Unicornuate uterus (This code would be reported if the unicornuate uterus did or did not have a separate uterine horn, or if the uterus had only one functioning horn.)

752.34 Bicornuate uterus

752.35 Septate uterus (This code would be reported whether the septate was complete or partial.)

752.36 Arcuate uterus

752.39 Other anomalies of uterus (This code category includes aplasia or any other Müllerian anomaly of the uterus that is not otherwise or elsewhere classified.)

New codes have been added to the 752.4 code category (anomalies of cervix, vagina, and external female genitalia) to expand the options. Before October 1, 2010, any of these conditions would have been coded as 752.49, an “other” category.

752.43 Cervical agenesis

752.44 Cervical duplication

752.45 Vaginal agenesis (This code can also be reported for vaginal hypoplasia.)

752.46 Transverse vaginal septum

752.47 Longitudinal vaginal septum

For a patient who has a history of one of these anomalies, you would report new code V13.62, (personal history of other [corrected] congenital malformations of genitourinary system) if this history was a factor in her current care.

IUD INSERTION AND REMOVAL

Inserting and removing an IUD are integral services that most ObGyn practices provide, so it is imperative that your encounter forms reflect two new codes, to avoid denials for an invalid diagnosis code. A reminder: Code V45.51 (intrauterine contraceptive device) is a status code. It indicates that a patient has an IUD in place but you should never use it as a diagnosis code when the purpose of the visit is for you to check on the device and assess how it is working.

Changes in this area are:

Before October 1, 2010:

V25.1 Insertion

V25.42 Checking, reinsertion and/or removal After October 1, 2010:

V25.11 Encounter for insertion of intrauterine contraceptive device

V25.12 Encounter for removal of intrauterine contraceptive device

V25.13 Encounter for removal and reinsertion of intrauterine contraceptive device

V25.42 Encounter for routine checking of intrauterine contraceptive device

BODY MASS INDEX

Regrettably, the number of patients who have a very high body mass index (BMI) is increasing. When surgery is planned, reporting this information in your coding can help establish 1) the medical need for significant additional work during the procedure or 2) health risks in support of therapy.

Code V85.4 (Body mass index 40 and over, adult) has been expanded to five new codes. They should be reported secondary to the type of obesity (i.e., codes 278.0x [overweight and obesity]).

V85.41 Body Mass Index 40.0–44.9, adult

V85.42 Body Mass Index 45.0–49.9, adult

V85.43 Body Mass Index 50.0–59.9, adult

V85.44 Body Mass Index 60.0–69.9, adult

V85.45 Body Mass Index 70 and over, adult

FECAL INCONTINENCE

Fecal incontinence can present as problematic symptoms—fecal smearing, fecal urgency, incomplete defecation—but, until now, you only had one code to report any of these problems.

For that reason, 787.6 (incontinence of feces) has been expanded into four new five-digit codes. In addition, a new code has been added to report fecal impaction, which, in the past, was reported as 560.39, an “other” category code that was not specific to this problem.

New codes are:

560.32 Fecal impaction

787.60 Full incontinence of feces

787.61 Incomplete defecation

787.62 Fecal smearing

787.63 Fecal urgency

PERSONAL HISTORY OF DYSPLASIA

New codes have been added to complete the personal history codes for dysplasia. In addition to the existing code for cervical dysplasia history (V13.22), you can now report:

V13.23 Personal history of vaginal dysplasia

V13.34 Personal history of vulvar dysplasia

INDEX AND INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES

These changes take effect October 1, 2010:

• Clarification that an abnormal Pap result indicated non-atypical endometrial cells should be reported using 795.09.
• Clearly indicate whether a fistula between the uterus and another organ is congenital (752.39) or noncongenital (619.0-619.9).
• Precocious menstruation should be coded as 259.1, not as a menstrual disorder.
• The terminology in the index and tabular sections has been revised to more clearly differentiate long-term from prophylactic use of medications. This change affects only code category titles and lookup terms, not existing code numbers.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think.

Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 2010, which took effect January 1, doesn’t bring many changes for ObGyn practice, but there’s been a major backpedaling in Medicare coverage of consultations that you must be aware of. In conjunction with this move by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), CPT has added a definition of “transfer of care” and established two possible reasons for providing a consultation. I’ll have more to report about these important developments later in this article.

Among the changes to billing codes for the work performed in ObGyn: rebundling of commonly performed urodynamics procedures and new codes for revision of a vaginal graft. There is also a new (and unpublished) code for administering the H1N1 influenza vaccine.

Last, CPT has revised the explanation of non–face-to-face prolonged services. Read on!

New codes bundle urodynamic studies—a product of joint CMS and CPT input

The biggest changes in coding for ObGyn procedures are urodynamics study codes. The American Medical Association (AMA) has 1) created three new codes that represent test bundles and, in the process, 2) deleted the stand-alone urodynamics codes 51772 (urethral pressure profile studies [UPP] [urethral closure pressure profile], any technique) and 51795 (voiding pressure studies; bladder voiding pressure, any technique).

These changes were made because the most commonly reported codes for a female patient were billed together 90% of the time (51726, 51772, 51795, and 51797); the AMA reasoned that the most frequent combinations were considered overvalued when billed separately—that is, there was no repeat of pre-test and post-test work when these combinations were performed and there was no duplication in the cost of supplies and staff time.

The new bundles were therefore considered to better reflect current medical practice, and the Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) recommended, and CMS accepted, the relative value units (RVU) for the combination codes to reflect the true physician work value and practice expense of the combined procedures.

New and revised codes are:

51726 Complex cystometrogram (i.e., calibrated electronic equipment)

51727 …with urethral pressure profile studies (i.e., urethral closure pressure profile), any technique

51728 …with voiding pressure studies (i.e., bladder voiding pressure), any technique

51729 …with voiding pressure studies (i.e., bladder voiding pressure) and urethral pressure profile studies (i.e., urethral closure pressure profile), any technique.

According to the clinical vignette submitted to the AMA for code 51727, this procedure will include a sustained Valsalva maneuver as part of the urethral closure pressure profile. CPT did, however, retain the add-on code +51797 (voiding pressure studies, intra-abdominal [i.e., rectal, gastric, intraperitoneal]) and has clarified that 51797 may be billed in addition to 51728 and 51729 if a rectal catheter is placed to determine if the patient is straining during the voiding event.

In other words, the add-on code may be reported only when the primary procedure includes a voiding pressure study.

RVU for these new procedures have also been revised (see the TABLE ). Notable is the seeming discrepancy in RVU between code 51726 (cystometrogram alone) and the bundled tests. This is the case because the practice expense for 51726 has not reached its final level (the practice expense RVU are being increased or decreased in increments over several years); for 2010 only, therefore, this code will have a higher total RVU value than the new codes (51727, 51728, 51729), despite having a lower physician work relative value.

The discrepancy will be corrected in 2011, when 51726 will have lower RVU than the other urodynamics combination test codes.

TABLE

Changes in 2010 to RVU for urodynamic studies

Laparoscopic revision of a vaginal graft

In 2006, the AMA added the code for a vaginal approach to revising a graft (57295, revision [including removal] of prosthetic vaginal graft; vaginal approach). Then, in 2007, it added a code for an abdominal approach (57296, revision [including removal] of prosthetic vaginal graft; open abdominal approach).

Now, you have a code for a laparoscopic approach, completing the code set for this procedure. As with 57295 and 57296, report the new code when the graft is either revised or removed entirely.

57426 Revision (including removal) of prosthetic vaginal graft, laparoscopic approach

Other, miscellaneous changes take effect

OBSTETRIC PANEL

Although code 80055 comprises a battery of tests that are performed routinely on obstetric patients, a new code, 86780, was created to report syphilis screening using a treponemal antibody method, in which IgM and IgG antibodies are measured. This test is not the same syphilis test that is now part of the 80055 panel. CPT has therefore cautioned that, when you use code 86780 instead of the standard syphilis test code 86592, you should not report the obstetrics panel but, instead, separately report each test performed.

REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE

New code 89398 (unlisted reproductive medicine laboratory procedure) has been added, but CPT still directs billers to use the unlisted miscellaneous pathology test code 89240 to report cryopreservation of reproductive ovarian tissues.

BILLING FOR THE H1N1 INFLUENZA VACCINE

Because of the urgency of collecting data on the H1N1 influenza epidemic, CPT has revised code 90663 to include the H1N1 formulation of the flu vaccine product. In addition, CPT has created a new code, 90470, for administering the H1N1 flu vaccine, which became valid in September (but which isn’t included in the hard-copy version of CPT 2010). The new code is to be used for intramuscular injection or intranasal administration, and includes any time spent counseling.

In addition:

• Do not report established code 90471 (immunization administration [includes percutaneous, intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular injections]; one vaccine [single or combination vaccine/toxoid]) when you administer the H1N1 flu vaccine
• Report the vaccine product code only when your practice has purchased the vaccine, or when the payer requires the code with a 0 charge to match the administration code.
• Medicare coding for administering the H1N1 flu vaccine is different than what I’ve just described. Do not use CPT codes for Medicare patients; instead, code H1N1 flu immunization as:

G9141 Influenza A (H1N1) immunization administration (includes the physician counseling the patient/family)

G9142 Influenza A (H1N1) vaccine, any route of administration

Medicare will not reimburse for the vaccine product because it is being given to its providers without cost. Some carriers may require that the new vaccine product code be listed with a 0 charge.

Prolonged inpatient E/M services

CPT has revised guidelines for prolonged services that do not involve direct face-to-face contact with a patient. Keep in mind, however, that, although these changes are welcome, many payers don’t reimburse separately for work that isn’t performed face to face.

These codes are no longer considered add-on codes; they can be reported on a different date than the related E/M service.

According to CPT, codes 99358 and 99359 are reported when the prolonged time:

• is greater than would be expected for normal pre-service and post-service work associated with the E/M service
• exceeds 30 minutes
• is related to an E/M service that has already occurred, or to one that will occur and represents ongoing patient management (for example, your review of extensive patient records that weren’t available at the time of the visit)
• is in addition to any telephone services codes (99441–99443)—but not with more specific codes, such as medical team conferences, online medical evaluation, or care plan oversight services, which have no upper limit to the time required to accomplish the service.

Consultation codes and clarifications

Two changes of note, from a CPT perspective, have been made in the area of consultations. CPT has:

• added a definition for a transfer of care
• defined two circumstances under which a consultation can be coded. These revisions come at the same time Medicare has made the decision to no longer pay for consultations other than tele-health consults (see following section).

For 2010, CPT defines transfer of care as

…the process whereby a physician who is providing management for some or all of a patient’s problems relinquishes this responsibility to another physician who agrees to accept this responsibility and who, from the initial encounter, is not providing consultative services.

The guidelines also explain that 1) a transferring physician is no longer responsible for caring for the problem for which the patient was referred and 2) the consultation codes should not be reported by the physician who accepts care.

Two alternative conditions must now apply for a consultation to be considered provided:

• A physician requested an opinion or advice for a specific condition or problem, or
• The consulting physician saw the patient first to determine whether to accept ongoing management of her entire care or of a specific condition or problem (i.e., transfer of care).

The second condition is new; it remains to be seen if payers will accept it as a valid reason to bill for consultation.

As with all billable services, you should ensure that the criteria required by the payer you are billing have been met. CPT also directs that the written request for consultation can be documented by either the requesting or the receiving physician—something that was unacceptable under Medicare guidelines.

Last, CPT has added instructions to clarify the type of consultation code to bill under certain circumstances:

• When the patient is admitted after an outpatient consultation but the physician does not see the patient on the unit on the date of admission, bill only for outpatient consultation
• When the patient is seen for an office visit, emergency room visit, or outpatient consult on the date of admission and the physician then sees the patient on the unit that day, bill only the inpatient consultation or initial hospital care code, whichever applies. All services that day are used to determine the final level of service.

Medicare tilts the playing field on consultations

Although CPT has retained all consultation codes, and although the hope is that commercial payers will continue to reimburse for such services in the near future, the big news is that Medicare has announced that it will no longer recognize (or reimburse for) codes for outpatient or inpatient consultations. (Note: This story is still unfolding, however. The changes announced by Medicare that I discuss below are still before Congress as this article goes to press. Although Medicare has, in fact, released the transmittal letter to all carriers instructing them about the changes, Senator Arlen Specter [D-Pa] has introduced an amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [H.R. 3590] to postpone the policy change for 1 year. If Congress has not passed this bill before the end of 2009, the changes go through as planned. Stay tuned for developments!)

Assuming the changes go through, here is what is expected of you in the circumstances of providing consultations and billing Medicare (Medicaid payers aren’t required to follow this policy change but may opt to do so).

Outpatients. Document, and report, the appropriate level of visit for a new or established Medicare patient using outpatient codes 99201–99215

Inpatients. If you are a non-admitting physician asked to see a patient for the first time, report the appropriate level of initial hospital care (codes 99221–99223). Note the following three points:

• Initial hospital care includes only three levels of service—not the five levels from which you choose for consultation codes
• The lowest level of history and exam for these initial visit codes is a detailed history and examination—no matter the level of medical decision-making. If the level of history or exam is documented lower than “detailed”—say, as “expanded problem-focused”—you are required to report the unlisted E/M code 99499.
• The admitting physician adds the new Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) modifier –AI (that is, “‘A’ upper-case ‘i’”) to the initial visit code, so that Medicare can distinguish the admitting physician from others providing care for the patient.
• All subsequent visits with the inpatient continue to be billed with the subsequent care inpatient codes (99231–99233).

Fallout from this change? Medicare is studying the implications of its new policy on secondary payments—that is, when Medicare is the primary payer and there is a supplemental carrier, or when Medicare is the secondary payer. Note: Medicare strongly advises all providers to check with their primary payers, because 1) Medicare will not accept a consultation code when a primary insurer has paid on that code and 2) it’s doubtful that a commercial payer will accept a consultation code when Medicare has paid for a new or established patient service.

To add to the turmoil…

The CMS has announced that, as a result of the changes in Medicare policy on consultations, it is increasing the relative values for all new and established patient services and initial hospital care. CMS is doing this, however, by reducing the relative values of some consultation codes.

In addition, all surgical procedure codes that carry a 10- or 90-day global period will see an increase in work RVU because of the increase in E/M services that are a part of all global care. Keep in mind that payers who use the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) to reimburse services will probably adopt the new values when contracts are up for renewal, although many will be unable to do so in the short term.

It also remains to be seen if any commercial payers adopt Medicare policy or continue to pay for consultations. This area might be a contract issue with payers.

Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 2010, which took effect January 1, doesn’t bring many changes for ObGyn practice, but there’s been a major backpedaling in Medicare coverage of consultations that you must be aware of. In conjunction with this move by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), CPT has added a definition of “transfer of care” and established two possible reasons for providing a consultation. I’ll have more to report about these important developments later in this article.

Among the changes to billing codes for the work performed in ObGyn: rebundling of commonly performed urodynamics procedures and new codes for revision of a vaginal graft. There is also a new (and unpublished) code for administering the H1N1 influenza vaccine.

Last, CPT has revised the explanation of non–face-to-face prolonged services. Read on!

New codes bundle urodynamic studies—a product of joint CMS and CPT input

The biggest changes in coding for ObGyn procedures are urodynamics study codes. The American Medical Association (AMA) has 1) created three new codes that represent test bundles and, in the process, 2) deleted the stand-alone urodynamics codes 51772 (urethral pressure profile studies [UPP] [urethral closure pressure profile], any technique) and 51795 (voiding pressure studies; bladder voiding pressure, any technique).

These changes were made because the most commonly reported codes for a female patient were billed together 90% of the time (51726, 51772, 51795, and 51797); the AMA reasoned that the most frequent combinations were considered overvalued when billed separately—that is, there was no repeat of pre-test and post-test work when these combinations were performed and there was no duplication in the cost of supplies and staff time.

The new bundles were therefore considered to better reflect current medical practice, and the Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) recommended, and CMS accepted, the relative value units (RVU) for the combination codes to reflect the true physician work value and practice expense of the combined procedures.

New and revised codes are:

51726 Complex cystometrogram (i.e., calibrated electronic equipment)

51727 …with urethral pressure profile studies (i.e., urethral closure pressure profile), any technique

51728 …with voiding pressure studies (i.e., bladder voiding pressure), any technique

51729 …with voiding pressure studies (i.e., bladder voiding pressure) and urethral pressure profile studies (i.e., urethral closure pressure profile), any technique.

According to the clinical vignette submitted to the AMA for code 51727, this procedure will include a sustained Valsalva maneuver as part of the urethral closure pressure profile. CPT did, however, retain the add-on code +51797 (voiding pressure studies, intra-abdominal [i.e., rectal, gastric, intraperitoneal]) and has clarified that 51797 may be billed in addition to 51728 and 51729 if a rectal catheter is placed to determine if the patient is straining during the voiding event.

In other words, the add-on code may be reported only when the primary procedure includes a voiding pressure study.

RVU for these new procedures have also been revised (see the TABLE ). Notable is the seeming discrepancy in RVU between code 51726 (cystometrogram alone) and the bundled tests. This is the case because the practice expense for 51726 has not reached its final level (the practice expense RVU are being increased or decreased in increments over several years); for 2010 only, therefore, this code will have a higher total RVU value than the new codes (51727, 51728, 51729), despite having a lower physician work relative value.

The discrepancy will be corrected in 2011, when 51726 will have lower RVU than the other urodynamics combination test codes.

TABLE

Changes in 2010 to RVU for urodynamic studies

Laparoscopic revision of a vaginal graft

In 2006, the AMA added the code for a vaginal approach to revising a graft (57295, revision [including removal] of prosthetic vaginal graft; vaginal approach). Then, in 2007, it added a code for an abdominal approach (57296, revision [including removal] of prosthetic vaginal graft; open abdominal approach).

Now, you have a code for a laparoscopic approach, completing the code set for this procedure. As with 57295 and 57296, report the new code when the graft is either revised or removed entirely.

57426 Revision (including removal) of prosthetic vaginal graft, laparoscopic approach

Other, miscellaneous changes take effect

OBSTETRIC PANEL

Although code 80055 comprises a battery of tests that are performed routinely on obstetric patients, a new code, 86780, was created to report syphilis screening using a treponemal antibody method, in which IgM and IgG antibodies are measured. This test is not the same syphilis test that is now part of the 80055 panel. CPT has therefore cautioned that, when you use code 86780 instead of the standard syphilis test code 86592, you should not report the obstetrics panel but, instead, separately report each test performed.

REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE

New code 89398 (unlisted reproductive medicine laboratory procedure) has been added, but CPT still directs billers to use the unlisted miscellaneous pathology test code 89240 to report cryopreservation of reproductive ovarian tissues.

BILLING FOR THE H1N1 INFLUENZA VACCINE

Because of the urgency of collecting data on the H1N1 influenza epidemic, CPT has revised code 90663 to include the H1N1 formulation of the flu vaccine product. In addition, CPT has created a new code, 90470, for administering the H1N1 flu vaccine, which became valid in September (but which isn’t included in the hard-copy version of CPT 2010). The new code is to be used for intramuscular injection or intranasal administration, and includes any time spent counseling.

In addition:

• Do not report established code 90471 (immunization administration [includes percutaneous, intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular injections]; one vaccine [single or combination vaccine/toxoid]) when you administer the H1N1 flu vaccine
• Report the vaccine product code only when your practice has purchased the vaccine, or when the payer requires the code with a 0 charge to match the administration code.
• Medicare coding for administering the H1N1 flu vaccine is different than what I’ve just described. Do not use CPT codes for Medicare patients; instead, code H1N1 flu immunization as:

G9141 Influenza A (H1N1) immunization administration (includes the physician counseling the patient/family)

G9142 Influenza A (H1N1) vaccine, any route of administration

Medicare will not reimburse for the vaccine product because it is being given to its providers without cost. Some carriers may require that the new vaccine product code be listed with a 0 charge.

Prolonged inpatient E/M services

CPT has revised guidelines for prolonged services that do not involve direct face-to-face contact with a patient. Keep in mind, however, that, although these changes are welcome, many payers don’t reimburse separately for work that isn’t performed face to face.

These codes are no longer considered add-on codes; they can be reported on a different date than the related E/M service.

According to CPT, codes 99358 and 99359 are reported when the prolonged time:

• is greater than would be expected for normal pre-service and post-service work associated with the E/M service
• exceeds 30 minutes
• is related to an E/M service that has already occurred, or to one that will occur and represents ongoing patient management (for example, your review of extensive patient records that weren’t available at the time of the visit)
• is in addition to any telephone services codes (99441–99443)—but not with more specific codes, such as medical team conferences, online medical evaluation, or care plan oversight services, which have no upper limit to the time required to accomplish the service.

Consultation codes and clarifications

Two changes of note, from a CPT perspective, have been made in the area of consultations. CPT has:

• added a definition for a transfer of care
• defined two circumstances under which a consultation can be coded. These revisions come at the same time Medicare has made the decision to no longer pay for consultations other than tele-health consults (see following section).

For 2010, CPT defines transfer of care as

…the process whereby a physician who is providing management for some or all of a patient’s problems relinquishes this responsibility to another physician who agrees to accept this responsibility and who, from the initial encounter, is not providing consultative services.

The guidelines also explain that 1) a transferring physician is no longer responsible for caring for the problem for which the patient was referred and 2) the consultation codes should not be reported by the physician who accepts care.

Two alternative conditions must now apply for a consultation to be considered provided:

• A physician requested an opinion or advice for a specific condition or problem, or
• The consulting physician saw the patient first to determine whether to accept ongoing management of her entire care or of a specific condition or problem (i.e., transfer of care).

The second condition is new; it remains to be seen if payers will accept it as a valid reason to bill for consultation.

As with all billable services, you should ensure that the criteria required by the payer you are billing have been met. CPT also directs that the written request for consultation can be documented by either the requesting or the receiving physician—something that was unacceptable under Medicare guidelines.

Last, CPT has added instructions to clarify the type of consultation code to bill under certain circumstances:

• When the patient is admitted after an outpatient consultation but the physician does not see the patient on the unit on the date of admission, bill only for outpatient consultation
• When the patient is seen for an office visit, emergency room visit, or outpatient consult on the date of admission and the physician then sees the patient on the unit that day, bill only the inpatient consultation or initial hospital care code, whichever applies. All services that day are used to determine the final level of service.

Medicare tilts the playing field on consultations

Although CPT has retained all consultation codes, and although the hope is that commercial payers will continue to reimburse for such services in the near future, the big news is that Medicare has announced that it will no longer recognize (or reimburse for) codes for outpatient or inpatient consultations. (Note: This story is still unfolding, however. The changes announced by Medicare that I discuss below are still before Congress as this article goes to press. Although Medicare has, in fact, released the transmittal letter to all carriers instructing them about the changes, Senator Arlen Specter [D-Pa] has introduced an amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [H.R. 3590] to postpone the policy change for 1 year. If Congress has not passed this bill before the end of 2009, the changes go through as planned. Stay tuned for developments!)

Assuming the changes go through, here is what is expected of you in the circumstances of providing consultations and billing Medicare (Medicaid payers aren’t required to follow this policy change but may opt to do so).

Outpatients. Document, and report, the appropriate level of visit for a new or established Medicare patient using outpatient codes 99201–99215

Inpatients. If you are a non-admitting physician asked to see a patient for the first time, report the appropriate level of initial hospital care (codes 99221–99223). Note the following three points:

• Initial hospital care includes only three levels of service—not the five levels from which you choose for consultation codes
• The lowest level of history and exam for these initial visit codes is a detailed history and examination—no matter the level of medical decision-making. If the level of history or exam is documented lower than “detailed”—say, as “expanded problem-focused”—you are required to report the unlisted E/M code 99499.
• The admitting physician adds the new Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) modifier –AI (that is, “‘A’ upper-case ‘i’”) to the initial visit code, so that Medicare can distinguish the admitting physician from others providing care for the patient.
• All subsequent visits with the inpatient continue to be billed with the subsequent care inpatient codes (99231–99233).

Fallout from this change? Medicare is studying the implications of its new policy on secondary payments—that is, when Medicare is the primary payer and there is a supplemental carrier, or when Medicare is the secondary payer. Note: Medicare strongly advises all providers to check with their primary payers, because 1) Medicare will not accept a consultation code when a primary insurer has paid on that code and 2) it’s doubtful that a commercial payer will accept a consultation code when Medicare has paid for a new or established patient service.

To add to the turmoil…

The CMS has announced that, as a result of the changes in Medicare policy on consultations, it is increasing the relative values for all new and established patient services and initial hospital care. CMS is doing this, however, by reducing the relative values of some consultation codes.

In addition, all surgical procedure codes that carry a 10- or 90-day global period will see an increase in work RVU because of the increase in E/M services that are a part of all global care. Keep in mind that payers who use the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) to reimburse services will probably adopt the new values when contracts are up for renewal, although many will be unable to do so in the short term.

It also remains to be seen if any commercial payers adopt Medicare policy or continue to pay for consultations. This area might be a contract issue with payers.

Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 2010, which took effect January 1, doesn’t bring many changes for ObGyn practice, but there’s been a major backpedaling in Medicare coverage of consultations that you must be aware of. In conjunction with this move by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), CPT has added a definition of “transfer of care” and established two possible reasons for providing a consultation. I’ll have more to report about these important developments later in this article.

Among the changes to billing codes for the work performed in ObGyn: rebundling of commonly performed urodynamics procedures and new codes for revision of a vaginal graft. There is also a new (and unpublished) code for administering the H1N1 influenza vaccine.

Last, CPT has revised the explanation of non–face-to-face prolonged services. Read on!

New codes bundle urodynamic studies—a product of joint CMS and CPT input

The biggest changes in coding for ObGyn procedures are urodynamics study codes. The American Medical Association (AMA) has 1) created three new codes that represent test bundles and, in the process, 2) deleted the stand-alone urodynamics codes 51772 (urethral pressure profile studies [UPP] [urethral closure pressure profile], any technique) and 51795 (voiding pressure studies; bladder voiding pressure, any technique).

These changes were made because the most commonly reported codes for a female patient were billed together 90% of the time (51726, 51772, 51795, and 51797); the AMA reasoned that the most frequent combinations were considered overvalued when billed separately—that is, there was no repeat of pre-test and post-test work when these combinations were performed and there was no duplication in the cost of supplies and staff time.

The new bundles were therefore considered to better reflect current medical practice, and the Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) recommended, and CMS accepted, the relative value units (RVU) for the combination codes to reflect the true physician work value and practice expense of the combined procedures.

New and revised codes are:

51726 Complex cystometrogram (i.e., calibrated electronic equipment)

51727 …with urethral pressure profile studies (i.e., urethral closure pressure profile), any technique

51728 …with voiding pressure studies (i.e., bladder voiding pressure), any technique

51729 …with voiding pressure studies (i.e., bladder voiding pressure) and urethral pressure profile studies (i.e., urethral closure pressure profile), any technique.

According to the clinical vignette submitted to the AMA for code 51727, this procedure will include a sustained Valsalva maneuver as part of the urethral closure pressure profile. CPT did, however, retain the add-on code +51797 (voiding pressure studies, intra-abdominal [i.e., rectal, gastric, intraperitoneal]) and has clarified that 51797 may be billed in addition to 51728 and 51729 if a rectal catheter is placed to determine if the patient is straining during the voiding event.

In other words, the add-on code may be reported only when the primary procedure includes a voiding pressure study.

RVU for these new procedures have also been revised (see the TABLE ). Notable is the seeming discrepancy in RVU between code 51726 (cystometrogram alone) and the bundled tests. This is the case because the practice expense for 51726 has not reached its final level (the practice expense RVU are being increased or decreased in increments over several years); for 2010 only, therefore, this code will have a higher total RVU value than the new codes (51727, 51728, 51729), despite having a lower physician work relative value.

The discrepancy will be corrected in 2011, when 51726 will have lower RVU than the other urodynamics combination test codes.

TABLE

Changes in 2010 to RVU for urodynamic studies

Laparoscopic revision of a vaginal graft

In 2006, the AMA added the code for a vaginal approach to revising a graft (57295, revision [including removal] of prosthetic vaginal graft; vaginal approach). Then, in 2007, it added a code for an abdominal approach (57296, revision [including removal] of prosthetic vaginal graft; open abdominal approach).

Now, you have a code for a laparoscopic approach, completing the code set for this procedure. As with 57295 and 57296, report the new code when the graft is either revised or removed entirely.

57426 Revision (including removal) of prosthetic vaginal graft, laparoscopic approach

Other, miscellaneous changes take effect

OBSTETRIC PANEL

Although code 80055 comprises a battery of tests that are performed routinely on obstetric patients, a new code, 86780, was created to report syphilis screening using a treponemal antibody method, in which IgM and IgG antibodies are measured. This test is not the same syphilis test that is now part of the 80055 panel. CPT has therefore cautioned that, when you use code 86780 instead of the standard syphilis test code 86592, you should not report the obstetrics panel but, instead, separately report each test performed.

REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE

New code 89398 (unlisted reproductive medicine laboratory procedure) has been added, but CPT still directs billers to use the unlisted miscellaneous pathology test code 89240 to report cryopreservation of reproductive ovarian tissues.

BILLING FOR THE H1N1 INFLUENZA VACCINE

Because of the urgency of collecting data on the H1N1 influenza epidemic, CPT has revised code 90663 to include the H1N1 formulation of the flu vaccine product. In addition, CPT has created a new code, 90470, for administering the H1N1 flu vaccine, which became valid in September (but which isn’t included in the hard-copy version of CPT 2010). The new code is to be used for intramuscular injection or intranasal administration, and includes any time spent counseling.

In addition:

• Do not report established code 90471 (immunization administration [includes percutaneous, intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular injections]; one vaccine [single or combination vaccine/toxoid]) when you administer the H1N1 flu vaccine
• Report the vaccine product code only when your practice has purchased the vaccine, or when the payer requires the code with a 0 charge to match the administration code.
• Medicare coding for administering the H1N1 flu vaccine is different than what I’ve just described. Do not use CPT codes for Medicare patients; instead, code H1N1 flu immunization as:

G9141 Influenza A (H1N1) immunization administration (includes the physician counseling the patient/family)

G9142 Influenza A (H1N1) vaccine, any route of administration

Medicare will not reimburse for the vaccine product because it is being given to its providers without cost. Some carriers may require that the new vaccine product code be listed with a 0 charge.

Prolonged inpatient E/M services

CPT has revised guidelines for prolonged services that do not involve direct face-to-face contact with a patient. Keep in mind, however, that, although these changes are welcome, many payers don’t reimburse separately for work that isn’t performed face to face.

These codes are no longer considered add-on codes; they can be reported on a different date than the related E/M service.

According to CPT, codes 99358 and 99359 are reported when the prolonged time:

• is greater than would be expected for normal pre-service and post-service work associated with the E/M service
• exceeds 30 minutes
• is related to an E/M service that has already occurred, or to one that will occur and represents ongoing patient management (for example, your review of extensive patient records that weren’t available at the time of the visit)
• is in addition to any telephone services codes (99441–99443)—but not with more specific codes, such as medical team conferences, online medical evaluation, or care plan oversight services, which have no upper limit to the time required to accomplish the service.

Consultation codes and clarifications

Two changes of note, from a CPT perspective, have been made in the area of consultations. CPT has:

• added a definition for a transfer of care
• defined two circumstances under which a consultation can be coded. These revisions come at the same time Medicare has made the decision to no longer pay for consultations other than tele-health consults (see following section).

For 2010, CPT defines transfer of care as

…the process whereby a physician who is providing management for some or all of a patient’s problems relinquishes this responsibility to another physician who agrees to accept this responsibility and who, from the initial encounter, is not providing consultative services.

The guidelines also explain that 1) a transferring physician is no longer responsible for caring for the problem for which the patient was referred and 2) the consultation codes should not be reported by the physician who accepts care.

Two alternative conditions must now apply for a consultation to be considered provided:

• A physician requested an opinion or advice for a specific condition or problem, or
• The consulting physician saw the patient first to determine whether to accept ongoing management of her entire care or of a specific condition or problem (i.e., transfer of care).

The second condition is new; it remains to be seen if payers will accept it as a valid reason to bill for consultation.

As with all billable services, you should ensure that the criteria required by the payer you are billing have been met. CPT also directs that the written request for consultation can be documented by either the requesting or the receiving physician—something that was unacceptable under Medicare guidelines.

Last, CPT has added instructions to clarify the type of consultation code to bill under certain circumstances:

• When the patient is admitted after an outpatient consultation but the physician does not see the patient on the unit on the date of admission, bill only for outpatient consultation
• When the patient is seen for an office visit, emergency room visit, or outpatient consult on the date of admission and the physician then sees the patient on the unit that day, bill only the inpatient consultation or initial hospital care code, whichever applies. All services that day are used to determine the final level of service.

Medicare tilts the playing field on consultations

Although CPT has retained all consultation codes, and although the hope is that commercial payers will continue to reimburse for such services in the near future, the big news is that Medicare has announced that it will no longer recognize (or reimburse for) codes for outpatient or inpatient consultations. (Note: This story is still unfolding, however. The changes announced by Medicare that I discuss below are still before Congress as this article goes to press. Although Medicare has, in fact, released the transmittal letter to all carriers instructing them about the changes, Senator Arlen Specter [D-Pa] has introduced an amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [H.R. 3590] to postpone the policy change for 1 year. If Congress has not passed this bill before the end of 2009, the changes go through as planned. Stay tuned for developments!)

Assuming the changes go through, here is what is expected of you in the circumstances of providing consultations and billing Medicare (Medicaid payers aren’t required to follow this policy change but may opt to do so).

Outpatients. Document, and report, the appropriate level of visit for a new or established Medicare patient using outpatient codes 99201–99215

Inpatients. If you are a non-admitting physician asked to see a patient for the first time, report the appropriate level of initial hospital care (codes 99221–99223). Note the following three points:

• Initial hospital care includes only three levels of service—not the five levels from which you choose for consultation codes
• The lowest level of history and exam for these initial visit codes is a detailed history and examination—no matter the level of medical decision-making. If the level of history or exam is documented lower than “detailed”—say, as “expanded problem-focused”—you are required to report the unlisted E/M code 99499.
• The admitting physician adds the new Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) modifier –AI (that is, “‘A’ upper-case ‘i’”) to the initial visit code, so that Medicare can distinguish the admitting physician from others providing care for the patient.
• All subsequent visits with the inpatient continue to be billed with the subsequent care inpatient codes (99231–99233).

Fallout from this change? Medicare is studying the implications of its new policy on secondary payments—that is, when Medicare is the primary payer and there is a supplemental carrier, or when Medicare is the secondary payer. Note: Medicare strongly advises all providers to check with their primary payers, because 1) Medicare will not accept a consultation code when a primary insurer has paid on that code and 2) it’s doubtful that a commercial payer will accept a consultation code when Medicare has paid for a new or established patient service.

To add to the turmoil…

The CMS has announced that, as a result of the changes in Medicare policy on consultations, it is increasing the relative values for all new and established patient services and initial hospital care. CMS is doing this, however, by reducing the relative values of some consultation codes.

In addition, all surgical procedure codes that carry a 10- or 90-day global period will see an increase in work RVU because of the increase in E/M services that are a part of all global care. Keep in mind that payers who use the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) to reimburse services will probably adopt the new values when contracts are up for renewal, although many will be unable to do so in the short term.

It also remains to be seen if any commercial payers adopt Medicare policy or continue to pay for consultations. This area might be a contract issue with payers.

An e-newsletter focusing on challenging case studies

Progesterone use in management of secondary amenorrhea

Read the following case study and earn

FREE 0.5 CME/CE CREDIT

Expiration date: July 31, 2009

Estimated time to complete activity: 0.5 hour

Target: Physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners

Supported by an educational grant from Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Sponsored by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Click here to take the FREE CME/CE test online for 0.5 credits

Nicole is 27 years old, gravida 0, with a long history of obesity and great difficulty losing weight. She reports having irregular menstrual cycles ranging from 45 days to 6 months apart. Her last menstrual period was 5 months ago, when she had a heavy menses that lasted 2 weeks. Her body mass index is 42 kg/m2, which is considered morbid obesity. Nicole has a large abdominal pannus and normal blood pressure. She has scattered acne lesions on her face and upper back and acanthosis nigricans, a dark pigmentation around the neck and the axilla. Acanthosis nigricans is a biomarker for insulin resistance and high circulating insulin levels.

Nicole’s pelvic exam showed a normal vagina and cervix, but it was not possible to palpate her uterus or ovaries because of her abdominal girth. Transvaginal ultrasound found an endometrial thickness of 22 mm. Her ovaries appeared to be multicystic but had normal ovarian volumes. We performed an endometrial biopsy because of concerns about the long duration of unopposed estrogen exposure. The biopsy revealed complex hyperplasia with no atypia.

A lipid profile demonstrated cholesterol 245 mg/dL low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 180 mg/dL and triglyceride levels of 259 mg/dL. This patient demonstrates many features we see with increasing frequency in reproductive-aged women as we deal with the obesity epidemic.

A complicated diagnosis

Nicole’s abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, and evidence of insulin-resistance constituted metabolic syndrome. Although there are many different criteria for this, we used those of the National Cholesterol Education Program (TABLE).¹

Long-term prognosis?

If she is not treated, Nicole would be unable to achieve pregnancy because she does not ovulate and she may have an increased risk of endometrial cancer. Her obesity would eventually cause increasing insulin levels, exhaustion of her pancreatic insulin secretion, and type 2 diabetes. Her obesity might also result in osteoarthritis and difficulty with mobility. Her lipid levels confer increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular events.

Selecting a treatment strategy: Considerations

If this patient does not desire pregnancy, short-term treatment for endometrial hyperplasia involves administration of progesterone or progestins for at least 2 weeks per month for 3 months, with a follow-up endometrial biopsy.

Nicole also needs protection against endometrial hyperplasia even after this episode is addressed. Oral contraceptives are frequently used for long-term treatment, although there might be concern about the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), particularly in obese or morbidly obese patients and older patients who smoke.

If this patient were not a candidate for oral contraceptives, progesterone or a progestin would typically be administered for approximately 2 weeks each month to prevent recurrence of the hyperplasia. Patients who do not desire a monthly withdrawal bleed can take progesterone every 2 to 3 months. Patients who are being treated with a progestogen for amenorrhea and hyperplasia may occasionally ovulate. They should be counseled that an alternative form of contraception, such as condoms, is needed to avoid pregnancy.

An intrauterine device (IUD) for this patient could also be considered for this patient. We have individual patients using a levonorgestrel-containing IUD. One challenge we have faced with some of our obese patients is difficultly accessing the cervix for placement.

Case study follow-up

Nicole received norethindrone,²,³ 5 mg, a strong progestin, for 2 weeks and had a withdrawal flow for 3 months in a row. Her repeat endometrial biopsy showed a normal endometrium. She still did not ovulate, and since she was not sexually active at that time, she elected to use progesterone, 200 mg, for 14 days every 2 months. We treated her acne with topical clindamycin gel and she joined our supervised diet and exercise program. She is considering bariatric surgery but must participate in the lifestyle program for at least 6 months in order to qualify.

An e-newsletter focusing on challenging case studies

Progesterone use in management of secondary amenorrhea

Read the following case study and earn

FREE 0.5 CME/CE CREDIT

Expiration date: July 31, 2009

Estimated time to complete activity: 0.5 hour

Target: Physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners

Supported by an educational grant from Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Sponsored by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Click here to take the FREE CME/CE test online for 0.5 credits

Nicole is 27 years old, gravida 0, with a long history of obesity and great difficulty losing weight. She reports having irregular menstrual cycles ranging from 45 days to 6 months apart. Her last menstrual period was 5 months ago, when she had a heavy menses that lasted 2 weeks. Her body mass index is 42 kg/m2, which is considered morbid obesity. Nicole has a large abdominal pannus and normal blood pressure. She has scattered acne lesions on her face and upper back and acanthosis nigricans, a dark pigmentation around the neck and the axilla. Acanthosis nigricans is a biomarker for insulin resistance and high circulating insulin levels.

Nicole’s pelvic exam showed a normal vagina and cervix, but it was not possible to palpate her uterus or ovaries because of her abdominal girth. Transvaginal ultrasound found an endometrial thickness of 22 mm. Her ovaries appeared to be multicystic but had normal ovarian volumes. We performed an endometrial biopsy because of concerns about the long duration of unopposed estrogen exposure. The biopsy revealed complex hyperplasia with no atypia.

A lipid profile demonstrated cholesterol 245 mg/dL low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 180 mg/dL and triglyceride levels of 259 mg/dL. This patient demonstrates many features we see with increasing frequency in reproductive-aged women as we deal with the obesity epidemic.

A complicated diagnosis

Nicole’s abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, and evidence of insulin-resistance constituted metabolic syndrome. Although there are many different criteria for this, we used those of the National Cholesterol Education Program (TABLE).¹

Long-term prognosis?

If she is not treated, Nicole would be unable to achieve pregnancy because she does not ovulate and she may have an increased risk of endometrial cancer. Her obesity would eventually cause increasing insulin levels, exhaustion of her pancreatic insulin secretion, and type 2 diabetes. Her obesity might also result in osteoarthritis and difficulty with mobility. Her lipid levels confer increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular events.

Selecting a treatment strategy: Considerations

If this patient does not desire pregnancy, short-term treatment for endometrial hyperplasia involves administration of progesterone or progestins for at least 2 weeks per month for 3 months, with a follow-up endometrial biopsy.

Nicole also needs protection against endometrial hyperplasia even after this episode is addressed. Oral contraceptives are frequently used for long-term treatment, although there might be concern about the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), particularly in obese or morbidly obese patients and older patients who smoke.

If this patient were not a candidate for oral contraceptives, progesterone or a progestin would typically be administered for approximately 2 weeks each month to prevent recurrence of the hyperplasia. Patients who do not desire a monthly withdrawal bleed can take progesterone every 2 to 3 months. Patients who are being treated with a progestogen for amenorrhea and hyperplasia may occasionally ovulate. They should be counseled that an alternative form of contraception, such as condoms, is needed to avoid pregnancy.

An intrauterine device (IUD) for this patient could also be considered for this patient. We have individual patients using a levonorgestrel-containing IUD. One challenge we have faced with some of our obese patients is difficultly accessing the cervix for placement.

Case study follow-up

Nicole received norethindrone,²,³ 5 mg, a strong progestin, for 2 weeks and had a withdrawal flow for 3 months in a row. Her repeat endometrial biopsy showed a normal endometrium. She still did not ovulate, and since she was not sexually active at that time, she elected to use progesterone, 200 mg, for 14 days every 2 months. We treated her acne with topical clindamycin gel and she joined our supervised diet and exercise program. She is considering bariatric surgery but must participate in the lifestyle program for at least 6 months in order to qualify.

An e-newsletter focusing on challenging case studies

Progesterone use in management of secondary amenorrhea

Read the following case study and earn

FREE 0.5 CME/CE CREDIT

Expiration date: July 31, 2009

Estimated time to complete activity: 0.5 hour

Target: Physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners

Supported by an educational grant from Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Sponsored by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Click here to take the FREE CME/CE test online for 0.5 credits

Nicole is 27 years old, gravida 0, with a long history of obesity and great difficulty losing weight. She reports having irregular menstrual cycles ranging from 45 days to 6 months apart. Her last menstrual period was 5 months ago, when she had a heavy menses that lasted 2 weeks. Her body mass index is 42 kg/m2, which is considered morbid obesity. Nicole has a large abdominal pannus and normal blood pressure. She has scattered acne lesions on her face and upper back and acanthosis nigricans, a dark pigmentation around the neck and the axilla. Acanthosis nigricans is a biomarker for insulin resistance and high circulating insulin levels.

Nicole’s pelvic exam showed a normal vagina and cervix, but it was not possible to palpate her uterus or ovaries because of her abdominal girth. Transvaginal ultrasound found an endometrial thickness of 22 mm. Her ovaries appeared to be multicystic but had normal ovarian volumes. We performed an endometrial biopsy because of concerns about the long duration of unopposed estrogen exposure. The biopsy revealed complex hyperplasia with no atypia.

A lipid profile demonstrated cholesterol 245 mg/dL low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 180 mg/dL and triglyceride levels of 259 mg/dL. This patient demonstrates many features we see with increasing frequency in reproductive-aged women as we deal with the obesity epidemic.

A complicated diagnosis

Nicole’s abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, and evidence of insulin-resistance constituted metabolic syndrome. Although there are many different criteria for this, we used those of the National Cholesterol Education Program (TABLE).¹

Long-term prognosis?

If she is not treated, Nicole would be unable to achieve pregnancy because she does not ovulate and she may have an increased risk of endometrial cancer. Her obesity would eventually cause increasing insulin levels, exhaustion of her pancreatic insulin secretion, and type 2 diabetes. Her obesity might also result in osteoarthritis and difficulty with mobility. Her lipid levels confer increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular events.

Selecting a treatment strategy: Considerations

If this patient does not desire pregnancy, short-term treatment for endometrial hyperplasia involves administration of progesterone or progestins for at least 2 weeks per month for 3 months, with a follow-up endometrial biopsy.

Nicole also needs protection against endometrial hyperplasia even after this episode is addressed. Oral contraceptives are frequently used for long-term treatment, although there might be concern about the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), particularly in obese or morbidly obese patients and older patients who smoke.

If this patient were not a candidate for oral contraceptives, progesterone or a progestin would typically be administered for approximately 2 weeks each month to prevent recurrence of the hyperplasia. Patients who do not desire a monthly withdrawal bleed can take progesterone every 2 to 3 months. Patients who are being treated with a progestogen for amenorrhea and hyperplasia may occasionally ovulate. They should be counseled that an alternative form of contraception, such as condoms, is needed to avoid pregnancy.

An intrauterine device (IUD) for this patient could also be considered for this patient. We have individual patients using a levonorgestrel-containing IUD. One challenge we have faced with some of our obese patients is difficultly accessing the cervix for placement.

Case study follow-up

Nicole received norethindrone,²,³ 5 mg, a strong progestin, for 2 weeks and had a withdrawal flow for 3 months in a row. Her repeat endometrial biopsy showed a normal endometrium. She still did not ovulate, and since she was not sexually active at that time, she elected to use progesterone, 200 mg, for 14 days every 2 months. We treated her acne with topical clindamycin gel and she joined our supervised diet and exercise program. She is considering bariatric surgery but must participate in the lifestyle program for at least 6 months in order to qualify.