CMS Guidelines for Telehealth Coding & Billing During PHE

CMS guidelines for telehealth

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has decided to update the CMS billing and coding guidelines for telehealth or in-home provider services due to the urgency of the current 2019-Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (CMS, 2020). CMS has broadened the scope for reimbursement for virtual check-ins and other digital communications with patients to safely and effectively respond to this Public Health Emergency (PHE). In the interim, telehealth services will not be limited by program restrictions put in place by Medicare (Federal Register, 2020). Evaluation and management (E/M) service codes cover these remote and communication technology-based services performed by a physician or non-physician practitioner (NPP).

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Increase Revenue & Lower Compliance Risk With These 6 E/M Tips

E/M

Selecting the right E/M code can be tricky – and sometimes, costly – business. On the one hand, the coder does not want to choose a diagnosis that’s too high, which could potentially incur audits or claims denials. But, if the coder selects a code that’s too low, there’s a chance of losing revenue for his or her organization. According to Medical Economics, “payers and auditors use a quantitative scoring process that requires specific elements (i.e., history, exam, and medical decision-making [MDM] – or time spent counseling and coordinating care) for each E/M level” (2020).

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