October 2007

Payment In Store for E/M Codes
E/M Tip of the Month
Study Guides Now Available In Your Specialty
Upcoming Events

Hello from the Board of Medical Specialty Coding! We hope you enjoy your monthly ezine and find the information useful. If you have any comments or recommendations for future issues, please contact me through the following channels:

Victoria Forlini, Executive Director
vforlini@medicalspecialtycoding.com
301/287-2250 (phone)
301/287-2941 (fax)

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Payment In Store for E/M Codes

Four brand-new codes next year will allow you to capture E/M services your providers render via phone and email. Existing phone call codes 99371-99373 will be deleted. (And, presumably, so will Category III online medical evaluation code 0074T.)

It’s important to notice that the new codes include carefully-worded descriptor language meant to carve out phone calls and Internet exchanges from pre- and post-visit E/M work. Perhaps separate work will equate to separate reimbursement in the eyes of some payers. These are the new codes:

• 99441 Telephone evaluation and management service provided by a physician to an established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related E/M service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 5-10 minutes of medical discussion
• 99442 …; 11-20 minutes of medical discussion
• 99443 …; 21-30 minutes of medical discussion
• 99444 Online evaluation and management service provided by a physician to an established patient, guardian, or health care provider not originating from a related E/M service provided within the previous 7 days, using the Internet or similar electronic communications network
  

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E/M Tip of the Month

Test your E/M coding skills by identifying the answer to this question:

May one provider request an opinion from another provider in a group practice? Yes or No?

Find out the answer at the bottom of this email newsletter. Also check this space monthly for the E/M Tip of the month.

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Study Guides Now Available In Your Specialty

BMSC now has study guides available to help you prepare for certification in your specialty.

These study guides are different than you expect, as they are full of exam tips and notes from the editors, providing you with helpful hints as to how to get ready to sit for your examination and become certified.

Each guide is smaller than you expect: they are 6x9 and able to slip right in your purse or briefcase. And most importantly, each guide is no more than 100 pages. Now you can take your time and concentrate on the major points that you need to know for your exam.

Visit www.medicalspecialtycoding.com to order study guides in:

• Anesthesia Coding Certification
• Cardiology Coding Certification
• Evaluation and Management Auditing Coding Certification
• Radiology Coding Certification
• Family Practice/Pediatrics Coding Certification
• Orthopedics Coding Certification
• Pain Management Coding Certification
• Emergency Medicine Coding Certification
• Urology Coding Certification
• General Surgery Coding Certification
• Gastroenterology Coding Certification

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Upcoming Events

Event: Vaccines in Pediatrics: Best Ways to Bill and Be Paid
Date: November 1, 2007, 1-2 p.m., EST
To register or to learn more information:
http://www.decisionhealth.com/conferences/A1397/home.html

Event: Ready Your Practice for 2008: Best Practices for Code Changes
Date: November 6, 2007, 1-2 p.m., EST
To register or to learn more information:
http://www.decisionhealth.com/conferences/A1374/home.html

Event: Straight Talk for Spinal Procedures
Date: November 9, 2007, 1-2 p.m., EST
To register or to learn more information:
http://www.decisionhealth.com/conferences/A1402/home.html

Event: Medical Practice Management Summit 2007
Date: November 12-14, 2007
To register or to learn more information:
http://www.decisionhealth.com/conferences/summit2007/

Event: Anesthesia Billing, Coding and Compliance
Date: November 14-16, 2007
To register or to learn more information:
http://www.specialtyconferences.com/anesthesia2007/index.html

Event: 6th Annual Specialty Coding Extravaganza
Date: February 12-14, 2008
To register or to learn more information:
http://www.extrav2008.com/

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The answer to the E/M Tip of the Month is:
Yes, when the consulting physician has expertise in a specific medical area beyond the requesting professional's knowledge.