In its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule, CMS is floating several coding changes that anesthesia leaders should know, according to an Aug. 7 blog post from Rita Astani, president of anesthesia for Coronis Health.
Here are four changes anesthesia leaders should know:
1. CMS is floating the addition of an add-on payment for healthcare common procedure coding system code G2211. The code will be applicable for outpatient office visits as an additional payment, according to the report, because of the costs physicians can incur when treating chronic conditions.
2. CMS is also proposing a delay in the implementation of a new "substantive portion" aspect of its split visit billing, when services are provided in part by physicians and in part by other practitioners. CMS proposes to instead maintain the current definition.
3. The rule would temporarily add health and well-being coaches to the Medicare Telehealth Services List and permanently add social determinants of health risk assessment. The rule also would also implement several telehealth provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act.
4. The rule would allow opioid treatment programs to bill Medicare for audio-only telecommunications when video is not available to the beneficiary.
Read more about the changes here.