Code | Short Descriptor |
---|---|
M25.512 | Pain in left shoulder |
M25.562 | Pain in left knee |
M25.551 | Pain in right hip |
M62.81 | Muscle weakness (generalized) |
Are you ready for ICD-10?” And each year, just as we near the brink of converting, someone convinces the powers-that-be we should delay implementation yet again. Companies have invested millions of dollars preparing for the conversion that never comes. The news media reports providers are not ready, and some argue that at this late date we ...
must transition to ICD 10 because it:
In an amazing political move, a sentence recently was inserted into a must-pass bill in Congress – the SGR patch – that delayed ICD-10 for at least another year. It had nothing to do with the SGR. It was little-noticed and seldom mentioned. Too late, the ICD-10 proponents mobilized. The bill passed. And ICD-10 was again delayed!
“Routine” diagnosis codes are considered Preventive. For example: ICD-10-CM codes Z00. 121, Z00. 129, Z00.
Z02.1Z02. 1 - Encounter for pre-employment examination | ICD-10-CM.
The Annual Routine Physical Exam can be documented using codes 99385-99387 for new patients and codes 99395-99397 for established patients.
Encounter for administrative examinations, unspecified Z02. 9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM Z02. 9 became effective on October 1, 2021.
Coding for workers If you provide independent medical examinations (IMEs), the specific codes for a "work-related or medical disability examination" are either CPT 99455 (by the treating physician) or CPT 99456 (by other than the treating physician).
Pre-employment physicals You could bill the pre-employment physical using the appropriate evaluation and management code and diagnosis code V70. 5, “Health examination of defined subpopulations,” which should help clarify that this encounter is different from the annual physical you previously billed.
G0439 Annual Wellness Visit, Subsequent (AWV) Annual Wellness Visits can be for either new or established patients as the code does not differentiate. The initial AWV, G0438, is performed on patients that have been enrolled with Medicare for more than one year.
AWV Coding. The two CPT codes used to report AWV services are: G0438 initial visit. G0439 subsequent visit.
9.
Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, that may not require the presence of a physician or other qualified health care professional. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are minimal. Typically, 5 minutes are spent performing or supervising these services.
CPT® code 99203: New patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-44 minutes.
The three main coding systems used in the outpatient facility setting are ICD-10-CM, CPT®, and HCPCS Level II. These are often referred to as code sets.
In CPT, codes 99381–99397 for comprehensive preventive evaluations are age-specific, beginning with infancy and ranging through patients age 65 and over for both new and established office patients. Preventive medicine services are represented in evaluation and management (E/M) codes section of CPT.
Report Z00. 01, “Encounter for general adult medical examination with abnormal findings,” and the appropriate code for the suspicious mole. You note that the patient is due for reevaluation of congestive heart failure (CHF), finding the condition to be well-controlled with current management.
A full physical exam, 99397, is different than an Annual Wellness Visit, G0438/G0439, or “Welcome to Medicare Exam”, G0402. A full physical 99397 or 99387 is NOT covered by Medicare and patients are responsible for the cost and can be billed.
The World Health Organization (WHO)—the public health sector of the United Nations that focuses on international health and outbreaks—started developing the ICD-10 coding system in 1983, but didn’t actually finish it until 1992. Yes, it took almost a decade to create ICD-10, and it has taken more than a decade for the US to actually put the final version of the code set to use.
So, what about ICD-10 makes it so much better than ICD-9? Well, the massive number of codes means that medical providers—including rehab therapists—can more accurately document clinical information, including patient diagnoses. Ultimately, that fosters:
If you’re covered by HIPAA, you must submit ICD-10 codes in order to receive reimbursement from HIPAA-covered entities. (The same holds true for cash-based providers whose patients receive the reimbursement directly from their insurance providers.) However, some non-covered entities such as auto and workers compensation insurance carriers may still require ICD-9 codes, as they were not mandated to make the switch.
For example, you could use Z51.89, encounter for other specified aftercare, or Z47.1, aftercare following joint replacement surgery. However, as this article notes, “you should not submit Z51.89 as a patient’s sole diagnosis—if you can help it—because on its own, this code might not adequately support the medical necessity of therapy treatment. Thus, using it as a primary diagnosis code could lead to claim denials.” In fact, whenever you use an aftercare code, you also should code for the underlying conditions/effects. For chronic or recurrent bone, muscle, or joint conditions, check out Chapter 13.
There, you’ll find directives such as “Use additional code” or “Code first” (“Code first” indicates you should code the underlying condition first). Also, keep in mind that there are single combination codes (i.e., one code that indicates multiple diagnoses) you can use to classify conditions that often occur simultaneously.
Unspecified codes are available for the rare cases in which there is absolutely no other, more specific option. If a more specific option is available, you should use it.
Speaking of claim denials, here are four ways you can prevent them, so you get properly reimbursed for your services, no matter the payer:
Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories A00 -Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways:
The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM Z51.89 became effective on October 1, 2021.
Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories A00 -Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways:
The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM Z01.89 became effective on October 1, 2021.
The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM Z00.00 became effective on October 1, 2021.
Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories A00 -Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways:
Z71- Persons encountering health services for other counseling and medical advice , not elsewhere classified
A type 2 excludes note represents "not included here". A type 2 excludes note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition it is excluded from but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When a type 2 excludes note appears under a code it is acceptable to use both the code ( Z71.0) and the excluded code together.
Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories A00 -Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways:
The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM Z71.0 became effective on October 1, 2021.
CPT stands for Current Procedural Terminology and are published by the American Medical Association. Ranging from 00100 to 99499, the CPT codes are used to describe medical, surgical, and diagnostic services and procedures. Medical professionals like Physical Therapists use CPT codes to classify the treatment of diagnoses.
The most commonly used CPT codes for Physical Therapy are listed below. For example, the CPT code for therapeutic exercise is 97110. The CPT code is listed on the left, the name of the code is in the middle and the description is in the right column.
If the CPT code doesn’t support the ICD-10 code, you’ll have a problem – and you’ll likely have trouble getting reimbursed.
The average therapist spends 1 to 2 hours a day writing notes for documentation. Save time with these well crafted, skill reflective, treatment specific documentation templates. Click below to learn more about our therapy documentation templates.
Therapeutic Exercise. Therapeutic procedure, one or more areas, each 15 minutes; therapeutic exercises to develop strength and endurance, range of motion, and flexibility. (Generally describes a service aimed at improving a single parameter, such as strength, ROM, etc.) 97112.
Tim Fraticelli is a Physical Therapist, Certified Financial Planner™ and founder of PTProgress.com. He loves to teach PTs and OTs ways to save time and money in and out of the clinic, especially when it comes to documentation or continuing education. Follow him on YouTube for weekly videos on ways to improve your financial health.