Oncology Coding: End Of The Road For Consult Codes In 2010?

By Author: Julia Rose
Total Articles: 89
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There are a lot of oncology coding news doing the rounds these days. The coming year will witness a lot of changes taking place pertaining to this specialty. For one, the year might just see the end of the road for consult codes as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is planning to do away with payment for consult codes.


As such, instead of reporting consult codes, you'll have to report new or established patient office visit or hospital care (E/M) codes for these services; CMS would increase payments for the existing codes.


To know how it's affecting your practice, you will have to do a comparison of the reimbursement from the new fee schedule office visit fees versus the current office consult fees as well as the new hospital visit E/M charges versus the current hospital consult fees.


A rough estimate shows that planned additional E/M payments may not cover the loss of consult money. Radiation oncologists may feel the heat even more. CCI currently bundles both clinical treatment ...
... plans (77261-77263) and simulations (77280-77295) into new and established patient visits, and you can't override the edits. Consultations aren't bundled into clinical treatment plans and simulations, so you may report the service on the same date.


Does it mean lesser hassle and less cash?


If such questions are crowding your mind, you need to attend oncology coding conferences and get answers to your queries. In fact you can head straight to Orlando this December for a medical coding conference 2010 coding update and reimbursement conference and get up-to-the minute information on all coding, billing and reimbursement changes affecting your specialty.


Attending such conferences will help you stay tuned to what you can expect in the coming year and of course what's in store for you as far as consult codes are concerned.

We also provide medical billing and medical coding audio conferences with premier coding experts, CDs, tapes and transcripts of coding training information by specialty.