Adding & Expiring CPT codes in THOMAS

Recently we've received some inquiries from some of our behavioral health offices regarding letters they've received stating that there will be changes to their current CPT codes to be implemented in 2013.  Just because we've heard most recently from behavioral health offices, it does not mean that all of you won't need to change or update your CPT codes at some time in the near future (i.e. think ICD-10).



It is not unusual for CPT codes to change, expire, or get removed. 

If you need to modify, expire, or add new code files you need to:

• First, determine what codes in your system are changing or need to be changed.
• If there is a code that you need to change (even if it's a month or more away) you can add the new codes in to THOMAS.  You can also put the effective date of the new codes with them into THOMAS, so they don't accidentally get used before the effective date.
• You can also add an expiration date to the codes that are going to expire, so they don’t get used after the expiration date.

***NOTICE that you will ADD and EXPIRE codes - NOT DELETE them.

Got Compliance? What’s in your Office Manual?

As we are quickly approaching the end of the year and you are considering beginning or updating your office compliance manuals… These are some important items to be aware of, especially if you haven’t heard of them or were unsure what they really were.  These three items desperately need to be included in your office practices, policies, and compliance plan, or they could be devastating to both you and your office:  The Sunshine Act, The Medicare Enrollment Revalidation Initiative, and ACA Overpayments.  Also be advised, as each of the legal pages I read stated: the following are guidelines and best understanding.  For any actual legal advice particular to office and procedures, you should seek final guidance from your own legal guides.

 

Closed for Thanksgiving Weekend

Punctuation in THOMAS-New Medicare Errors

In the past it has been our practice to train users NOT to use punctuation in THOMAS, except in very specific places like the dashes used in phone numbers or social security numbers.  The reason was, because with electronic files being sent and read by computers many times those other keyboard characters meant something entirely different to the computer reading your file.  Sometimes they were even commands telling the other computer to do something.  Well, those days are changing.

If you haven't already seen this error, you may well soon-

PATIENT NAME AND MEDICARE NUMBER DO NOT MATCH

 

How to Make Sure You Keep More of Your Money

I’ve mentioned in the past that there is a great resource I recommend for current practice knowledge and chat- it is Physician’s Practice, which you can find at www.physicianspractice.com.  It doesn’t cost anything to sign up there, but it is well worth it for the office and coding tips and tricks alone.  I noticed a theme over the last month or so in their Practice Pearls e-mails and pulled a bunch of collected office wisdom for you.  I will post the articles I used at the end so you can go read them in their entirety.  Some come from this year’s MGMA conference in San Antonio, TX where they collected some current thoughts and discussion on meaningful use and best office practices.  This is all new and current stuff.

First off – Verify, Check, double-check, and Confirm.