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United Healthcare Commercial Reimbursement Policy Updates effective from Sep 1st, 2019


The modifier “GN, GO or GP” will be required on Always for “Therapy codes” to align with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

According to CMS, certain codes are “Always Therapy” services regardless of who performs them, and always require a therapy modifier — GP, GO or GN — to indicate that they are provided under a physical therapy, occupational therapy or speech language pathology plan of care

“Always Therapy” modifiers are necessary to enable accurate reimbursement for each distinct type of therapy in accordance with member group benefits

Reference: UHC Modifier Updates


Coding Ahead

Anthem Changes Timely-Filing (TFL ) Deadlines Effective On October 1, 2019


Anthem has sent out a notice to all providers who have signed non-Medicare (Commercial) or Medicare Advantage contracts with them, stating as, 

“Effective for all commercial and Medicare Advantage Professional Claims submitted to the plan on or after Oct. 1, 2019, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) Provider Agreement(s) will be amended to require the submission of all commercial and Medicare Advantage professional claims within ninety (90) days of the date of service. 

This means all claims submitted on or after October 1, 2019 will be subject to a ninety ” (90) day Timely Filing requirement.”

Medicare’s rule for timely filing is,“Claims must be filed to the appropriate Medicare claims processing contractor no later than 12 months, or 1 calendar year, after the date the services were furnished.”


Coding Ahead

New CLIA Waived Tests – Modifier QW not Required List effective from October 1, 2019


CR 11354 informs MACs of new Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) waived tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since these tests are marketed immediately after approval, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must notify the MACs of the new tests so that they can accurately process claims. Make sure your billing staffs are aware of these CLIA-related changes.

CR 11354 presents the latest tests approved by the FDA as waived tests under CLIA. 
The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for these new tests must have the modifier “QW” to be recognized as a waived test. 

The tests mentioned on the first page of the list attached to CR 11354,do not require a “QW” modifier to be recognized as a waived test. The CPT codes are,

81002 URINALYSIS NONAUTO W/O SCOPE
81025 URINE PREGNANCY TEST
82270 OCCULT BLOOD FECES
82272 OCCULT BLD FECES 1-3 TESTS
82962 GLUCOSE BLOOD TEST
83026 HEMOGLOBIN COPPER SULFATE
84830 OVULATION TESTS
85013 SPUN MICROHEMATOCRIT
85651 RBC SED RATE NONAUTOMATED

The CPT code, effective date, and description for the latest tests approved by the FDA as waived tests under CLIA include,

80305QW, December 13, 2018, Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology Co., Ltd, BIOEASY Multi-Drug Test Cup
80305QW, April 18, 2019, Mercedes Scientific Inc., Platinum+ Multi-Drug Urine Test Cup
80305QW, April 18, 2019, Mercedes Scientific Inc., Platinum+ Multi-Drug Urine Test Dip Card
87880QW, May 9, 2019, McKesson Consult Strep A Test Cassette
87502QW, May 28, 2019, Alere ID NOW Instrument {Nasal and Nasopharyngeal swabs}, for Influenza A/B
87634QW, May 29, 2019, Alere ID NOW Instrument {Nasopharyngeal swabs}, for respiratory syncytial virus


Source: New Waived Tests


Coding Ahead

Specific ICD codes for Orbital Fractures effective Oct 1, 2019


Currently, there is only one diagnosis code is present for Orbital Fracture of floor, S02.3- Fracture of orbital floor, to report orbital bone fractures, and only one diagnosis code, S02.19 Other fracture of base of skull, to report orbital roof fractures.

Currently there is no code that allows you to specify which of the other three walls are injured of the orbit like,

1. Roof, 
2. Medial wall
3. Temporal wall

And now ICD-10-CM code book will be included several new codes that more clearly identify orbital fractures.

The new subcategories are,

Under new subcategory S02.12 Fracture of orbital roof, are new codes:

S02.121 Fracture of orbital roof, right side

S02.122 Fracture of orbital roof, left side

S02.129 Fracture of orbital roof, unspecified side

Under new subcategory S02.83 Fracture of medial orbital wall, are new codes:

S02.831 Fracture of medial orbital wall, right side

S02.832 Fracture of medial orbital wall, left side

S02.839 Fracture of medial orbital wall, unspecified side

Under new subcategory S02.84 Fracture of lateral orbital wall, are new codes:

S02.841 Fracture of lateral orbital wall, right side

S02.842 Fracture of lateral orbital wall, left side

S02.849 Fracture of lateral orbital wall, unspecified side

Under category S02.8 Fractures of other specified skull and facial bones, is one new code:

S02.85 Fracture of orbit, unspecified

Be More Specific:

To these fracture codes, add the appropriate seventh character to indicate encounter type,

A – Initial encounter for closed fracture

B – Initial encounter for open fracture

D – Subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing

G – Subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing

K – Subsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion

S – Sequela

For S02.85, add a placeholder X in the sixth character position.

Click Here for overall changes


Coding Ahead

Revised guidelines for E&M When Performed with Superficial Radiation Treatment effective from January 1, 2019


CR11137 revises Chapter 13 of the Medicare Claims Processing Manual to allow providers to bill E/M codes 99211, 99212, and 99213 for Levels I through III, when performed with superficial radiation treatment delivery (up to 200 kV), when performed for the purpose of reporting physician work associated with,

  • Radiation therapy planning
  • Radiation treatment device construction
  • Radiation treatment management when performed on the same date of service as superficial radiation treatment delivery.

According to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) guidance, providers should not report superficial radiation (up to 200 kV) with CPT codes for planning and management.

Billing of these E/M codes with modifier 25 may be necessary if National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits apply.

Source: Revised E/M Guidelines for Superficial Radiation Treatment


Coding Ahead

New Molecular Pathology guidelines in UHC effective Sept 1, 2019


The new Molecular Pathology changes will be effective from dates of service on and after Sept. 1, 2019.

American Medical Association (AMA) guidance provides Claim Designation codes in the Molecular Pathology Gene Table that represent specific genes that are being tested.

UnitedHealthcare will require care providers to append the AMA Claim Designation to identify the specific gene when submitting a Tier 2 Molecular Pathology code. If there is not a Claim Designation assigned, the provider should submit the abbreviated gene name. This information can be found in the CPT Molecular Pathology Gene Table or the specific analyte is listed after each Tier 2 code descriptor.

Genomic Sequencing Procedures (GSP) panel codes account for specific combinations of genes for testing.

Individual Molecular Pathology Tier 1 and Tier 2 codes should not be submitted separately in addition to a GSP code. If Tier 1 or Tier 2 codes are submitted separately they will be denied.

UnitedHealthcare may deny Tier 1 and Tier 2 codes when there is a more appropriate GSP code available.

Unlisted code, 81479, should only be submitted when the unique procedure is not adequately addressed by another CPT code. It should only be submitted once per patient, per specimen and date of service.

UnitedHealthcare will require the submission of a unique test ID provided through the National Institutes of Health Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) when 81479 is submitted to identify the test and validate the unlisted code is the appropriate code to submit for the test performed.

The AMA Claim Designation code and the GTR unique test ID should be reported in Loop 2400 or SV101-7 field for electronic claims and in Box 19 for paper claims.

Claims that have complied with notification or prior authorization requirements in UnitedHealthcare’s Genetic Testing and Molecular Prior Authorization Program satisfy the policy’s requirements without further provider action if they meet UnitedHealthcare’s Genetic Test Lab Registry requirements.

Source:https://www.uhcprovider.com/content/dam/provider/docs/public/resources/news/2019/network-bulletin/June-Network-Bulletin-2019.pdf


Coding Ahead

Message From Your Region 7 Representatives | July 2019

4 Communication Soft Skills that are Important to Effective Communication Soft skills differ from hard skills in that soft skills are less rooted in specific technical abilities, and more aligned with general disposition, your attitudes and your intuitions. For example a doctor is required to have many hard skills that are more technical in nature […]

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AAPC Knowledge Center

Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System July 2019 Update

An Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System (ASC PS) update that took effect July 1, 2019, changes billing instructions for various payment policies and codes. Here is what you need to know to properly bill Medicare for these services and supplies. New CPT Category III Codes Effective July 1, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid […]

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AAPC Knowledge Center

Message From Your Region 5 Representatives | July 2019

Hi there Southwest Region members!  Vanessa and I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July holiday.  Tis the season for barbecuing, swimming, and fireworks.  As a medical coder, you are familiar with the increase of ER visits due to burns from fireworks.  We thought we would take the opportunity and refresh information regarding ICD-10-CM […]

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AAPC Knowledge Center