A recap of coding, billing and reimbursement changes affecting ASCs:
1. CMS’ 2019 proposed payment rule for ASCs includes an average 2.1 percent reimbursement rate increase on all covered procedures.
2. The agency also lowered the bottom line for device-intensive procedures from 40 percent to 30 percent, and decided to offer separate payments for non-opioid pain management drugs.
3. CMS proposed adding 12 cardiac catheterization procedures to the current ASC covered list and revising the definition of “surgery” to include surgery-like procedures.
4. ASC-8 will be removed from the ASC Quality Reporting Program in 2020, and ASC-10 will be removed in 2021, creating the potential for Medicare payment reductions.
5. In 2018, the American Medical Association added 170 new codes, deleted 82 codes and revised 60 codes.
More articles on coding, billing and collections:
5 must-read articles for the ASC industry this week: March 8-14
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