We saw the launch of the 2019 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set on Sept. 5. It includes new codes for remote patient care and online treatments. It means patients will have access to virtual checkups and state-of-the-art care in the comfort of their homes.
American Medical Association (AMA) President Barbara L. McAneny, M.D stated,
“The latest annual changes to the CPT code set reflect new technological and scientific advancements available to mainstream clinical practice and ensure the code set can fulfill its trusted role as the health system’s common language for reporting contemporary medical procedures” – As Quoted by FierceHealthcare
The new additions to the coding terminology represent the true face of value-based care. Now was the time to support Telemedicine when technology works at the core of clinical workflows. The US healthcare needs it for the people living in the remote regions where medical help is unable to reach in the physical sense.
A total of 335 changes in the coding system occurred with three new CPT codes for remote patient analysis. There are 2 additional codes, specifically for communication between the healthcare professionals. These internet-driven codes will help the consulting and the treating physician to interact and coordinate for better health outcomes.
The App Association (ACT), a group comprising of app companies and information technology enterprises, also welcomes the inclusion of the new Telehealth codes. They were of the opinion that this change makes way for implementation of digital health tools in the care delivery mechanism. We are moving in the right direction and towards eliminating barriers to care resulting in better health outcomes.
AMA is urging Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to review their federal policy in 2019. They want Medicare to accept the new Telehealth codes at a federal level. The initiative goes in favor of the physicians taking part in patient population health and care management activities.
It is going to send improved healthcare signals to the nation altogether. The Americans may rise above disparities and concretely break the ‘lack of attention cycle’. Medical billing services in the US, on the other hand, may be able to generate better cumulative revenues for doctors overcoming the Telehealth obstacles.
The App Association (ACT) says it will continue to remind Medicare to accept these codes for improved health care until they become part of the Physician Fee Schedule.
Other CPT changes for 2019 include revised codes for skin biopsy; fine needle aspiration biopsy, adaptive behavior analysis, and central nervous system (CNS) evaluations both psychological and neuropsychological examination.
AMA has released this ahead of time, but these changes will come into effect on Jan 1, 2019. AMA did this to help doctors adapt to these changes in their workflows before time. We are looking at more work for the medical billing and coding professionals along with the physicians in general.
In June, around 50 stakeholders urged CMS to consider reimbursements for doctors treating patients using the Telehealth medium. The physician payment rule is expected to finalize by this fall.
The proposed physician fee schedule announced in July is expected to return payments to providers for certain virtual engagements with the patients. It further suggests new plans to pay physicians for virtual check-ins, for going through patient files, photos, and their videos.
CMS advised new billing codes for procedures involving “prolonged preventative services”.