Pain Management
Pain management, pain medicine, pain control or algiatry, is a branch of medicine employing an interdisciplinary approach for easing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those living with Chronic pain.
Pain Management Medical Billing
Billing and coding for pain management practices gets more complicated each year. With increased public and medical interest in new pain management techniques, pain management guidelines, and new therapies, there’s very close scrutiny by payers and regulators on procedures used to treat chronic pain. Not only is it essential to handle pain management billing and coding carefully to prevent denials and audits, but quality billing and coding is also crucial to the financial well-being of the practice. Here’s a closer look at some of the best practices for pain management billing and coding to help you keep your practice healthy financially
Common Codes and Modifiers Used in Pain Management.
First, it’s important to know the most common codes and modifiers used in pain management, and since there are coding changes every year, it’s essential to stay up to date on those changes.
Diagnosis Descriptions
Another critical practice for pain management billing and coding is to be as descriptive as you can with diagnosis descriptions. It’s important to include not only the condition, but also the cause, the site, and laterality. The description should also include a qualifier as well as any special details, such as without/with bleeding/obstruction, hemorrhage as applicable for the services performed. Descriptive diagnosis descriptions are more important than ever with ICD-10 and can help prevent denials.
Injection Documentation:
Injections like facet joint injections, trigger point injections, and nerve blocks require a significant amount of documentation, particularly when multiple levels are involved. It’s important to have the right information on hand when preparing these claims. Some of the information that you need to include to make sure you avoid costly delays and receive full reimbursement for injections.
Changes in the 2019 Fee Schedule Affecting Pain Management Billing
July 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released their proposed physician fee schedule for the coming year. Along with the physician fee schedule, it also contains provisions for the 2019 Quality Payment Program.
Conclusion:
Because pain management billing and coding is so complex and constantly changing, many practices find that outsourcing their billing and coding save time and money. With a quality billing and coding company, practices often see revenue increases and higher net collections. Just a few of the benefits your pain management practice can enjoy when you choose to outsource include increased collections, more complete and more accurate coding, fewer days in accounts receivable, lower denial rates, and lower fixed costs. This option also allows you to do what you do best – focus on medicine – instead of worrying about back office tasks.
CareMB offers billing and coding services to practices across the country, and we work with you to make sure we can meet your unique pain management billing and coding needs. Whether your practice is experiencing high denial rates, trying to improve revenue, or you simply want to spend more time focusing on your patients.