Archive for June, 2011
New Incentives for Arthroscopic Hip Surgery
For 2011, CMS issued three new arthroscopic CPT codes: 29914 (arthroscopic, hip surgery w/ femoroplasty), 29915 (arthroscopic, hip surgery w/ acetabuloplasty), and 29916 (arthroscopic, hip surgery w/ labral repair). These new codes are now assigned to APC 0042 (Level II Arthroscopy), which has a payment level of $3,290. Prior to 2011, arthroscopic hip surgery was coded under CPT 29999 (unlisted procedure, arthroscopy). This catch-all code falls under APC 0041 (Level I Arthroscopy) and is reimbursed at $2,069. Read More »
Nano X-ray Tubes: Faster and Cheaper
The carbon nano-coating allows the tube to be energized with a fraction of electrical energy and can be turned on and off instantaneously, which results in less heat produced, permitting a smaller, faster device. The current X-ray tube design has historically not been very efficient in transforming electricity to radiation. As a result, only 1% of the electrical energy is converted into a usable X-ray and the rest is heat. Because of this, designs are larger and mechanical shutters are required to help control the radiation from the tube. This limits the speed in which a tube can be switched on and off. Read More »
19% Increase for Breast Reconstruction, CMS Shows Support
A 19% increase in reimbursement for DRG 585 is pretty exciting, especially if your inpatient surgery department is performing open biopsies, local excisions, or reconstruction surgeries of the breast for 2011. In the last three years, DRG 585 (Breast Biopsy, Local Excision & Other Breast Procedures WO CC/MCC) has seen a 25% increase in reimbursement. Read More »
Computer-Guided Neurosurgery, 30% Increase in Physician Payment
Neuro programs should be pretty excited that physicians will see a 30% increase in reimbursement for cranial and spinal applications when using computer-guidance technology. For 2011, CMS added three new CPT Codes: 61781 (Stereotactic Computer-Assisted, Cranial Intradural), 61782 (Stereotactic Computer Assisted Cranial Extraduaral), and 61783 (Stereotactic Computer-Assisted Spinal). These add on payments for these codes are $263, $216, and $222, respectively. They will replace deleted CPT code 61795 (Stereotactic computer-assisted volumetric [navigational] procedure, intracranial, extracranial, or spinal). Read More »
SmartStrip – Low-Cost, Point-of-Care Test
A blood coagulation test (prothrombin time test) that's as easy to use as a home glucose meter and cheaper? Wow! Over 10% of all adverse drug events ending in a hospital stay are associated with blood thinners. Because of this, regular monitoring is recommended to ensure the desired effect. Unfortunately, the current technology is either costly or must be performed by qualified technicians. Read More »
A blood coagulation test (prothrombin time test) thats as easy to use as a home glucose meter and cheaper? Wow! Over 10% of all adverse drug events ending in a hospital stay are associated with blood thinners. Because of this, regular monitoring is recommended to ensure the desired effect. Unfortunately, the current technology is either costly or must be performed by qualified technicians. Read More »
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy 19% increase
Since severely adjusted DRGs came into effect in 2007, the non-surgical treatment of BPH has been assigned to DRG 725 (benign prostatic hyperplasia W MCC) and DRG 726 (benign prostatic hyperplasia W/O MCC). Reimbursement for DRG 725 has increased over 30% in the last two years to $6,580 while DRG 726 has been stable. But, this dramatic increase does not represent a windfall for hospitals unless hospitals can focus on reducing the length of stay. Read More »
Home Sleep Studies Gets a New CPT Code
In 2011, CMS issued a final rule that assigned home sleep studies to CPT codes 95800 (sleep study, unattended simultaneous recording, heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory analysis, and sleep time) and 95801, which monitors the same parameters except sleep time. For providers, these codes translated to APC 0213 (Level I Sleep Studies, $167). Overnight hospital laboratory-based studies fall under APC 0209, which is reimbursed at a considerably higher rate of $782. Read More »
Transcranial Laser Therapy, a Promise for Stroke Patients
However, transcranial laser therapy (TLT) is a two- to three-hour procedure in which infrared light is applied to 20 sites around the skull within 24 hours of the onset of a stroke. The light is used to stimulate the production of ATP (Adenosine-5'-triphosphate) in the mitochondria, a key element for neural development and the cell survival after a stroke. Read More »