Critical Care Documentation and Coding: Medicare Changes for 2022

The guidelines for billing Critical Care Services were updated in Medicare’s final 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. This course will delve into what’s new and clear up some of the confusion on topics like split/shared services, the global period, and more. You will also learn about the new Medicare modifiers FS and FT and what has changed with concurrent care. 

Accreditation:

The American College of Surgeons designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Of the AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ listed above, a maximum of 1.25 credit meet the requirements for Self-Assessment.

Register for this on-demand course!

Learning Objectives

As a result of this course, participants will be able to:

• Refresh your understanding of billing critical care during the global period. Is it still allowable for unrelated issues? And who can bill it? What is acceptable documentation?
• Define the new critical care modifiers, FS and FT. When is each one used?
• Clarify split/shared service: when can the add-on code be billed and who can bill it on the same day as 99291
• Understand concurrent care re-defined. Can two providers bill during the same time period? Under what circumstances?
• Present actual critical care scenarios to demonstrate documentation imperatives.

What's on the Agenda

Critical Care Reporting Changes
Why do Payors Care About Critical Care Coding?
Reporting Critical Care Codes

• Calculating time
• Does place of service matter?
• Services included (may not report) and excluded (may report separately)
• Concurrent care

Split (or Shared) Visits

• More than one provider
• Substantive portion of the visit
• Critical care and other E/M on same date

Documenting Critical Care Services
Critical Care Scenarios