AMA CPT® Assistant - 1998 Issue 3 (March)
AMA and Organized Medicine's Implement Three Part Approach to Correct Latest HCFA Documentation Guidelines (March 1998)
March 1998 pages 4-6 Coding Commentary AMA and Organized Medicine's Implement Three Part Approach to Correct Latest HCFA Documentation Guidelines On February 9, 1998, the AMA announced more details of an aggressive campaign by organized medicine to correct the revised Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) Documentation Guidelines for Evaluation and Management Services during a six-month implementation delay obtained by the AMA in December 1997. The AMA has developed a three-pronged plan that will ensure that, through the combined efforts of organized medicine, physicians have ample time to learn about, respond to, and implement the revised guidelines and associated payor...
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Article Overview
This March 1998 CPT Assistant article explains how the AMA and organized medicine responded to revised HCFA documentation guidelines for evaluation and management services. It covers the broader advocacy, refinement, and education efforts underway during the implementation delay, along with the roles of specialty societies, the CPT Editorial Panel, and HCFA. The article is relevant to physicians, coding professionals, compliance staff, and anyone following Medicare documentation policy and audit guidance.
Why This Topic Matters
It provides context for a major documentation-guideline transition affecting physician recordkeeping, compliance concerns, and payer audit expectations.
Article Sections
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Coding Commentary
Introductory commentary on the AMA response to revised HCFA documentation guidance and the broader implementation effort.
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Summarizing the Problem and What the AMA is Doing
Overview of physician concerns, the policy issues prompting the AMA response, and the general steps being taken to address them.
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Background
Historical context for evaluation and management documentation guidance and the role of earlier revisions and payer practices.
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The Long History Behind the Current Situation
Discussion of the development timeline for documentation guidelines and the organizational process behind later refinements.
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AMA Activities to Date
Summary of actions already taken during the implementation delay and the coordination with HCFA.
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Current Documentation Requirements
General description of the documentation expectations in place during the transition period and the timing of the updated guidance.
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AMA Commitment and Future Activities
Planned advocacy, education, and coordination efforts involving organized medicine, specialty societies, and carrier education.
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Message from President Percy Wootton, M.D. February 6, 1998
A president’s message summarizing the AMA’s response, the implementation delay, and next steps for refinement and education.
What You Will Learn
- How the AMA framed the concerns surrounding revised HCFA documentation guidelines
- What broad categories of advocacy, refinement, and education were emphasized
- How specialty societies and the CPT Editorial Panel were involved in the process
- What kinds of transition-period communication and implementation efforts were underway
- Why the issue mattered to physician documentation, compliance, and payer audit practices
Who Should Read This
- Physicians
- Medical coders
- Coding compliance professionals
- Practice administrators
- Medical specialty societies
- Health policy readers
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