AMA CPT® Assistant - 2001 Issue 6 (June)
Changes to Certain HCFA Level II HCPCS "C" Codes for Use with Outpatient Prospective Payment System (June 2001)
June 2001 pages 4-7 Coding Update Changes to Certain HCFA Level II HCPCS "C" Codes for Use with Outpatient Prospective Payment System HCFA recently announced changes to the 2001 Level II HCPCS C-codes for use in conjunction with the reporting of hospital outpatient procedures/services. The following new categories have been established and are effective for services delivered on or after April 1, 2001. According to HCFA, they are expected to remain in effect until January 1, 2003. All of the C-codes included here are used exclusively for services paid under the outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and may not...
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Article Overview
This article covers HCFA’s June 2001 guidance on revised HCPCS Level II C-code categories for hospital outpatient prospective payment system billing. It explains the policy context, effective dates, transition period, and the broad device groupings that were created for outpatient pass-through payment reporting. It is relevant to hospital outpatient coders, billing staff, compliance teams, and others who track Medicare coding updates and device-related payment guidance.
Why This Topic Matters
These changes affected how hospitals reported qualifying outpatient devices during the transition to category-based C codes. The article helps readers understand the scope of the update, the timing of code use, and the general framework behind Medicare outpatient device reporting.
Article Sections
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Coding Update
Overview of HCFA’s outpatient coding update and the purpose of the revised C-code framework. Covers the general Medicare payment context and the transition away from item-specific reporting.
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Devices Eligible for Transitional Pass-through Payments
Background on the device eligibility framework and the broader requirements discussed for outpatient pass-through payment under Medicare. Summarizes the regulatory and administrative context for the guidance.
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C-Codes for Categories
Lists the newly established category-based HCPCS C codes and describes the general structure of the outpatient device categories. Includes the effective period and the temporary overlap with older codes.
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Crosswalk from Item-Specific C Codes to New Category C-Codes
Explains the transition aid that maps earlier item-specific codes to the new categories. Notes the availability of additional reference materials and related HCFA guidance.
What You Will Learn
- The policy reason HCFA introduced category-based outpatient C codes
- The general timeframe for when the coding changes took effect
- How the article organizes the transition from older item-specific codes to new categories
- What kinds of outpatient device topics are addressed in the guidance
- Where HCFA-related reference materials and follow-up resources are mentioned
Who Should Read This
- Hospital outpatient coders
- Medical billing staff
- Revenue cycle professionals
- Compliance teams
- Coding educators and auditors
Codes Discussed
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