New telephone, online and neonatal codes among CPT 2008 changes

Why This Topic Matters

The article helps readers understand which parts of pediatric and neonatal documentation and reporting are changing for CPT 2008 and why those changes may affect billing workflows, payer adoption, and practice operations.

Article Sections

1. New codes for telephone evaluations

   Discusses proposed CPT changes for telephone-based evaluation and management services, including the broader context for reporting non-face-to-face care and payer adoption.

2. New code for online evaluation

   Covers the addition of an online electronic evaluation service and related guidance for non-face-to-face communication, including references to earlier classification and implementation history.

3. Nursing facility code changes

   Summarizes changes affecting nursing facility evaluation and management reporting, including the introduction of specific time values for several established codes.

4. Category I code for ocular photoscreening

   Reviews the transition of ocular photoscreening from a temporary category to a permanent CPT category and places it in the context of pediatric eye screening practices.

5. New inpatient code for non-critical, but ill, neonates

   Explains the planned neonatal inpatient addition and the clinical setting it is intended to address, with references to adjacent neonatal and pediatric inpatient reporting concepts.

6. Okay to bill for unrelated E/M and telephone call

   Addresses the general relationship between a telephone service and an office encounter, including documentation considerations and the concept of unrelated services.

7. Email faster than phone: Study

   Summarizes a study cited in the article about pediatric email communication and compares it with telephone response time and family access.