SNEAK PEEK: New CPT codes for 2008

Why This Topic Matters

It helps readers identify whether the upcoming code changes may affect their workflows, reimbursement, and documentation practices, especially in E/M, pain management, and sedation-heavy settings.

Article Sections

1. Telephone and online E/Ms

   Overview of anticipated changes affecting telephone and Internet-based evaluation and management services, including references to related code-set updates and deletions.

2. Tobacco, alcohol risk reduction E/Ms

   Discussion of smoking cessation and substance-use counseling-related E/M coding changes, including Medicare context and general documentation cautions.

3. Pain specialists can bill moderate sedation under new CMS policy

   Summary of Medicare policy changes affecting moderate sedation reimbursement for certain procedure settings and specialties.

4. High-risk patients

   General discussion of patient characteristics that may affect sedation planning and the role of additional clinical support.

5. Second physician allowance

   Overview of policy language addressing situations in which a second physician provides sedation services in a facility setting.

6. Moderate sedation code descriptors

   Presentation of the sedation-related code changes discussed in the article and the surrounding coding context.

7. Sedation definitions

   General explanations of sedation categories and how the article contrasts them for coding and clinical context.

8. Services included in moderate sedation

   A broad list of service components discussed as part of the sedation workflow and documentation context.