Healthcare News: October quarterly OPPS update adds HCPCS codes for drugs and biologicals

Why This Topic Matters

OPPS quarterly updates can affect how hospitals report outpatient drugs, biologicals, and certain procedures, so coders and billing teams need to monitor these changes for accurate claim processing and policy alignment.

Article Sections

1. October 2018 OPPS quarterly update overview

   Introduces the scope of the quarterly outpatient payment update and the categories of items affected. Summarizes the overall focus on HCPCS additions and payment-status changes.

2. New HCPCS code additions

   Covers the newly added HCPCS items described in the update and their effective timing. Includes discussion of the types of outpatient services and products affected.

3. Pass-through payment status changes

   Reviews the drugs and biologicals that gained or retained outpatient pass-through payment status in the update. Also notes the broader policy context for the affected products.

4. Reference to CMS guidance

   Points readers to the related CMS MLN Matters material for additional update information. Serves as a source reference section rather than a coding instruction section.