Outpatient Facility Coding Alert - 2008 Issue 20
PHYSICIAN NOTES: More Than 500 CPT Changes Will Take Effect in January, but AMA Hasn't Revealed Specific Codes Yet
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Article Overview
This brief industry update is aimed at physicians, coders, and compliance staff who track annual code set revisions and Medicare-related policy changes. It summarizes the scope of pending CPT updates by section, highlights new hospice participation standards issued by CMS, and points readers to CMS guidance for the 2008 PQRI program. The article is useful for anyone monitoring year-to-year coding changes and federal program requirements.
Why This Topic Matters
Even before specific code details are released, the article signals the scale and areas of CPT change that can affect workflow, education, and implementation planning. It also alerts providers and hospice organizations to Medicare participation and reporting updates that may affect compliance and program participation.
Article Sections
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CPT 2009 change overview
Summarizes the scope of upcoming changes to the CPT manual and breaks them out by major section. The discussion focuses on the size of the revisions and the timing of the release.
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Hospice Conditions of Participation
Notes CMS final-rule activity affecting hospice organizations that participate in Medicare. The section points readers to the federal rule and its relevance to participation requirements.
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2008 PQRI Fact Sheet
Describes CMS guidance for the 2008 PQRI program and its purpose in helping users understand program submission categories. It also clarifies the year to which the guidance applies.
What You Will Learn
- How the upcoming CPT release is framed in terms of overall change volume and affected sections.
- What the article says about Medicare hospice participation rule updates.
- What CMS guidance is available for understanding the 2008 PQRI program.
- Which types of policy and coding updates the article is alerting readers to monitor.
Who Should Read This
- Physician practices
- Medical coders
- Compliance staff
- Revenue cycle teams
- Hospice administrators
- Healthcare billing professionals
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