2015 Radiation Oncology – Which do you Want First, the Good News or the Bad?

I prefer starting with the bad news. 

CMS was unable to make up their mind on new treatment delivery codes that were supposed to take effect in 2015. 

As their interim solution, they have decided that hospital radiation services will utilize some “redefined” existing CPTS.

2014 CPT                                           2015 CPT

77402
77403                                                    77402
77404
77406

77407
77408                                                    77407
77409
77411

                         77412
                         77413                                                    77412
                         77414
                         77416

If they were using the same process for freestanding centers, there would be much less confusion, but instead they are requiring the use of temporary G codes. 

When you throw commercial payers into the mix, the confusion is compounded.  Some of those may want to see the CPTs instead of the G codes. The bad news, it got worse.

 

                                                              2014 CPT                                         2015 G-Codes

                                                                77402                                                    G6003
                                                                77403                                                    G6004                                                  
                                                                77404                                                    G6005
                                                                77406                                                    G6006
                                                                77407                                                    G6007
                                                                77408                                                    G6008
                                                                77409                                                    G6009
                                                                77411                                                    G6010
                                                                77412                                                    G6011
                                                                77413                                                    G6012
                                                                77414                                                    G6013
                                                                77416                                                    G6014
                                                                77418                                                    G6015

 

Now it’s time for the good news.  The crack team of software developers at Medical Business Systems has created several tools that Iridium Suite medical billing software users are very excited about.

 

     For hospital based clients, the system will recognize the 2015 CPTs and provide replacement options to the professional G-Codes.

If any inactive 2014 CPTs are entered in error, the user is warned.  This allows the opportunity to correct the claim before it is sent to the payer and denied.

To accommodate the potential that commercial payers will require CPTs instead of G-Codes, an innovative “crosswalk” tool was created to generate charges to specific payers meeting their individual requirements.

At Medical Business Systems, our philosophy is to always “work smarter, not harder”.  Give us the opportunity to show you how we can help you!