Medicare Blog

how to code a well woman visit on medicare

by Kylee Bartoletti Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
image

If a Medicare beneficiary requests a well-woman exam in conjunction with a “Welcome to Medicare” visit or an AWV, codes G0101 and Q0091 are billable and paid in addition to the “Welcome to Medicare” exam or AWV.To ensure payment, verify the date of the patient's last claim to Medicare for these services.

Full Answer

What is the Medicare Code for a well woman exam?

Medicare Billing for Well Woman Exam Using Codes G0101 and Q0091 and Annual Wellness Visits AWV G0438 and G0439 As we are all aware, Medicare now allows for the Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) G0438 or subsequent AWV G0439, but how does this relate to an annual Well Woman Exam?

What is the Medicare Code for Welcome to Medicare visit?

A Welcome to Medicare Visit or an annual wellness visit performed in a federally qualified health center (FQHC) is payable under the FQHC prospective payment system (PPS). Code G0468 must be accompanied by qualifying visit code G0402, G0438 or G0439. Wellness visits/routine physicals (cont.)

What is included in a well woman exam?

The annual exam also includes the components of a Well Woman Exam. If a patient is seen by her primary care physician (PCP) for an annual, the provider will also include the pelvic and breast exam and a pap smear collection.

Does Medicare cover wellness visits?

The amount reimbursed by Medicare and the amount reimbursed by the patient will equal the physician’s usual fee. Medicare covers the following services: G0438 Annual wellness visit; includes a personalized prevention plan of service (PPS), initial visit G0439 Annual wellness visit, includes a personalized PPS, subsequent visit

image

What CPT code do you use for a Well Woman Exam?

CPT G0101 may be used to report Well Woman Exam. The description of the CPT code for Well woman is as follows: “Cervical or vaginal cancer screening; pelvic and clinical breast exam.”

Does Medicare pay for a Well Woman Exam?

Medicare's Part B (Medical Insurance) coverage for a yearly Wellness Visit includes the components of a Well Woman Exam, which includes a clinical breast exam, Pap tests, and pelvic exam. These exams can be performed by your primary care physician or separately by a gynecologist.

What is the ICD 10 code for Medicare wellness exam?

G0439 Annual Wellness Visit, Subsequent (AWV) Annual Wellness Visits can be for either new or established patients as the code does not differentiate. The initial AWV, G0438, is performed on patients that have been enrolled with Medicare for more than one year.

How do I bill a Medicare wellness exam?

CPT G0439 is used to code all subsequent Annual Wellness Visits that occur after the initial Annual Wellness Visit (G0438).

What is the ICD 10 code for well woman exam?

Z01.419Encounter for gynecological examination (general) (routine) without abnormal findings. Z01. 419 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM Z01.

What is the CPT code for gynecological exam?

The patient preventive medicine services codes 99381-99397 include an age- and gender-appropriate physical exam. According to CPT Assistant, performing a pelvic and breast exam, as well as obtaining a screening Pap smear, are all part of the comprehensive preventive service and should not be reported separately.

What is the difference between a Medicare wellness exam and a physical?

There is a difference between an “annual wellness visit” and an “annual physical exam.” One is focused more on preventing disease and disability, while the other is more focused on checking your current overall health.

What is Medicare wellness visit?

for longer than 12 months, you can get a yearly “Wellness” visit to develop or update your personalized plan to help prevent disease and disability, based on your current health and risk factors. The yearly “Wellness” visit isn't a physical exam.

Can I bill G0439 and 99397 together?

No you cannot bill the AWV with the preventive visit. You can bill the AWV with a separate E/M.

Can you use modifier 25 with G0439?

Along with code G0438 or G0439, CPT code modifier -25 must be appended to the medically necessary E&M service. CPT guidelines define the -25 modifier as "Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management (E/M) service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure or other service."

Can you bill G0439 with 99213?

Medicare does discourage this and says there is too much 'crossover' between these two preventive services. We usually see a 99213 or 99214 with a G0438 or G0439 to represent the problem management outside the AWV. If you bill G0438/G0439 and a 99397, recognize that Medicare does not cover the 99397.

What is the difference between G0439 and 99397?

A full physical exam, 99397, is different than an Annual Wellness Visit, G0438/G0439, or “Welcome to Medicare Exam”, G0402. A full physical 99397 or 99387 is NOT covered by Medicare and patients are responsible for the cost and can be billed.

What if you run out of time for a well woman exam?

What if you run out of time? If the patient is seen for an annual and the Well Woman Exam portions are not done during the same visit, the provider may need to see the patient again in order to complete the comprehensive exam. This second visit is merely a continuation, and it is not billable.

What determines whether a patient has the G0101 or Q0091?

High Risk Factors determine whether or not a patient may have the G0101 and Q0091 on an annual basis. If a patient is considered high risk, then these screening tests may be done annually.

Is well woman screening covered by Medicare?

Because specific well woman screening components of the routine annual exam are covered by Medicare, these are billed out separately. These screenings are carved out from the provider’s usual fee for preventive service, because they are allowable and reimbursable by Medicare. The remainder balance is the patient’s financial responsibility. The total fee does not change, only how it is billed and who pays.

What is the 9939x code?

The 9939x is truly the code to use for a well woman exam. You can bill this with the Q0091 and G0101, but here's the thing...CMS does not reimburse those preventive medicine codes. They do pay the pap/breast/pelvic, but the rest of the visit will be patient responsiblity. Using an E&M code as a well woman visit isn't an appropriate use ...

What is a G0439?

G0439 is an Annual Wellness Visit, but note that this is not a regular preventive exam. It's more of a risk assessment. There are certain documentation and review criteria that must be met before you bill these, although you can bill them with the Q0091 and G0101. . The 9939x is truly the code to use for a well woman exam.

Does Medicare cover G0439?

Q0091 and G0101 report only the pap, breast and pelvic exam (there are specific exam criteria) but it doesn't include an exam of any other body areas. Medicare does cover this under certain circumstances. G0439 is an Annual Wellness Visit, but note that this is not a regular preventive exam.

Can Medicare Advantage be used for risk adjustment?

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans cannot use the information from these encounters to be scored for risk adjustment; however, it can be used for risk adjustment scoring of ACA plans. Compliance in the Dental Office or Small Practice. June 29th, 2021 - Christine Woolstenhulme, QCC, QMCS, CPC, CMRS.

Does Medicare reimburse S codes?

Other health plans will reimburse the S-codes; however, Medicare will not. We are currently testing variations of coding combinations by payer to determine which is the most appropriate combination to bill by payer.

Is S0610 bad for gynecology?

It's too bad, but physicians have to start looking at their bottom line! I definitely advise people to look into the S0610 and S0612 for the gynecology visit, especially with BCBS. They will find the reimbursement rates are very good. Other health plans will reimburse the S-codes; however, Medicare will not.

Is Q0091 a preventive medicine code?

Usually health plans are not forthright in communicating their reimbursement patterns and the provider will need to do their own research and billing trials based on health plan. Billing the Q0091 and/or the G0101 with a Preventive Medicine code is somewhat controversial.

How long does Medicare cover AWV?

Medicare covers an AWV for all patients who aren’t within 12 months after the eligibility date for their first Medicare Part B benefit period and who didn’t have an IPPE or an AWV within the past 12 months. Medicare pays for only 1 IPPE per patient per lifetime and 1 additional AWV per year thereafter.

What is an IPPE in Medicare?

Initial Preventive Physical Examination (IPPE) The IPPE, known as the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit, promotes good health through disease prevention and detection. Medicare pays for 1 patient IPPE per lifetime not later than the first 12 months after the patient’s Medicare Part B benefits eligibility date.

How many times can you report ACP?

There are no limits on the number of times you can report ACP for a certain patient in a certain time period. When billing this patient service multiple times, document the change in the patient’s health status and/or wishes regarding their end-of-life care. Preparing Eligible Medicare Patients for the AWV.

Does Medicare waive ACP deductible?

Medicare waives the ACP deductible and coinsurance once per year when billed with the AWV. If the AWV billed with ACP is denied for exceeding the once-per-year limit, Medicare will apply the ACP deductible and coinsurance. The deductible and coinsurance apply when you deliver the ACP outside of the covered AWV.

Does the AWV include HRA?

The AWV includes a HRA. See summary below of the minimum elements in the HRA. Get more information in the CDC’s A Framework for Patient-Centered Health Risk Assessments booklet, including:

How many preventive visits should women receive?

Clinical Recommendations: The Women’s Preventive Services Initiative recommends that women receive at least one preventive care visit per year beginning in adolescence and continuing across the lifespan to ensure that the recommended preventive services, including preconception and many services necessary for prenatal and interconception care, are obtained. The primary purpose of these visits should be the delivery and coordination of recommended preventive services as determined by age and risk factors.

What is correct medical coding?

Correct medical coding for services rendered by physicians and other health care providers is an expectation of federal, state, and private payers and required by the False Claims Act. This document acts as guidance to assist practices with coding and billing preventive services for women and was developed in consultation with staff of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

What is a Level II code?

These codes were developed to meet, within a short time frame, the operational needs of a particular insurer that are not addressed by an already existing national code. Any member of the HCPCS National Panel can establish a temporary national code that can be used by other insurers. Examples are the codes developed by CMS to report those portions of preventive medicine services covered by CMS.

What is the code for lactation?

To report follow-up services provided by a nonclinical provider to treat a lactation problem diagnosed by a physician, you may consider reporting from code series 96156, 96158, 96159, 16164 , 96165, 96167, 96168, 96170, 96171 (new codes for 2020) (Health and behavior assessment/intervention).

What is modifier 33?

The modifier 33 is used to indicate preventive services that are not subject to cost sharing. The modifier is not necessary for services that are clearly identifiable as preventive care, such as the codes used for well-woman exams (CPT codes 99381–99397). The descriptor for modifier 33 reads:

What is the ACA?

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all new private health care plans to cover several evidence-based preventive services such as mammograms, colonoscopies, blood pressure checks, and childhood immunizations, without charging a copayment, deductible or coinsurance.

How often should women be tested for HIV?

Clinical Recommendations: The Women’s Preventive Services Initiative recommends prevention education and risk assessment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in adolescents and women at least annually throughout the lifespan. All women should be tested for HIV at least once during their lifetime. Additional screening should be based on risk, and screening annually or more often may be appropriate for adolescents and women with an increased risk of HIV infection.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9