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what modifier should you use when billing cpt 99406 with medicare

by Ova Powlowski Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago

99406 – Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intermediate, greater than 3 minutes up to 10 minutes 99407 – Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intensive, greater than 10 minutes A modifier 25 may be appropriate to append to the primary E/M visit code.

Physicians and qualified non-physician practitioners shall use an appropriate HCPCS code, such as HCPCS 99201– 99215, to report an E/M service with modifier 25 to indicate that the E/M service is a separately identifiable service from 99406 or 99407.Feb 8, 2019

Full Answer

Does 99406 require a modifier?

The CPT codes are listed below for billing for smoking cessation: 99406 – Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intermediate, greater than 3 minutes up to 10 minutes; 99407 – Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intensive, greater than 10 minutes; A modifier 25 may be appropriate to append to the primary E/M visit code.

What are CPT Modifiers and why we use CPT Modifiers?

Since medical procedures and services are often complex, we sometimes need to supply additional information when we’re coding. CPT Modifiers, like modifiers in the English language, provide additional information about the procedure. In English, a modifier may describe the who, what, how, why, or where of a situation.

Does Medicare cover 99406?

Reimbursement may be possible if you bill the patient’s insurance company correctly. Medicare covers 2 cessation attempts per 12-month period. Each attempt includes a maximum of up to 4 intermediate ( 99406) or intensive ( 99407) counseling sessions, with a total Medicare benefit of 8 sessions per year.

What does medical code 99406 mean?

• Preventive medicine services (office visit services) represented by codes 99381-99387, 99391-99397, 99401- 99404, and 99406-99412 are distinct from problem-oriented evaluation and management office visit codes and are inherently preventive.

Do you need a modifier with 99406?

Magnolia Health (MH) indicates that 99406 and 99407 are reimbursed with no modifier or diagnosis limitations. The codes are payable on the physician side, but are not covered for outpatient facility claims.

Can you Bill 99406 to Medicare?

Smoking Cessation Counseling Codes 99406 and 99407 Medicare covers 2 cessation attempts per 12-month period. Each attempt includes a maximum of up to 4 intermediate (99406) or intensive (99407) counseling sessions, with a total Medicare benefit of 8 sessions per year.

Is 99406 considered an E M code?

Smoking cessation (99406 and 99407) services were developed as E/M services and may be reported with the E/M services 99201-99205 and 99211-99215. They will be denied “IN” (service incidental to primary procedure, no patient liability) with all other E/M services.

How much does Medicare reimburse for 99406?

Medicare's average reimbursement for 99407, smoking cessation for longer than 10 minutes of counseling, is $27.93. The 10-minute-or-longer consult may not apply to everyone. The 3-to-10-minute counseling code, 99406, reimburses at an average of $14.32.

What diagnosis code goes with 99406?

CPT codes for Smoking CessationCodeDescriptionTotal National facility RVUs99406Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intermediate, greater than 3 minutes up to 10 minutes0.3599407greater than 10 minutes0.74Feb 1, 2022

Can you bill 99406 with G0439?

In addition, the following services can also now be billed when using audio only: Advance Care Planning (CPT 99497, 99498) Annual Wellness Visits (HCPCS G0438, G0439) Smoking Cessation Services (CPT 99406, 99407)

Can 99406 be billed inpatient?

CPT code 99406, 99407 , C9801, C9802 – Tobacco Use Cessation Counseling. Medicare covers counseling for tobacco cessation for outpatients and for inpatients. Inpatients are covered only if counseling for tobacco use is not the primary reason for the patient's hospital stay. Medicare covers 2 cessation attempts per year ...

What is modifier 25 in CPT coding?

Evaluation and ManagementModifier -25 is used to indicate an Evaluation and Management (E/M) service on the same day when another service was provided to the patient by the same physician.

How do you code a smoking cessation?

The CPT codes for smoking cessation (99406 and 99407) are used for all payers for patients who are symptomatic as a result of smoking.

What is Medicare denied for 99406?

Medicare denied all 99406 ( Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intermediate, greater than 3 minutes up to 10 minutes) codes with my e/m code. I stated the diagnosis code

How many cessation codes does Medicare pay?

Medicare will only pay a total of 8 cessation counseling codes (99406 or 99407) per year; not per provider. If other providers have also billed for cessation your patient could have hit the maximum for the year.

How many weight management sessions does Medicare cover?

Also you can check the payer's billing regulations because it may need pre-authorization and most payers only covers 6 weight management sessions a year. Ok I hope this information helps you. Lady T. M.

How long is a 99406?

• 99406: Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intermediate, greater than 3 minutes up to 10 minutes#N# • 99407: Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intensive, greater than 10 minutes

What is the CPT code for E/M counseling?

CMS does not currently have specific training requirements, but may in the future. The counseling must be provided face-to-face with the patient. These services are reported using CPT-4 code 99406 (intermediate, E/M counseling service) or code 99407 (intensive, E/M counseling service). The diagnosis code should reflect the condition ...

How many cessation attempts per year for Medicare?

Inpatients are covered only if counseling for tobacco use is not the primary reason for the patient’s hospital stay. Medicare covers 2 cessation attempts per year. The counseling during an E/M service must be either intermediate or intensive. Intermediate counseling is 2 to 3 sessions of 3 to 10 minutes each. ...

What is a diagnosis code for tobacco?

The diagnosis code should reflect the condition the patient has that is adversely affected by tobacco use or the condition the patient is being treated for with a therapeutic agent whose metabolism or dosing is affected by tobacco use.

What is the CPT code for smoking cessation?

There two CPT Codes 99406 and 99407 that are used for tobacco cessation counseling for symptomatic individuals. • 99406: Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intermediate, greater than 3 minutes up to 10 minutes. • 99407: Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intensive, greater than 10 minutes.

Who is covered by Medicare Part B?

These individuals who do not have signs or symptoms of tobacco-related disease will be covered under Medicare Part B when the above conditions of coverage are met, subject to certain frequency and other limitations.

What is CWF in health insurance?

The Common Working File (CWF) maintains the number of smoking and tobacco-use cessation counseling sessions rendered to a beneficiary. By entering the beneficiary’s health insurance claim number (HICN), providers have the capability to view the number of sessions a beneficiary has received for this service via inquiry through CWF.

What is a CPT modifier?

CPT Modifiers are an important part of the managed care system or medical billing. A service or procedure that has both a professional and technical component. (26 or TC) A service or procedure that was performed more than once on the same day by the same physician or by a different physician. (76 or 77)

Why is CPT modifier important?

CPT Modifiers are also playing an important role to reduce the denials also. Using the correct modifier is to reduce the claims defect and increase the clean claim rate also. The updated list of modifiers for medical billing is mention below

What is a modifier 76?

Modifier 76- Repeat procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified healthcare professional. It may be necessary to indicate that procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health professional subsequent to the original procedure or service.

What is the CPT code for Telehealth?

Medicare increased payments for certain evaluation and management visits provided by phone for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency: Telehealth CPT codes 99441 (5-10 minutes), 99442 (11-20 minutes), and 99443 (20-30 minutes)

How much is Medicare reimbursement for 2020?

Reimbursements match similar in-person services, increasing from about $14-$41 to about $60-$137, retroactive to March 1, 2020. In addition, Medicare is temporarily waiving the audio-video requirement for many telehealth services during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Codes that have audio-only waivers during the public health emergency are ...

Does Medicare cover telehealth?

Telehealth codes covered by Medicare. Medicare added over one hundred CPT and HCPCS codes to the telehealth services list for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Telehealth visits billed to Medicare are paid at the same Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) rate as an in-person visit during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

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