CHEC Your Practice: Recent Episodes
ACOG
CHEC Your Practice, the podcast that provides you with practice management, coding, and payment advice directly from ACOG’s Committee on Health Economics and Coding (CHEC). The CHEC works diligently to advocate for Ob-Gyn physicians and to ensure that you are paid fairly for your work. All the guidance presented in this podcast is up-to-date, evidence-based advice and is supplemented with ACOG Committee Opinions, Physician Toolkits, and the latest medical coding articles.
This final installment of the OB series focuses on coding around interruption of pregnancy and stillbirth.
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More OB coding! Join us in learning about postpartum coding and the global OB package.
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Continuing with our OB series, this is next section is focused on the global OB package. This episode will provide an overview as well as detailed examples.
As always, direct any questions to acogcoding.freshdesk.com!
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Follow along through some obstetric case studies from our archives. These scenarios will take you through several example coding situations. As always, if you have any coding questions please visit our portal and submit them there! https://acogcoding.freshdesk.com/support/login
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This is part 1 in a 3 part series discussing the RUC with Trisha Crishock, ACOG’s AMA CPT Editorial Panel and AMA Relative-Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) representative, on how the RUC process works, what ACOG volunteer members do at the RUC, and how all members can help. We kick of this episode by discussing what is the RUC and RUC basics.
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)
Welcome to part 2 of the RUC series. Ever wonder what goes on at the RUC? Trisha Crishock joins us again to share her insights on the committee.
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)
Finally, part 3 of 3 of the RUC series with Trisha Crishock where she will delve into more details on the RUC survey process.
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)
I am joined by ACOG's Outpatient Coding Education Specialist, Tatyana Mallory, MBA, RHIA. In this episode, we go over Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) we've gotten from our members about some of the new 2021 E/M changes. Please see the attached transcript if you'd like a written guide to the questions and answers discussed in this episode.
Direct links mentioned in the episode:
ACOG Payment Advocacy and Policy Portal:
https://acogcoding.freshdesk.com/
Evaluation & Management: Determining Data Amount and Complexity:https://acogcoding.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/64000257975-evaluation-management-determining-data-amount-and-complexity
ACOG Legal Disclaimer:
Information contained in this podcast should not be construed as legal advice. As always, practitioners should consult their personal attorney about legal requirements in their jurisdiction and for legal advice on a particular matter. The information presented in this podcast is for guidance purposes only. ACOG makes no representations and/or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast. ACOG assumes no liability for any consequences resulting from or otherwise related to any use of, or reliance on, this podcast. Inclusion of any product, procedure, or method of practice in this presentation does not constitute endorsement by the College.
Music Attribution:
Our intro and outro music is a derivative of “Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)” from the album The Wake by Josh Woodward, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Free Download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/
Album: The Wake
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)
Join me in my interview with Rachel Thornton, ACOG’s Health Policy Associate, as we discuss ACOG’s efforts to advance the Non-invasive prenatal testing, or NIPT, initiative.
The ACOG Committee on Practice Bulletins-Obstetrics, the Committee on Genetics, in coordination with the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine has developed clinical management guidelines for prenatal testing. This Committee came to the recommendation that prenatal genetic screening should be offered to all pregnant people, regardless of maternal age or any other risk assessments.
ACOG has sent letters to many national payers, including UnitedHealthCare, Aetna, Centene, Cigna and Humana plans, encouraging them to cover NIPT.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
www.acog.org/policy-priorities
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2020/10/screening-for-fetal-chromosomal-abnormalities
Have feedback or suggestions for future topics? Email us at:
healtheconomics@acog.org
Have a coding or policy question?
Submit a ticket to the ACOG Payment Advocacy and Policy Portal:
www.acogcoding.freshdesk.com
Additional links to coding resources:
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/Coding
ACOG Legal Disclaimer:
Information contained in this podcast should not be construed as legal advice. As always, practitioners should consult their personal attorney about legal requirements in their jurisdiction and for legal advice on a particular matter. The information presented in this podcast is for guidance purposes only. ACOG makes no representations and/or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast. ACOG assumes no liability for any consequences resulting from or otherwise related to any use of, or reliance on, this podcast. Inclusion of any product, procedure, or method of practice in this presentation does not constitute endorsement by the College.
Music Attribution:
Our intro and outro music is a derivative of “Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)” from the album The Wake by Josh Woodward, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Free Download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/
Album: The Wake
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)
ACOG's Senior Director of Health Economics and Coding, Lisa Satterfield, discusses ACOG's new Private Payer Workgroup. In this episode we talk about how Workgroup members were selected, how the Workgroup negotiates with private payers, how ACOG Members can directly communicate their issues and concerns to the Workgroup, and much more!
Does your Practice have an issue you'd like to inform the Workgroup about?
You can submit your concerns to the ACOG Payment Advocacy and Policy Portal:
acogcoding.freshdesk.com
Additional links to coding resources:
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/Coding
ACOG Legal Disclaimer:
Information contained in this podcast should not be construed as legal advice. As always, practitioners should consult their personal attorney about legal requirements in their jurisdiction and for legal advice on a particular matter. The information presented in this podcast is for guidance purposes only. ACOG makes no representations and/or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast. ACOG assumes no liability for any consequences resulting from or otherwise related to any use of, or reliance on, this podcast. Inclusion of any product, procedure, or method of practice in this presentation does not constitute endorsement by the College.
Music Attribution:
Our intro and outro music is a derivative of “Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)” from the album The Wake by Josh Woodward, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Free Download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/
Album: The Wake
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)
A more detailed breakdown of the E/M office visits beginning in January 1, 2021.
Starting January 1, 2021, physicians can expect to see:
• Separate payment for 4 levels of E/M visit codes for new patients
• Deletion of Level 1 code for new patients, which is generally not performed by a physician.
• Separate payment for 5 levels of E/M visit codes for established patients.
• Adoption of new CPT code descriptors.
• Elimination of the use of history and/or physical exam to select among code levels for payment. Physicians must still document clinically relevant history and physical exams.
• Physicians can now choose to use either time or Medical Decision Making (MDM) to justify the level of E/M service.
Have feedback or suggestions for future topics? Email us at:
healtheconomics@acog.org
**Additional links:
Holiday Special: Evaluation and Management 2021**Access information about the latest E/M updates going into effect January 01, 2021. FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY
https://www.pathlms.com/acogwebinars/courses/26001
2021 E/M Changes Summary Article:
https://acogcoding.freshdesk.com/a/solutions/articles/64000150892
Revised Medical Decision Making (MDM) Tables:
https://www.acog.org/-/media/project/acog/acogorg/files/pdfs/brochures-flyers/coding-em-summary.pdf?la=en&hash=F60051645E9CA2B0D0F7EECDF0E94543
ACOG 2021 E/M Changes Page:
https://www.acog.org/practice-management/coding/coding-library/evaluation-and-management-changes-for-2021
Have a coding question? Submit a ticket into ACOG's FreshDesk Ticket Database:
https://www.acog.org/practice-management/coding/ask-a-coding-question
Additional links to coding resources:
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/Coding
ACOG Legal Disclaimer:
Information contained in this podcast should not be construed as legal advice. As always, practitioners should consult their personal attorney about legal requirements in their jurisdiction and for legal advice on a particular matter. The information presented in this podcast is for guidance purposes only. ACOG makes no representations and/or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast. ACOG assumes no liability for any consequences resulting from or otherwise related to any use of, or reliance on, this podcast. Inclusion of any product, procedure, or method of practice in this presentation does not constitute endorsement by the College.
Music Attribution:
Our intro and outro music is a derivative of “Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)” from the album The Wake by Josh Woodward, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Free Download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/
Album: The Wake
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a proposal to streamline documentation requirements and increase payments for E/M office visits beginning in January 1, 2021.
Starting January 1, 2021, physicians can expect to see:
• Separate payment for 4 levels of E/M visit codes for new patients
• Deletion of Level 1 code for new patients, which is generally not performed by a physician.
• Separate payment for 5 levels of E/M visit codes for established patients.
• Adoption of new CPT code descriptors.
• Elimination of the use of history and/or physical exam to select among code levels for payment. Physicians must still document clinically relevant history and physical exams.
• Physicians can now choose to use either time or Medical Decision Making (MDM) to justify the level of E/M service.
Have feedback or suggestions for future topics? Email us at:
healtheconomics@acog.org
Additional links:
Have a coding question? Submit a ticket into ACOG's FreshDesk Ticket Database:
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/Coding/New-Ticket-Database-for-Coding-Questions
Practice Management Ticket Database:
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/ACOG-Practice-Management-Ticket-Database
Additional links to coding resources:
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/Coding
ACOG Legal Disclaimer:
Information contained in this podcast should not be construed as legal advice. As always, practitioners should consult their personal attorney about legal requirements in their jurisdiction and for legal advice on a particular matter. The information presented in this podcast is for guidance purposes only. ACOG makes no representations and/or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast. ACOG assumes no liability for any consequences resulting from or otherwise related to any use of, or reliance on, this podcast. Inclusion of any product, procedure, or method of practice in this presentation does not constitute endorsement by the College.
Music Attribution:
Our intro and outro music is a derivative of “Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)” from the album The Wake by Josh Woodward, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Free Download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/
Album: The Wake
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)
In this bonus episode, Sean Currigan and I discuss the patient-provider interaction from the patient's perspective
Have feedback or suggestions for future topics? Email us at:
healtheconomics@acog.org
Additional links:
Have a coding question? Submit a ticket into ACOG's FreshDesk Ticket Database:
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/Coding/New-Ticket-Database-for-Coding-Questions
Practice Management Ticket Database:
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/ACOG-Practice-Management-Ticket-Database
Additional links to coding resources:
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/Coding
ACOG Legal Disclaimer:
Information contained in this podcast should not be construed as legal advice. As always, practitioners should consult their personal attorney about legal requirements in their jurisdiction and for legal advice on a particular matter. The information presented in this podcast is for guidance purposes only. ACOG makes no representations and/or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast. ACOG assumes no liability for any consequences resulting from or otherwise related to any use of, or reliance on, this podcast. Inclusion of any product, procedure, or method of practice in this presentation does not constitute endorsement by the College.
Music Attribution:
Our intro and outro music is a derivative of “Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)” from the album The Wake by Josh Woodward, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Free Download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/
Album: The Wake
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)
ACOG’s Quality and Safety Officer, Sean Currigan, breaks down the CG-CAPHS® (Clinician & Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) Survey, and explains how providers can use the data during contract negotiations
Additional Links:
SCOPE Program
(Safety Certification in Outpatient Practice Excellence for Women’s Health):
https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/VRQC-and-SCOPE/SCOPE-Program-Overview
https://www.scopeforwomenshealth.org/
Have feedback or suggestions for future topics? Email us at:
healtheconomics@acog.org
ACOG Legal Disclaimer:
Information contained in this podcast should not be construed as legal advice. As always, practitioners should consult their personal attorney about legal requirements in their jurisdiction and for legal advice on a particular matter. The information presented in this podcast is for guidance purposes only. ACOG makes no representations and/or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast. ACOG assumes no liability for any consequences resulting from or otherwise related to any use of, or reliance on, this podcast. Inclusion of any product, procedure, or method of practice in this presentation does not constitute endorsement by the College.
Music Attribution:
Our intro and outro music is a derivative of “Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)” from the album The Wake by Josh Woodward, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Free Download: https://www.joshwoodward.com/
Album: The Wake
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Support the show (https://www.acog.org/Practice-Management)