RE: new acupuncture codes - country?

[Guest guest]

Hi Avery and Brian,

 

I take it this is for the US? In future could members please state what law

applies to what country and state (US), as this is a global discussion group

and it will make things simpler and clearer.

 

Many thanks,

 

Attilio

 

 

Brian Hardy [mischievous00]

24 November 2004 18:28

Chinese Medicine

Re: new acupuncture codes

 

New Reporting Method for Acupuncture Services to Begin in January

 

 

Beginning Jan. 1, 2005, there will be a new reporting method for acupuncture

services. Effective on that date, CPT codes 97780 (acupuncture, one or more

needles; without electrical stimulation) and 97781 (acupuncture, one or more

needles; with electrical stimulation) will be deleted.

 

Four new codes have been developed for reporting acupuncture services. Like

the deleted codes of 97780 and 97781, the new codes are separated into

acupuncture services with and without electrical stimulation. However, in

addition to these distinctions, the reporting of acupuncture services will

now be reflected in 15-minute intervals, as well as a separate reporting

method for the initial versus additional 15 minutes of treatment.

 

The codes themselves are outlined as such:

 

97810: Acupuncture, one or more needles; without electrical stimulation,

initial 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient.

 

97811: Acupuncture, one or more needles; without electrical stimulation,

each additional 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient,

with reinsertion of needle(s) (List separately in addition to code for

primary procedure).

 

97813: Acupuncture, one or more needles; with electrical stimulation,

initial 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient.

 

97814: Acupuncture, one or more needles; with electrical stimulation, each

additional 15 minutes of personal one-on-one contact with the patient, with

reinsertion of needle(s) (list separately in addition to code for primary

procedure).

 

 

 

Acupuncture is reported based on 15-minute increments of personal

(face-to-face) contact with the patient, not the duration of acupuncture

needle(s) placement.

 

If no electrical stimulation is used during a 15-minute increment, use

97810, 97811. If electrical stimulation of any needle is used during a

15-minute increment, use 97813, 97814

 

Evaluation and management services may be reported separately, using

modifier 25, if the patient's condition requires a significantly separately

identifiable E/M service, above and beyond the usual pre-service and

post-service work associated with acupuncture services. The time of the E/M

service is not included in the time of the acupuncture service.

 

 

" Dr. Avery L. Jenkins " <ajenkins wrote:

 

I'm probably the last person to know this, but this just came over the

transom from the ACA:

 

 

 

1. NEW ACUPUNCTURE CODES

A recent Chiropractic Economics survey showed that 18 percent of doctors of

chiropractic offer acupuncture services to their patients. With nearly

one-fifth of our profession involved in this service, we felt it was

necessary to update you on the four new acupuncture codes set to be in use

Jan. 1, 2005.

 

However, before I get to the codes themselves, I wanted to point out the

ACA's efforts in getting these codes established. The ACA, being the only

chiropractic organization with voting seats in the AMA CPT process, worked

to not only get four new codes established which better reflect the services

rendered, but also worked to establish relative values for the first time

for acupuncture services. Part of this process was an exhaustive survey,

which the ACA, along with two national acupuncture societies, conducted over

several months. The work of the ACA's Coding and Reimbursement Committee has

yielded a truly tangible result, which positively affects a great many

doctors of chiropractic.

 

As for the codes themselves, four new codes will be effective Jan. 1, 2005,

and at that time, per AMA CPT, the two existing codes will be deleted. For

more information, including descriptions and proper billing of these codes,

please visit the following the link:

http://www.acatoday.com/insurance/coding/coding_acupuncture.shtml.

 

Avery L. Jenkins, DC, DACBN, FIAMA