[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Only for visits that don’t lend themselves to the usual documentation is impractical. You spend 50 minutes with a psychiatrist, how would you feel if he tried to do a 12 point physical examination? That’s where the ALTERNATIVE time related billing is permitted.

But if the doctor spent 1 minute with you, can they bill 99215?

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

But if the doctor spent 1 minute with you, can they bill 99215?

They shouldn’t, because you can’t possibly actually do what is required to be documented in that time. There is no way to interview the patient to ascertain the extent of history much less perform the extent physical examination required. I think Medicare may have done the public a disservice by relating their time guidelines for alternative documentation, it could cause confusion for the non-professional and on this thread it’s obvious it has completely befuddled one individual.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

They shouldn’t, because you can’t possibly actually do what is required to be documented in that time. There is no way to interview the patient to ascertain the extent of history much less perform the extent physical examination required. I think Medicare may have done the public a disservice by relating their time guidelines for alternative documentation, it could cause confusion for the non-professional and on this thread it’s obvious it has completely befuddled one individual.

Yes, it has but we can only hope that befuddled individual will contact Medicare and see that the info I provided is what is current and that 10 year old philosophies, rules and regulations have changed.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Wrong again. Every doctor should know how to bill a visit. And for the last time, TIME HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. If you are so sure you were somehow cheated, maybe you should call the Medicare fraud number at the bottom of your EOB

Maybe you should contact Medicare and straighten them out with all your rules and regulations, I think they would be surprised.. to put it mildly.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Wrong again. Every doctor should know how to bill a visit. And for the last time, TIME HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. If you are so sure you were somehow cheated, maybe you should call the Medicare fraud number at the bottom of your EOB

Maybe you should contact Medicare and straighten them out with all your rules and regulations, I think they would be surprised.. to put it mildly. Like any physician takes an extensive history everytime one is seen is a stretch. BTW, most of us don't need or are seeing psychiatrist so we aren't worried about their billing procedures. I didn't think I was cheated, lol, most drs realize the public is being fleeced when they cheat, not the Medicare patient.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Aces4

Yes, it has but we can only hope that befuddled individual will contact Medicare and see that the info I provided is what is current and that 10 year old philosophies, rules and regulations have changed.

Oh, I see. You think I’ve been sitting on my hands since retiring and I’m not current. Have you ever heard of consulting. So you’re still batting 1000

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

They shouldn’t, because you can’t possibly actually do what is required to be documented in that time. There is no way to interview the patient to ascertain the extent of history much less perform the extent physical examination required. I think Medicare may have done the public a disservice by relating their time guidelines for alternative documentation, it could cause confusion for the non-professional and on this thread it’s obvious it has completely befuddled one individual.

When I go to a doctor, they usually put me in a room where I wait for 15-20 minutes before the doctor comes in for a quick exam.

Does the clock start when they put me in the room or when the doctor shows up?

As a patient, I really don’t care how long I see the doctor. I care more about results. I went to a specialist a few years ago. I met with him for less than five minutes and he diagnosed me and sent me to physical therapy for a month. After three weeks, I was totally cured.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Oh, I see. You think I’ve been sitting on my hands since retiring and I’m not current. Have you ever heard of consulting. So you’re still batting 1000

I would have never guessed that, huh!

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Aces4

I would have never guessed that, huh!

In that case, your 100% batting record remains intact

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

When I go to a doctor, they usually put me in a room where I wait for 15-20 minutes before the doctor comes in for a quick exam.

Does the clock start when they put me in the room or when the doctor shows up?

As a patient, I really don’t care how long I see the doctor. I care more about results. I went to a specialist a few years ago. I met with him for less than five minutes and he diagnosed me and sent me to physical therapy for a month. After three weeks, I was totally cured.

Looks like the confusion has continued---there is no "clock", only meeting strict documentation criteria

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

In that case, your 100% batting record remains intact

In your rolling on the floor *ss... I think others can see exactly what happening with coding and if the Drs. are doing the coding, there's probably a fire where they're seeing all that smoke in The Villages. After all the coders aren't sitting in the office with every patient to see how the patient should actually be coded for a claim. You can educate a Dr. but you can't infuse the integrity and honestly that is missing in some. Money talks.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Aces4

In your rolling on the floor *ss... I think others can see exactly what happening with coding and if the Drs. are doing the coding, there's probably a fire where they're seeing all that smoke in The Villages. After all the coders aren't sitting in the office with every patient to see how the patient should actually be coded for a claim. You can educate a Dr. but you can't infuse the integrity and honestly that is missing in some. Money talks.

And you perfect record continues. Kudos!

This time because the physicians at TVH do not utilize point of service coding

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

And you perfect record continues. Kudos!

This time because the physicians at TVH do not utilize point of service coding

And your perfect record of mumbo jumbo goes on. I rest my case.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Aces4

And your perfect record of mumbo jumbo goes on. I rest my case.

Just because a there is a lack of understanding on somebody's part doesn't make it "mumbo jumbo". On the other hand, 20 posts lacking a factual knowledge basis could be, and is, considered ridiculous nonsense. I'm still at a loss here----if somebody has an electrical problem in their home and hires a master electrician, do they try to debate with the expert?? And what would we call somebody who actually does--in fact there are a number of names that apply

[Aces4]

[QUOTE=golfing eagles;2455783]Just because a there is a lack of understanding on somebody's part doesn't make it "mumbo jumbo". On the other hand, 20 posts lacking a factual knowledge basis could be, and is, considered ridiculous nonsense. I'm still at a loss here----if somebody has an electrical problem in their home and hire a master electrician, do they try to debate with the expert?? And what would call somebody who actually does--in fact there are a number of names that apply.

Factual information does seem to be missing with the claim that being charged for an office visit, long on Medicare billing doesn't exist and well as the CPT code for longer visits is printed, on record but someone can't grasp the truth. If coders at TVH are making all the billing decisions and the Drs have no imput as to what is being charged, that's a huge problem right there. And then there is the premise that Medicare shouldn't let the insureds know about CPT coding because it cause terrible confusion, like if you don't have MD behind your name you can't tell when your billing has been overcharged when a simple, no clothes removed 7-8 minute visit with no tests should be billed at the highest code for a long, complicated visit. Baloney.