Coding News and Expert Advice

Coding News and Expert Advice
Empower your coding team with the up-to-date answers from the Academy's coding experts. Our carefully researched responses cover federal and commercial payers and help you improve documentation, submit clean claims and appropriately maximize reimbursement. Not a AAOE member? Join today.
Note: Coding regulations and edits can change often. Academy coding advice is based on current information. Visit aao.org/coding for the most recent updates. Information provided by our coding experts is copyrighted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and intended for individual practice use only.
1-20 of 171 results
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Coding Top 10 - March 2023

MAR 10, 2023 in Retina, Testing Services, Exams, CPT, Cornea, Pediatric/Strabismus, Coding Competency, Cataract/Anterior Segment, Modifiers, Coding Top 10, Oculofacial

Get trusted answers to your coding questions from the Academy's coding experts, so you can bill and code with confidence.

Comments 0

Views 168

Internal Subspecialty Referrals, New or Established

MAR 10, 2023 in Exams, Coding Competency, Ask the Expert

When the cataract specialist in our group practice refers a new patient to me, a retina specialist, can I bill the office visit as a new patient? Each physician in our practice utilizes primary ophthalmology and subspecialty taxonomies.

Comments 0

Views 35

Documentation Location for Activities of Daily Living

MAR 10, 2023 in Coding Competency, Ask the Expert, Exams, Cataract/Anterior Segment

For cataract surgery, where do we document the patient’s specific activity of daily living (ADL) that is affected?

Comments 0

Views 39

Atropine Therapy

MAR 10, 2023 in Exams, Pediatric/Strabismus, E/M, Ask the Expert, Coding Competency

How do we bill for atropine therapy?

Comments 0

Views 10

Evaluation and Management Resources

MAR 09, 2023 in Ask the Expert, Coding Competency, E/M, Exams

I am a comprehensive ophthalmologist in a rural setting, and I only use Eye visit codes but would like to start using Evaluation and Management (E/M) codes. Where should I go to find resources on how to use E/M codes?

Comments 0

Views 30

Coding Top 10 - January 2023

JAN 20, 2023 in Exams, Oculofacial, Coding Competency, Cataract/Anterior Segment, Modifiers, Ask the Expert, E/M, Coding Top 10, Retina, Testing Services, CPT

Get trusted answers to your coding questions from the Academy's coding experts, so you can bill and code with confidence.

Comments 0

Views 560

Additional Paperwork

JAN 19, 2023 in Coding Competency, Ask the Expert, Exams

Is there a reportable CPT code when our physician completes additional paperwork for the patient, such as the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?

Comments 0

Views 44

E/M Guideline Changes

JAN 19, 2023 in E/M, Ask the Expert, Exams

It is December 2022, and our office just realized evaluation and management (E/M) office coding no longer requires specific history or exam components. We are only using Eye Visit codes. Now we want to use the higher E/M level 4 and 5 codes. Where should we start?

Comments 0

Views 166

Contraindication for Dilation

JAN 18, 2023 in Exams, Ask the Expert, CPT

When considering billing a comprehensive Eye Visit code (92004 or 92014) does documenting the patient’s refusal to be dilated count as a contraindication?

Comments 0

Views 120

Congratulations to OCS and OCSR Designees

JAN 02, 2023 in Modifiers, Cornea, Pediatric/Strabismus, Cataract/Anterior Segment, Coding Updates, CPT, Exams, Glaucoma, Testing Services, ICD-10, Oculofacial, Coding Competency, Retina

Individuals who who have passed the Ophthalmic Coding Specialist and/or Ophthalmic Coding Specialist Retina exams.

Comments 0

Views 690

Coding Competency Challenge

DEC 21, 2022 in Exams, Testing Services, Modifiers, Coding Competency, Ask the Expert

Challenge accepted. Take this short quiz to start the process of discovering coding areas that need improvement. The Academy provides trusted coding and reimbursement expertise through a variety of resources.

Comments 0

Views 400

Coding Top 10 - December 2022

DEC 01, 2022 in Coding Top 10, Testing Services, Coding Competency, Exams, E/M, Retina, Cataract/Anterior Segment, Oculofacial, Ask the Expert, CPT, Modifiers

Get trusted answers to your coding questions from the Academy's coding experts, so you can bill and code with confidence.

Comments 0

Views 499

Lengthy Inpatient Consultation

NOV 30, 2022 in Exams, CPT, E/M, Ask the Expert

I am a pediatric ophthalmologist. While on call at our local hospital, I provided a lengthy inpatient consultation for a Medicare adult with preseptal cellulitis. After discharge from the hospital, the patient will follow up with the comprehensive ophthalmologist. What is th…

Comments 0

Views 28

Coding Top 10 - November 2022

NOV 14, 2022 in Coding Competency, Coding Top 10, Pediatric/Strabismus, Retina, Trauma Coding, Exams, Cataract/Anterior Segment, Testing Services, Oculofacial, Ask the Expert

Get trusted answers to your coding questions from the Academy's coding experts, so you can bill and code with confidence.

Comments 0

Views 526

Exam Between Cataract Surgeries

NOV 13, 2022 in Coding Competency, Cataract/Anterior Segment, Exams, Ask the Expert

A patient has cataract surgery on their right eye and comes into the office the next day for their first postoperative appointment. During this appointment, the surgeon planned to go ahead with cataract surgery for the left eye. Can this visit be billed as an evaluation and…

Comments 0

Views 214

Does Lack of Access to Records Warrant Billing Comprehensive Examinations?

NOV 13, 2022 in Exams, Ask the Expert

Following a fire in our main office that affected our server, all records and prior imaging are currently unavailable. This requires that all patients need a comprehensive evaluation to determine their treatment course. Is it appropriate to bill all comprehensive evaluations…

Comments 0

Views 37

How to Perform Internal Chart Audits in 10 Steps

NOV 11, 2022 in Exams, Modifiers, Coding Competency, Ask the Expert, Testing Services

These steps will help you initiate your audit and see you through the entire process from identifying audit targets to implementing a plan to prevent the discovered deficiencies.

Comments 0

Views 1106

Coding Top 10 - AAO 2022

OCT 20, 2022 in Coding Top 10, Cataract/Anterior Segment, Oculofacial, Retina, Ask the Expert, Testing Services, Coding Competency, Glaucoma, Exams, Pediatric/Strabismus

The Academy's coding experts answer the top coding questions from the annual meeting.

Comments 0

Views 587

Exam Billing When Performing Injections

OCT 20, 2022 in Ask the Expert, Modifiers, Exams, Retina

When can we bill for an exam when an intravitreal injection is performed on the same day?

Comments 0

Views 169

E/M Level 3 or 4

OCT 20, 2022 in Ask the Expert, Exams

What qualifies an exam as a level 3 versus a level 4 evaluation and management (E/M) code?

Comments 0

Views 165

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