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It is necessary for most users of the CPT code (principally providers of services) to pay license fees for access to the code. [19] In the past, AMA offered a limited search of the CPT manual for personal, non-commercial use on its web site. [20] CPT codes can be looked up on the AAPC (American Academy of Professional Coders) website. [21]
Evaluation and management coding (commonly known as E/M coding or E&M coding) is a medical coding process in support of medical billing.Practicing health care providers in the United States must use E/M coding to be reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid programs, or private insurance for patient encounters.
HCPCS includes three levels of codes: Level I consists of the American Medical Association's Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and is numeric.; Level II codes are alphanumeric and primarily include non-physician services such as ambulance services and prosthetic devices, and represent items and supplies and non-physician services, not covered by CPT-4 codes (Level I).
The CPT Committee issues new codes twice each year. A separate committee, the Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC), [ 7 ] meets three times a year to set new values, [ 8 ] determines the Relative Value Units (RVUs) for each new code, and revalues all existing codes at least once every five years.
The services are classified under a nomenclature based on the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) to which the American Medical Association holds intellectual property rights. [2] Each service in the fee schedule is scored under the resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) to determine a payment.
The amount that is paid by the insurance is known as an "allowed amount". [19] For example, although a psychiatrist may charge $80.00 for a medication management session, the insurance may only allow $50.00, and so a $30.00 reduction (known as a "provider write off" or "contractual adjustment") would be assessed.
The UCR amount sometimes is used to determine the allowed amount." [ 6 ] Often it is used by insurance companies and plan administrators when participants go out of network for services where typically the maximum the plan will pay for a claim is based on the prevailing rates in the area or UCR.
The chargemaster may be alternatively referred to as the "charge master", "hospital chargemaster", or the "charge description master" (CDM). [4] [5] It is a comprehensive listing of items billable to a hospital patient or a patient's health insurance provider.