Pre-conference Workshop
Pain Management 101
October 15, 2008
 Joanne
Mehmert, President, Mehmert & Associates |
|
Marvel
Hammer, 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Registration & Continental Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Pain Management Terminology and Billing Concepts
Essential to coding and billing is a basic understanding of
the terms used in pain management, as well as the coding concepts
behind them. This is where you’ll find outwhat terms,
abbreviations and acronyms, like facet arthropathy, radiculopathy
and CRPS, are, what they mean and how they are used. And this
is also where you’ll learn the meaning behind coding
concepts such as global days and site of service. This segment
will wrap up with how to handle patient scheduling and arrival.
9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Understanding Fee Schedules and Contracts
A significant number of non-Medicare payers mimic the CMS
Resource-Based Relative Value Scale in setting their own fees.
But exactly how does that impact your pain management practice?
Here’s where you’ll find out as Joanne and Marvel
take you through the basics of private payer contracts. You
will learn what red flags to look for when you review the
fee schedule presented to your practice, as well as tips on
how to request clarification from your impact payers. You
will leave with a “bullet list” of tips and sources
of information to help you look at your payer contracts with
a clearer vision.
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Refreshment &
Networking Break
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Evaluation and Management Primer for Pain
Management
Now you can get into the nitty-gritty of pain management coding
and billing, as Joanne and Marvel take you through such key
coding and billing issues as which E/M category to look at
based on where the service is provided, the difference between
a consult and a new patient visit, and the key E/M component
requirements for pain management evaluation services. You
will learn when to report a separate E/M code if your provider
is performing a procedure during the same visit, and how you
should handle the difference between a ‘shared visit’ and ‘incident-to’ service
with your non-physician providers and ancillary staff.
12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch on your own
1:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Anatomy and Coding for Basic Pain Management
Procedures
Knowing where injections/nerve blocks are performed is an
inherent necessity for correct coding and reporting. Get answers
to problems such as, “I don’t understand my provider’s
documentation and where the needle was inserted,” “What
is a spinal level?” “What is the difference between
a medial branch and a spinal nerve?” and “Why
does my doctor use fluoroscopy?” Marvel will also provide
a clear and concise explanation for spinal anatomy related
to pain management procedures, so you will be able to see
where the doctor is placing his or her needle. Combined with
the coding instructions that Joanne will give after each anatomy
lesson, you will leave with a complete understanding of basic
pain management procedure anatomy and coding.
2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Refreshment &
Networking Break
3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Drugs and Supplies –
How to Get Paid
Learn how to report supplies such as trays, needles, and contrast
used during injections and nerve blocks. Joanne will also
clear up widespread confusion on how to report the electrode
array when a stimulator trial is performed in the office.
Marvel will review common medications used in a pain management
practice, how to convert those confusing metric terms and
abbreviations, e.g. cc, ml, mc, mcg and explain when you should
and when you should not be billing for these medications.
4:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Open Q&A Session
Sort out any lingering questions from the day’s presentation
with Joanne and Marvel.
5:15 p.m.
Pre-conference Workshop ends
