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Billing and Finance

Next Reply: Re:implication of double boards ie IM and PC
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Post implication of double boards ie IM and PC
Author: dlindzey
Date: May 3, 2009 9:56 am
What is the best way to manage your "physician specialty code" in the various provider panels when you are double boarded and will be conducting two seperate practices?

Many of us have IM specialty codes and practices but now have an opportunity to change our designation to PC instead of IM. Does that create billing implications adverse to the preponderance of our IM practices?

Replies: order by [Date] [Author] [Subject]
Re:implication of double boards ie IM and PC (by JulieP on 05/05/2009)
In those cases where your providers are specialize in both PC and IM you can go either way with the primary and secondary specialties. It would be my feeling that you should choose the primary based on what each provider's role is within your practice. If a provider leans more one way in the practice than the other I would let that drive the primary specialty that you indicate. Also rememember that Medicare is the only one right now that will recognize PC as a separate specialty.
Julie Pipke, Reimbursement Mngr. MCW
Re:implication of double boards ie IM and PC (by ehargus on 05/05/2009)
Actually, this is more of the same question and less of a reply. I am boarded in several different specialty/subspecialty areas one of which is pain management. Medicare has two codes for this area: one is pain management (72) and the other is interventional pain management (I do both but choose 72 as my code). Now I could choose 17 HPM and am wondering how to proceed. Medicare uses these codes to figure out practice pattern and extrapolates that to billing for particular specialties. Thus, I am in a quandry. Since I began practicing pain management around here people actually think of me as that and do not extropolate to HPM. Which should I use as primarry?
Re:implication of double boards ie IM and PC (by JulieP on 05/06/2009)
Do you know how many other providers in your group will switch their primary specialty to PCM (17)? You might be better off staying with your current designation. You're less likely to run up against another provider within your designated specialty who will be treating the same patients that you are.
Julie Pipke CPC, Reimbursement Mngr MCW

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