Article - Billing and Coding: Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE) (A57306)

CMS National Coverage PolicyLanguage quoted from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) and coverage provisions in interpretive manuals is italicized throughout the policy. NCDs and coverage provisions in interpretive manuals are not subject to the Local Coverage Determination (LCD) Review Process (42 CFR 405.860[b] and 42 CFR 426 [Subpart D]). In addition, an administrative law judge may not review an NCD. See Section 1869(f)(1)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act.Unless otherwise specified,italicizedtext represents quotation from one or more of the following CMS sources:Title XVIII of the Social Security Act (SSA):Section 1862(a)(1)(A) excludes expenses incurred for items or services which are not reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of a malformed body member.Section 1862(a)(7) of Title XVIII of the Social Security Act excludes routine physical examination, unless otherwise covered by statute.Section 1833(e) prohibits Medicare payment for any claim which lacks the necessary information to process the claim.Code of Federal Regulations:42 CFR, Section 410.32, indicates that diagnostic tests may only be ordered by the treating physician (or other treating practitioner acting within the scope of his or her license and Medicare requirements) and the results must be used in the management of the patient.42 CFR 410.33 provides credentialing requirements for testing performed in an IDTF by technicians.CMS Publications:CMS Publication 100-04,Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 9:100 General Billing RequirementsCMS Publication 100-04,Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 12:30.4 Cardiovascular System (Codes 92950-93799)Article TextThis article gives guidance for billing, coding, and other guidelines in relation to local coverage policy DL34338-Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE).General Guidelines for Claims submitted to Part A or Part B MAC:Procedure codes may be subject to National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits or OPPS packaging edits. Refer to NCCI and OPPS requirements prior to billing Medicare. For services requiring a referring/ordering physician, the name and NPI of the referring/ordering physician must be reported on the claim. A claim submitted without a valid ICD-10-CM diagnosis code will be returned to the provider as an incomplete claim under Section 1833(e) of the Social Security Act. The diagnosis code(s) must best describe the patient's condition for which the service was performed. For diagnostic tests, report the result of the test if known; otherwise, the symptoms prompting the performance of the test should be reported.Advance Beneficiary Notice of Non-coverage (ABN) Modifier GuidelinesAn ABN may be used for services which are likely to be non-covered, whether for medical necessity or for other reasons. Refer to CMS Publication 100-04, Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 30, for complete instructions.Effective from April 1, 2010, non-covered services should be billed with modifier GA, -GX, -GY, or GZ, as appropriate.The GA modifier (Waiver of Liability Statement Issued as Required by Payer Policy) should be used when physicians, practitioners, or suppliers want to indicate that they anticipate that Medicare will deny a specific service as not reasonable and necessary, and they do have an ABN signed by the beneficiary on file. Modifier GA applies only when services will be denied under reasonable and necessary provisions, sections 1862(a)(1), 1862(a)(9), 1879(e), or 1879(g) of the Social Security Act. Effective April 1, 2010, Part A MAC systems will automatically deny services billed with modifier GA. An ABN, Form CMS-R-131, should be signed by the beneficiary to indicate that he/she accepts responsibility for payment. The -GA modifier may also be used on assigned claims when a patient refuses to sign the ABN and the latter is properly witnessed. For claims submitted to the Part A MAC, occurrence code 32 and the date of the ABN is required.Modifier GX (Notice of Liability Issued, Voluntary Under Payer Policy) should be used when the beneficiary has signed an ABN, and a denial is anticipated based on provisions other than medical necessity, such as statutory exclusions of coverage or technical issues. An ABN is not required for these denials, but if non-covered services are reported with modifier GX, will automatically be denied services.The GZ modifier should be used when physicians, practitioners, or suppliers want to indicate that they expect that Medicare will deny an item or service as not reasonable and necessary and they have not had an ABN signed by the beneficiary. If the service is statutorily non-covered, or without a benefit category, submit the appropriate CPT/HCPCS code with the -GY modifier. An ABN is not required for these denials, and the limitation of liability does not apply for beneficiaries. Services with modifier GY will automatically deny.CAMZYOS REMS programEchocardiograms done as part of the CAMZYOS REMS program must be billed with a KX modifier and meet all requirements of the REMS program. This program is limited to patients with NYHA Class II-III Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (I42.1).Documentation RequirementsThe patients medical record should include but is not limited to:The assessment of the patient by the ordering provider as it relates to the complaint of the patient for that visit,Relevant medical historyResults of pertinent tests/proceduresSigned and dated office visit record/operative report (Please note that all services ordered or rendered to Medicare beneficiaries must be signed.)