(Medicare Claims Processing Manual)

Payment for the services identified by CPT codes 77014, 77280, 77285, 77290, 77295, 77306 through 77321, 77331, and 77370 are included in the APC payment for CPT  code 77301 (IMRT planning). These codes should not be reported in addition to CPT  code 77301 when provided prior to or as part of the  development of the IMRT  plan.  In addition, CPT codes 77280- 77290 (simulation- aided field settings) should not be reported for verification of the treatment field during a course of IMRT.     200.3.2 - Billing for Multi- Source Photon (Cobalt 60 -Based) Ster eotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) Planning and Delivery (Rev. 3941; Issued: 12- 22-17; Effective: 01-  01-18; Implementation: 01 -02-18)  Effective for services furnished on or after January 1, 2014, hospitals must report  SRS planning and delivery services using only the CPT codes that accurately describe the service furnished.  For the delivery services, hospitals must report CPT code  77371, 77372, or  77373.  CPT  Code  Long  Descriptor  77371 Radiation treatment delivery, stereotactic radiosurgery (srs),  complete course of treatment of cranial lesion(s) consisting of 1 session;  multi-  source cobalt 60  based  77372 Radiation treatment delivery, stereotactic radiosurgery (srs),  complete course of treatment of cranial lesion(s) consisting of 1 session;  linear accelerator  based  77373 Stereotactic body radiation therapy, treatment delivery, per fraction to  1 or more lesions, including image guidance, entire course not to exceed 5 fractions    As instructed in the CY 2014 OPPS/ASC final rule, CPT code 77371 is to be used  only for single session cranial SRS cases performed with a Cobalt -60 device, and CPT  code 77372 is to be used only for single session cranial SRS cases performed with a  linac - based device.  The term cranial means that the pathological lesion(s) that are the  target  of the radiation is located in the patients cranium or head.  The term single  session means that the entire intracranial lesion(s) that comprise the patients diagnosis  are treated in their entirety during a single treatment session on a single day.  CPT  code 77372 is never to be used for the first fraction or any other fraction of a fractionated SRS treatment.  CPT code 77372 is to be used only for single session cranial linac -based  SRS treatment.  Fractionated SRS treatment is any SRS delivery service requiring more than  a single session of SRS treatment for a cranial lesion, up to a total of no more than five fractions, and one to five sessions (but no more than five) for non -cranial lesions.   CPT code 77373 is to be used for any f raction (including the first fraction) in any series  of fractionated treatments, regardless of the anatomical location of the lesion or  lesions being radiated.  Fractionated cranial SRS is any cranial SRS that exceeds one treatment session and fractionated non-cranial SRS is any non -cranial SRS, regardless of  the number of fractions but never more than five.  Therefore, CPT code 77373 is  the exclusive code (and the use of no other SRS treatment delivery code is permitted) for  any and all fractionated SRS tr eatment services delivered anywhere in the body,  including, but not limited to, the cranium or head.  77372 is not to be used for the first fraction of  a fractionated cranial SRS treatment series and must only be used in cranial SRS  when  there is a single treatment session to treat the patients entire  condition.   In addition, for the planning services, hospitals must report the specific CPT code  that accurately describes the service provided.  The planning services may include but are not limited to CPT co de 77290, 77295, 77300, 77334, or  77370.  CPT  Code  Long Descriptor  77290 Therapeutic radiology simulation -aided field setting; complex  77295 Therapeutic radiology simulation -aided field setting; 3-dimensional  77300 Basic radiation dosimetry calculation,  central axis depth dose  calculation, tdf, nsd, gap calculation, off axis factor, tissue inhomogeneity  factors, calculation of non- ionizing radiation surface and depth dose, as  required during course of treatment, only when prescribed by the  treating physi cian 77334 Treatment devices, design and construction; complex (irregular  blocks, special shields, compensators, wedges, molds or  casts)  77370 Special medical radiation physics  consultation   Effective for cranial single session stereotactic radiosurgery  procedures (CPT code  77371 or 77372) furnished on or after January 1, 2016, costs  for certain adjunctive services (e.g., planning and preparation) are not factored into the  APC payment rate for APC 5627 (Level 7 Radiation Therapy).  Rather, the ten planni ng and preparation codes, will be paid according to their assigned  status indicator when furnished 30 days prior or 30 days post SRS treatment  delivery. A list of the excluded planning and preparation CPT codes is provided in the CY 2018 OPPS/ASC final rul e with comment period.   200.4 - Billing for Amniotic Membrane  (Rev. 1445, Issued:  02- 08-08; Effective:  01- 01-08; Implementation:  03 -10-08)  Hospitals should report HCPCS code V2790 (Amniotic membrane for surgical reconstruction, per procedure) to report amniotic membrane tissue when the tissue is used.  A specific procedure code associated with use of amniotic membrane tissue is CPT code 65780 (Ocular surface reconstruction; amniotic membrane transplantation).  Payment for the amniotic membrane tis sue is packaged into payment for CPT code 65780 or other procedures with which the amniotic membrane is used.   200.5 - Reserved  (Rev. 1882, Issued:  12- 21-09; Effective Date:  01- 01-10; Implementation Date:  01 -04-10)  200.6 - Billing and Payment for Alcohol and/or Substance Abuse Assessment and Intervention Services  (Rev. 1445, Issued:  02- 08-08; Effective:  01- 01-08; Implementation:  03 -10-08)  For CY 2008, the CPT Editorial Panel has created two new Category I CPT codes for reporting alcohol and/or substance abuse screening and intervention services.  They are CPT code 99408 ( Alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse structured screening (e.g., AUDIT, DAST), and brief intervention (SBI) services; 15 to 30 minutes) ; and CPT code 99409 ( Alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse structured screening (e.g., AUDIT, DAST), and brief intervention (SBI) services; greater than 30 minutes).  However, screening services are not covered by Medicare without specific statutory authority, such as has been provided for mammography, diabetes, and colorectal cancer screening.  Therefore, beginning January 1, 2008, the OPPS recognizes two parallel G -codes (HCPCS codes G0396 and G0397) to allow for appropriate reporting and payment of alcohol and substance abuse structured assessment and intervention services that are not provided as screening services, but that are performed in the context of the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury.   Contractors shall make payment under the OPPS for HCPCS code G0396 (Alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse structured assessment (e.g., AUDIT, DAST) and brief intervention, 15 to 30 minutes) and HCPCS code G0397, (Alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse structured assessment (e.g., AUDIT, DAST) and  intervention greater than 30 minutes), only when reasonable and necessary (i.e., when the service is provided to evaluate patients with signs/symptoms of illness or injury) as per section 1862(a)(1)(A) of the Act.   HCPCS codes G0396 and G0397 are to be used for structured alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse assessment and intervention services that are distinct from other clinic and emergency department visit services performed during the same encounter.  H ospital resources expended performing services described by HCPCS codes G0396 and G0397 may not be counted as resources for determining the level of a visit service and vice versa (i.e., hospitals may not double count the same facility resources in order t o reach a higher level clinic or emergency department visit).  However, alcohol and/or substance structured assessment or intervention services lasting less than 15 minutes should not be reported using these HCPCS codes, but the hospital resources expended  should be included in determining the level of the visit service reported.  200.7 - Billing for Cardiac Echocardiography Services  (Rev. 1445, Issued:  02- 08-08; Effective:  01- 01-08; Implementation:  03 -10-08)  200.7.1 - Cardiac Echocardiography Without C ontrast  (Rev. 1445, Issued:  02- 08-08; Effective:  01- 01-08; Implementation:  03 -10-08)  Hospitals are instructed to bill for echocardiograms without contrast in accordance with the CPT code descriptors and guidelines associated with the applicable Level I  CPT code(s) (93303- 93350).   200.7.2 - Cardiac Echocardiography With Contrast  (Rev. 1657, Issued: 12- 31-08, Effective: 01- 01-09, Implementation: 01- 05-09)  Hospitals are instructed to bill for echocardiograms with contrast using the applicable HCPCS code(s ) included in Table 200.7.2 below.  Hospitals should also report the appropriate units of the HCPCS codes for the contrast agents used in the performance of the echocardiograms.   Table 200.7.2 -  HCPCS Codes For Echocardiograms With Contrast   HCPCS  Long Descriptor  C8921 Transthoracic echocardiography with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, for congenital cardiac anomalies; complete  C8922 Transthoracic echocardiography with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, for congenital cardiac anomalies; follow -up or limited study  HCPCS  Long Descriptor  C8923 Transthoracic echocardiography with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, real -time with image documentation (2D), includes M -mode recording, when performed, complete, without spectral or color Doppler echocardiography C8924 Transthoracic echocardiography with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, real -time with image documentation (2D), includes M -mode recording, when performed, follow -up or limited study  C8925 Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, real time with image documentation (2D) (with or without M -mode recording); including probe placement, image acquisition, interpretation and report   C8926 Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, for congenital cardiac anomalies; including probe placement, image acquisition, interpretation and report  C8927 Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) w ith contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, for monitoring purposes, including probe placement, real time 2- dimensional image acquisition and interpretation leading to ongoing (continuous) assessment of (dynamically changing) cardiac pumpi ng function and to therapeutic measures on an immediate time basis  C8928 Transthoracic echocardiography with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, real -time with image documentation (2D), includes M -mode recording, when performed, during rest and cardiovascular stress test using treadmill, bicycle exercise and/or pharmacologically induced stress, with interpretation and report  C8929 Transthoracic echocardiography with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, real -time with image documentation (2D), includes M -mode recording, when performed, complete, with spectral Doppler echocardiography, and with color flow Doppler echocardiography  HCPCS  Long Descriptor  C8930 Transthoracic echocardiography, with contrast, or without contrast followed by wit h contrast, real -time with image documentation (2D), includes M-mode recording, when performed, during rest and cardiovascular stress test using treadmill, bicycle exercise and/or pharmacologically induced stress, with interpretation and report; including performance of continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, with physician supervision