This one-page graphic illustrates how leverage works using a sample point system. It also illustrates the difference between asking the carrier to cooperate and provide their total costs versus the clinic cost-accounting approach to determining your request amount. These are great for meetings or discussions with a cross-functional team. I… Continue reading
Click on the State by State TAB for information on OBS rules, regulations and accreditation requirements by state. This is information only. Rules change often. Please confirm with your state regulators the current status and requirements for an office-based surgical suite. Last Updated April 2021. Alabama ALAlaska AKArizona AZArkansas AR… Continue reading
The attached spreadsheet, a much shortened version of the 2021 Medicare PFSRVU file, includes only 2021 Hand and Wrist Orthopedic Procedures with no SOSD in the following categories: Flexor And Extensor Tendon Repair Tendon Transfer Dupuytren Contracture Release Trigger Finger And Carpal Tunnel Release Surgical Treatment Of Metacarpal And Phalangeal… Continue reading
Below are 2021 charges for Code 29848 and 64721. Reimbursement Information Wrist Endoscopy / Surgery Carpal Tunnel Surgery (Open) CPT™ Code: 29848 64721 PFS Relative Value Units: 15.12 12.37 Medicare Allowable (Physician Services Fee): $490.04 $446.43 Facility Fee Payment Weight: ASC: 14.7803 16.6878 Facility Fee Reimbursement: ASC: $723.53 $796.79 Facility… Continue reading
As promised this is an in-depth look into IOECTR, WALANT, and OBS. It was updated Sept 2, 2021 My goal with this guidebook is to provide information on how to set up and be fairly reimbursed for In-Office Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release (IOECTR). In other words, how to set up… Continue reading
One Visio Graphic is a one-page IOECTR Project Overview The other is a one-page graphical representation of the issues. These include OBS, WALANT, SOSD, reimbursement, setup, accreditation and others. Also included is a more-detailed one-page explanation of the issues above.
Below is a one-page Spreadsheet for establishing and obtaining reasonable reimbursement for an Office-based-surgical suite, WALANT and/or In-Office Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release. Last update: JAN 2022. This checklist is to help surgeons who perform endoscopic carpal tunnel release in the office setting (POS=11 / office) negotiate optimal reimbursement. Related terms… Continue reading
This is specifically for procedures that do not have a Site-of-Service Differential! There are at least 97 hand-and-wrist procedures so this applies to many procedures, not just IOECTR. This is a Step-by-Step Guide on strategies and approaches to negotiating a “carve-out” reimbursement for In-Office Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release with an… Continue reading
Overview: The attached Spreadsheet includes the detail for the following: Total orthopedic procedures = 1,645Orthopedic codes without a Site of Service Differential (SOSD)= 1174. 71% of all orthopedic procedures. NON-FAC NA INDICATOR = NA.These procedures are considered “facility only” and there is no additional reimbursement when performed in an office-based… Continue reading
Leverage: Identify your clinic’s leverage before entering negotiations with a health plan. How many surgeons perform ECTR in your city? Unique Services: Does your practice offer any unique services that will benefit the health plan and its members? Patient Mix: An OBS / WALANT clinic can accept patients not appropriate… Continue reading
Practice expenses for services provided in a physician’s office include: 1. Clinical Staff Time 2. The Equipment 3. Supplies Typically Used During A Procedure 4. Indirect Expenses Of A Physician Practice Such As Administrative Staff 5. Building Space 6. Office Supplies Considered overhead or “facility fees” whether NON-FAC PE is… Continue reading
This list is our 10-day global procedures with comparable Facility PE RVU’s (7.14) to code 29848. CPT Description Global NON FAC PE RVU FAC PE RVU WORK RVU MALPR TOT NON FAC RVU TOT RVU TOT FAC RVU 58661 Laparoscopy remove adnexa 10 5.71 11.35 1.8 18.86… Continue reading
This is an interesting list. Based on comparable Work RVU’s to ECTR (code 29848) of 6.39 and technically considered “minor surgery” there are significant facility fees associated with most of them—higher in fact than those of our comparable 90-day global list. CPT Description NON FAC PE RVU FAC PE RVU… Continue reading
In our effort to compare and contrast different procedures I analyzed 10-day global procedures. These are generally considered “office” procedures. CPT Description Global NON FAC PE RVU FAC PE RVU WORK RVU MALPR TOT NON FAC RVU TOT RVU TOT FAC RVU 11646 Exc f/e/e/n/l mal+mrg >4 cm 10 7.4… Continue reading
The codes listed below have similar facility PE RVU’s to 29848. CPT Description Global NON FAC PE RVU FAC PE RVU WORK RVU MALPR TOT NON FAC RVU TOT RVU TOT FAC RVU 27087 Remove hip foreign body 90 7.15 8.83 1.81 17.79 40527 Reconstruct lip with… Continue reading
Below is a list of CPT codes from the Medicare PFSRVU database that have comparable total RVUs to CPT code 29848: Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Surgery (ECTR). The Work RVU’s are also similar, most in 6-7 RVU range. CPT Description Global NON FAC PE RVU FAC PE RVU WORK RVU MALPR… Continue reading
Out of 3784 procedures with a 90-day global (major surgery) in the 2020 Medicare PFSRVU database, 3247 or 86% have no Site of Service Differential when performed in the office. All reimbursement is at the facility rate only. I would consider these “facility-only” procedures. The median Site of Service Differential… Continue reading
The list below are 90-day surgeries that have the lowest non-facility Practice Expense RVU’s or reimbursement in the 2020 PFSRVU Medicare database. While still considered “major surgery,” based on the NON-FAC PE these would be considered those that required the lowest overhead costs or risk. There is a likelihood that… Continue reading
The codes listed below are exceptions where the facility practice expense reimbursement (FAC PE) is higher than the non-facility practice expense (NON-FAC PE). I consider these to be backwards because for all the other procedures (over 500) the Site of Service differential is higher for the office facility because there… Continue reading
Below are CPT™ procedures that have the highest Site of Service Differential in the Medicare PFSRVU 2020 database. In other words, if the procedure is performed in the office the Non-Facility RVUs are significantly higher than other procedures. These are extreme examples. However, they illustrate that complex procedures, that may… Continue reading