Each year, new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are renewed by the American Medical Association (AMA). The 2022 CPT code changes are minimal and it brings forth modifications to the existing descriptors and codes in the healthcare system. CPT billing codes create an influx of revenue streams through remote patient monitoring and remote therapeutic monitoring avenues.
As the remote patient monitoring CPT codes landscape keeps expanding, CMS has revised some of the key RPM CPT codes for 2022 at an affordable rate. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed and published its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2022. In the new CPT codes for 2022, CMS recognized close to 5 new CPT codes for remote therapeutic monitoring, focussed on COVID-19 specific CPT codes 2022, and for CPT codes in chronic care management.
Before speaking about the 2022 coding changes in CPT, let’s understand what their code changes signify.
Significance of 2022 CPT Code Changes
The healthcare industry in the US is regularly evolving with the inclusion of driving factors like advanced digital health technology, regulatory guidelines, interoperability of data, a shift in value-based care payment models, the changing patient demographics, and consumer experiences. The innovation in care delivery services has included the telehealth CPT codes 2022 and the COVID-19 codes have also been remodified to ensure the healthcare revenue cycle.
As healthcare businesses provide multi-faceted services through medical coding and billing services, physicians need to navigate successfully the new trends in the healthcare scenario.
Here are a few trends in medical billing and coding services in 2022.
1 Inpatient Prospective Payment System FY 2022
The Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 increased the hospital reimbursement value by 2.5% and also increased the rates for COVID-19 therapies and diagnostics. 2022 final rule now has included the codes for procedures and diagnostics and Medicare groups with severe diagnosis-related adjustments. The IPPS for FY 2022 focuses to improve the quality of measurement and data evaluations in the healthcare department. CMS is aiming to leverage the lessons learned during the pandemic to improve the care quality and enhance patient-provider transparency for taking better and more informed decisions regarding their care.
2 Medical PFS 2021
The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) included the changes in reporting E/M services, enhancing payment for special services, reducing payment structure for other healthcare concerns, and expanding the telehealth provision list. All of these inclusions are playing a significant role with the help of medical insurance codes and CPT billing codes.