The Medicare Monthly Review, MMR-2011-01, January 2011 - CGS

For dates of service prior to January 1, 2011, a CT scan of the abdomen and a CT scan of the pelvisperformed on the same day must be reported on the same claim.The following coding guideline was added:For dates of service on or after January 1, 2011, if a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis are done on thesame day, the service should be billed with CPT code 74176, 74177 or 74178 as appropriate.CPT codes 74176, 74177 and 74178 were added to the “CPT/HCPCS Codes” section.Minor template changes were made to reflect current template language.LCD for Computerized Corneal Topography (L28201)R3 (effective 01/01/2011): Annual LCD review per CMS Program Integrity Manual, Chapter 13, Section13.4[C]. Content reviewed, and no changes required other than for minor formatting. No comment andnotice periods required and none given.Article for Computerized Corneal Topography – Supplemental Instructions Article (A48365)Article published January 2011: Annual review per CMS Program Integrity Manual, Chapter 13, Section13.4[C]. Content reviewed and no changes needed.LCD for Debridement Services (L27373)R8 (effective 01/01/2011): Due to the annual HCPCS update for 2011, the CPT code range of 11040 and11044 was revised to include 11045, 11046 and 11047 in the following paragraph in the “Indications”section:CPT codes 11042-11047 should be used for debridement of relatively localized areas depending upon theinvolvement of contiguous underlying structures. These codes are appropriate for treatment of skinulcers, circumscribed dermal infections, conditions affecting contiguous deeper structures, anddebridement of deep-seated debris from any number of injury types.CPT codes 11040 and 11041 were deleted 12/31/2010 and removed from the listing in the “CPT/HCPCSCodes” section of the LCD. An explanatory note regarding the code deletions was added to this section.CPT codes 11045, 11046 and 11047 were added. The terminology for CPT codes 11042, 11043 and 11044has been revised for dates of service on or after 01/01/2011.The following paragraph was removed from the “Utilization Guidelines” section:Debridement services of the feet is limited to two services per foot per clinical encounter, provided twodiscrete lesions are debrided to the level(s) coded. Services exceeding this parameter will be considerednot medically necessary.The following paragraph was added to the “Utilization Guidelines” section:Debridement services are now defined by body surface area of the debrided tissue and not by individualulcers or wounds. For example, debridement of two ulcers on the foot to the level of subcutaneous tissue,total area of 6 sq cm should be billed as CPT code 11042 with unit of service of “1”.The CPT codes 11046 and 11047 were added to the following paragraph was removed from the“Utilization Guidelines” section:CPT codes and descriptors are only copyright 2010 American Medical Association (or such other date publication of CPT)The Medicare Monthly Review 11 MMR 2011-01, January 2011