New CPT Codes for ICD-10 Code Searching

The AMA section of practice management and coding’s emergency meeting concluded last week at Chicago brought in a breakthrough.  Now there are CPT codes for documenting the time spent on searching for the ICD 10 codes.  They are called BS (Basic Search) codes.

The CEO of Tristate healthcare, Maureen McDermott MBA put it,” BS codes are like the proverbial sliced bread” she added,” This is going to bring in lot of healthcare dollars lost by way of value based purchasing and training costs of the ICD-10 transition. The Pacific Orthopedics group president Stan Felder welcomed this move:

“We are literally spending more than 15 minutes on the computer for searching appropriate ICD 10 codes after reducing a Colle’s fracture of a boy in bike wreck.  We can’t finish coding without knowing whether it was a tandem bike, unicycle, whether stationary, or moving, hit with another person or vehicle, inclined plane, flat tarmac, time of the day,  wind direction , along with the anatomical site details etc.  Now our docs can focus on what is more important than just fixing those minor injuries.”

Now physicians can add BS (basic search) codes for documenting the time spent on searching the code as per the press release.

For example, BS Level 1 is for most of the primary care specialties, BS Level 2 is for subspecialties and BS Level 3 is applicable to trauma and in-hospital encounters.

Modifiers for unusual time spent on E&M need to be added as well.

Nurse Hilda Honesbury was jumping in excitement: “I know BS Level 3 covers all the Midas and incident reports… finally a dream come true!”

Medicare and Medicaid services did not return our phone call as usual.  Epic and Cerner are working on an update to incorporate this in EMR after the dust settles on the ICD10 timelines.

‘CPT for ICD 10 Clinical BS ‘ spiral volume priced $650.00+tax will be available to purchase by January 2016 from AMA.