ATS and CHEST Conduct Survey of Hospital Inpatient, E/M Consultation Visits, and Prolonged Services Codes

In June, the ATS and CHEST are surveying through the AMA RUC process three large categories of CPT services important to our membership. The three categories are 1) Hospital Inpatient-Observation-Discharge CPT codes 99221-99223, 99231-99239, 2) E-M Consultation Visits 99242-99245, 99252-99255 and 3) Prolonged services 99358, 99359, 99417 and 993X0. These codes have substantial revisions proposed for implementation in the calendar year 2023.  The ATS and CHEST have sent surveys to randomly selected members.  If you receive a survey from ATS or CHEST and you provide these services or are familiar with these services, it is critical that you participate in any and all of the surveys that you receive via email.   The survey assists our member advisors in recommending the relative values to the AMA RUC and in the end to Medicare.

Of importance each of the three categories is split into different groups for a total of 7 groups of codes. This means that it is possible for you to have received as many as 7 emails identified as an AMA RUC Survey. They are not duplicates and the survey end dates may be different.  Again, we strongly urge you to participate in these surveys.   

ATS Coding and Billing Quarterly Newsletter is Now Available

The June issue of the ATS Coding and Billing Quarterly newsletter is now available on the ATS website. This issue covers several topics including: coding guidance on how to report treating patients with long haul COVID-19 symptoms, state-based coverage for smoking cessation programs, and member Q&A on PFT interpretation, COVID-19 chart review and medical decision making.