- 5 best practices for offering prompt-pay discounts
- New Demodex blepharitis codes available for optometrists
- Ask the Coding Experts
- The key to deflecting downcoding? Diagnosis code reporting
- 2025 code changes: What doctors of optometry need to know
- Introducing the new CMS G2211 code
- Coordination of benefits 3 takeaways for optometric billing practices
- Clearing up modifier confusion
- Payor Downcoding: What Is It and What Should You Do About It
- New noteworthy optometry codes
- Modifier -25: How to use it appropriately and avoid costly penalties
- 3 coding questions cracked
- CPT codes deleted in 2023—do you know what codes may be billed to replace them?
- Why Proper Documentation Is Vital
- Common coding questions answered
- How and when to code for social determinants of health
- Most asked coding questions: dilation
- What does COVID-19 PHE ending mean for telemedicine
- 2 points to keep in mind when patients decline dilation
- social determinants of health
- Can a doctor of optometry bill Medicare for a comprehensive eye exam and a procedure on the same day
- The future of audio-only reimbursement
- Coding conundrums solved
- 7 takeaways from the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
- Virtual check-in codes
- What your colleagues are asking about coding
- CMS releases 2023 Medicare PFS proposed rule
- Merit-based Incentive Payment System: What doctors should know
- Ask the coding experts
- Merit-based Incentive Payment System quality measures
- Coding for presbyopia eye drops
- Coding and contact lens safety
- CMS 2022 Medicare PFS decreases conversion factor sets new policy goals
- CMS releases information on Part B claims-based quality measure scoring for 2021
- Updated ICD-10 codes take effect October 1
- If it sounds too good to be true
- New EM codes
- What to do when a coding decision is made incorrectly
- 4 coding changes now in effect
- changes in 2021 to coding and documentation for evaluation and management services.
- AOA HPI provides coding benchmark data
- Appropriate use of modifier 25
- Changes on the horizon for evaluation and management services
- AOA Coding Experts gain AMA CPT appointments
- 2020 PFS changes for optometry
- 2020 updates to the ICD-10 code set
- Medicares virtual check-in codes
- The importance of accurate coding and contact lens safety
- coding for cognitive development test
- Medicare evaluation and management documentation and billing
- Coding and audits
- 5 coding queries cracked
- appropriate diagnosis code reporting
- Diagnostic code changes
- 4 coding conundrums clarified
- Where coding and coverage intersect
- Changes on the horizon for evaluation and management documentation and reimbursement
- Global period data collection and possible future changes
- New ICD-10 codes effective
- July-Aug17_Coding Q&As
- The ICD 10 code development process
- coding experts-billing for post-cataract glasses
- accurate coding for public health
- July Aug 2017 Coding Experts
- September Coding Experts
- CMS data collection on postoperative visits
- 3 solutions to common coding problems
- 3 coding changes doctors need to know
- Coding cases cracked
- New diabetes related diagnosis codes
- Get answers to your coding questions
- New ICD10 codes doctors need to know
- Be aware of changes for 2017 and beyond
- Common coding Qs answered
- Coverage indications limitations and medical necessity
- 4 tips for competing with online retailers
- Coding questions cracked
- Access online coding resource for AOA members
- What is the future of CPT coding
- CMS makes changes in how doctors revalidate Medicare enrollment information
- 5 coding changes and clarifications doctors need to know
- More ICD 10 coding Q&As
- Doctors of optometry could see a rise in labor costs under new federal overtime rule
- 4 tips for growing your practice
- HHS unveils proposed rule for new Quality Payment Program
- Ask the Coding Experts Comparative billing reports raise questions on glaucoma patient treatment and coding
- Ask the Coding Experts Modifier 24 and 25 usage
- ICD-10 coding QandAs October
- Ask the Coding Experts Chronic care management services
- ICD 10 transition So far so good
- CMS comparative billing reports What you need to know
- Coding Q&As
- Online payment option makes cents
- Modifiers for distinct procedural services
- Get a refresher on your public Open Payments data
- Final countdown Get answers to your ICD-10 coding questions
- AOA clarifies meaningful use rule on electronic order entry
- More ICD 10 coding QandAs
- Vision therapy coding
- Medicare claims and requests for additional documentation
- Coding QnAs May
- Referring ordering and form 8550
- Reporting code 92250
- One-year Medicare payment fix extends ICD-10 deadline
Ready resources for the ICD-10 rollout
April 1, 2015
AOA is available to support members through transition
There are six months left for optometrists to prepare to adopt new coding guidelines—and the AOA is at the ready to provide guidance and support.
In the spring of 2014, federal regulators pushed back the compliance deadline for the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision (ICD-10) to October 1, 2015. Once in effect, this will serve as the new system for reporting medical conditions on insurance claims and in patient records.
For optometry, the additional year to prepare "was a blessing in disguise," says AOA Trustee Gregory Caldwell, O.D. Providers have had extra time to address some of the barriers to ICD-10 that existed last year, such as figuring out the right codes for the right patients and payers. In addition, information technology vendors have fixed some glitches in getting the proper upgrades required of electronic health records (EHRs).
Having the right EHR in place is critical. Dr. Caldwell says his office's EHR has proved invaluable. The software his office uses allows him to type in an ICD-9 code, and it will provide the equivalent ICD-10 code he's looking for.
ICD-10 will be offering at least 70,000 potential choices for coding diagnoses and causes of medical conditions. Only half may apply to ODs, yet at this time, everyone in the profession should be working to prepare for this major code change.
AOA offers several ICD-10 resources
Dr. Caldwell emphasizes that the AOA is available to support members through this transition. "This is something the AOA is not taking lightly. We have invested in a lot of resources, and we certainly want our members to realize that we're here for them."
Resources include:
- The AOA's Third Party Center Coding Experts, who are available to answer questions about ICD-10 and other coding topics at askthecodingexperts@aoa.org.
- Kara Webb, the AOA's associate director for coding and regulatory policy, is also available to answer questions about ICD-10 and related topics at KCWebb@aoa.org.
- AOACodingToday.com, a no-cost, members-only, online resource that offers CPT/ICD-9/ICD-10 information.
- The 2015 Coding Bundle, which includes the 2015 AOA ICD-10 Codes for Optometry Book, 2015 AMA Professional Edition CPT Book and AOA Express Mapping Card. A digital download version of the Codes for Optometry Book is also available.
How the AOA Coding Experts are preparing
One of AOA's three Coding Experts, Dr. Harvey Richman, O.D., says to prepare for the transition, he and his staff first looked at the primary diagnoses that the office uses, then purchased the 2014 and 2015 AOA ICD-10 Codes for Optometry Book and Express Mapping Card for reference. In addition, AOACodingToday.com provides all coding information an OD needs in a digital format, as well as a handy code lookup feature, Dr. Richman says.
His practice's EHR vendor advised office staff that it would be ready to roll out the latest version of the ICD-10 software sometime this year. In addition, "our claims clearinghouse has confirmed that they have completed testing, so now all we have to do is make sure that the payers are ready," Dr. Richman says. Members should check with their EHR vendor and claims clearinghouse.
Another Coding Expert, Doug Morrow, O.D., says his office has just begun training on ICD-10. In addition to the AOA codes and mapping card and using AOACodingToday.com, the office has looked to the AOA webinars.