From the College, Author at The Rheumatologist

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Rheumatology Coding Answer: Level 3 Established Patient Evaluation and Management Office Visit

From the College | August 10, 2016

Take the challenge. CPT: 99213 Diagnosis Codes: M05.79, M17.12, Z79.1, Z79.899 Rationale to code this encounter as 99213: History—The history of present illness was extended. The review of systems was comprehensive, and two of the three past, family and social history were documented. This makes the history level comprehensive. Eight systems were examined. This makes…

The ACR’s Advocacy at State Legislature Level in 2016 Focuses on Biosimilars, Step Therapy

From the College | August 10, 2016

A majority of state legislatures have concluded their work for 2016. The ACR’s state advocacy efforts continued to focus on policy benefiting rheumatologists and patients alike. The two dominant issues this year were biosimilar substitution and step therapy. Biosimilar Substitution Biosimilar substitution remains the most prevalent issue throughout the states. The ACR continues to monitor…

Rheumatology Coding Question: Level 3 Established Patient Evaluation and Management Office Visit

From the College | August 10, 2016

Level 3 Established Patient E&M Visit A 43-year-old patient is seen in the office for a follow-up visit of her RF-positive rheumatoid arthritis and primary osteoarthritis of the left knee. The patient is on sulindac, methotrexate and folic acid. At her last visit, the patient’s methotrexate dose was increased, which has greatly reduced her pain….

Rheumatology Research Foundation Helps Train Tomorrow’s Top Doctors

From the College | August 10, 2016

A passion to improve the clinical reasoning skills of future doctors led Maria Dall’Era, MD, associate professor of medicine and director of the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Lupus Clinic, to create a revolutionary application for smartphones and tablets that could modernize medical education. With funding from the Rheumatology Research Foundation’s Clinician Scholar Educator…

ACR Advocacy at the State Level in 2016

From the College | July 18, 2016

Rheumatology Coding Corner Answer: Physical Examination with Infliximab Infusion

From the College | July 14, 2016

Take the challenge. CPT: 99214-25, 96413, 96415 x 1, J1745 x 35 ICD-10: M07.68, K51.80 Billing Overview It is appropriate to bill for an E/M visit for this day of service along with the infusion procedure. Modifier 25 should be appended to the E/M, indicating that the patient received a significant, separately identifiable E/M service…

Rheumatology Coding Corner Question: Physical Examination with Infliximab Infusion

From the College | July 14, 2016

A 12-year-old male established patient with inflammatory bowel disease with associated juvenile spondyloarthropathy returns to the office for a follow-up visit for his infliximab infusion. The patient reports moderate pain in his right hip after walking for extended periods of time or after sports activities. He denies any other joint pain and denies any joint…

Medicare Sets Standards for Overpayments Received by Physicians, Healthcare Providers

From the College | July 11, 2016

In February 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the final rule on Medicare Reporting and Returning of Self-Identified Overpayments. This final rule from CMS has now established official policy for timely reporting and returning of Medicare overpayments received by healthcare providers, with a goal to provide clear requirements for reporting and…

Rheumatology Fellow Faces Dilemma over Choice to Specialize or Generalize

From the College | July 11, 2016

Half a century ago, Konrad Lorenz, the pioneering animal behavior expert, wrote that “Philosophers are people who know less and less about more and more, until they know nothing about everything. Scientists are people who know more and more about less and less, until they know everything about nothing.” As I start the last year…

Rheumatology Research Foundation Awards Nearly 85 Education, Training and Research Grants

From the College | July 11, 2016

The Rheumatology Research Foundation recently announced that it has awarded grants to 85 rheumatology trainees and professionals. The recipients, who range from medical students and residents to experienced investigators and rheumatologists, will receive funding for essential education and training, as well as innovative research projects. Their applications, which were submitted last year, were closely examined…