Update from the Healthcare Economics Committee: Current issues in Coding and Reimbursement CMS Coding Update 2023 Only 2% cut in Medicare payment 8.5% Medicare cut averted with year-end legislation Telehealth extended through 2024 Current codes for provision of telehealth service will remain unchanged this year Update to E/M codes Change documentation requirements and use Medical Decision Making or Total Time the day of service to determine level of service When using total time and the time exceeds the highest-level code - a prolonged services code can be added Initial Inpatient/Observation codes (99221-3) *Note: observation visits to use these codes as all observation specific codes have been deleted Subsequent Inpatient/Observation codes (99231-3) Same day observation/discharge codes (99234-6) Inpatient consultation codes (99252-5) Outpatient consultation codes (99242-5) New abdominal wall hernia codes any method (open, laparoscopic, robotic) based on size, reducible/incarcerated and initial/recurrent The new codes have zero-day global period so all preop visits and postoperative visits are billable using outpatient or inpatient E/M visit codes Mesh placement is included in the new hernia codes If you are removing the mesh, there is a new code for removal All abdominal wall hernia types are included: epigastric, ventral, umbilical and parastomal Inguinal, femoral and lumbar hernias are excluded from this change Return to News Page