Federal approval of the Pfizer vaccine, believed to be better than 90 percent effective, could occur before the end of the month.
When the long-awaited and much-anticipated COVID-19 vaccine becomes available in the U.S., a development that could take place before the end of the year, a set of new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) codes for documenting it will be ready and waiting, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced this week.
“These CPT codes are unique for each of two coronavirus vaccines, as well as administration codes unique to each such vaccine,” the AMA said in a writeup published on its website. “The new CPT codes clinically distinguish each coronavirus vaccine for better tracking, reporting, and analysis that supports data-driven planning and allocation.”
The announcement also cited an additional new code created “to describe the additional supplies and clinical staff time required to mitigate transmission of respiratory infectious disease while providing evaluation, treatment, or procedural services during a public health emergency (PHE).”
The announcement coincided with the recent news that the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer’s vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90 percent effective, surpassing expectations. The company reportedly could receive emergency authorization for the vaccine from the Food and Drug Administration before the end of the month, meaning millions of Americans could receive it before 2021 begins – to be followed by tens of millions more throughout next year.
“But Pfizer – like other manufacturers that may soon be authorized to roll out their vaccines – does not fully control its own destiny,” the New York Times reported this week. “The effort will hinge on a collaboration among a network of companies, federal and state agencies, and on-the-ground health workers in the midst of a pandemic that is spreading faster than ever through the United States.”
Along with the announcement, AMA also listed descriptions of the new COVID-centric codes already in use, since the advent of the global pandemic earlier this year:
For more information, and to access an Excel file the AMA says it will update as new codes enter use, go online to https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/cpt/covid-19-cpt-coding-and-guidance.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has sickened more than 53 million people worldwide, killing an estimated 1.3 million. The United States accounts for nearly 11 million cases and 250,000 deaths alone. A recent nationwide spike in new cases has seen daily totals climb from highs of 75,000 during an initial spike this summer double to more than 150,000 in recent days.
Today we will finish up our look at pain coding, specifically acute pain, chronic pain, and neoplasm-related pain issues. G89.1 is our subcategory for acute
A recent executive order from President Donald J. Trump has introduced potential shifts in healthcare policy, raising questions about insurance coverage, medical coding, and compliance
Please log in to your account to comment on this article.
Physician queries are essential for accurate documentation and claims data, but they are increasingly scrutinized by payors, leading to denials and revenue leakage. This webcast, led by industry expert Cheryl Ericson, RN, MS, CCDS, CDIP, provides actionable strategies to craft compliant queries, reduce denials, and enhance revenue integrity. Attendees will gain insights into clinical validation queries, how to avoid common pitfalls, and learn best practices to defend against query denials. Don’t miss this opportunity to refine your query process and protect your organization’s financial health.
Master the complexities of heart failure coding with this expert-led webcast by Emily Montemayor, CCS, CMBCS, COC, CPC, CPMA. Discover strategies to ensure compliance with ICD-10-CM guidelines, documentation integrity, and capture comorbidities like CKD and hypertension. Learn how to resolve coding challenges, improve documentation practices, and submit clean claims to minimize denials and safeguard your organization’s financial health. With practical insights and real-world examples, this session equips you to prevent revenue leakage, enhance compliance, and secure optimal reimbursement—all while supporting better patient outcomes.
Prepare your organization for the 2025 OPPS updates with expert insights from Tiffani Bouchard, CCS, CRCR, a Revenue Integrity Professional with over 30 years of experience. This webcast will address critical challenges in charge capture and coding, providing clarity on APC policies, C-APC packaging, exclusions, and payer-specific requirements. Attendees will learn actionable strategies to ensure compliance, optimize reimbursement, and mitigate risks of claim denials. Gain the knowledge needed to implement updates effectively, educate your team, and maintain seamless revenue cycle operations in the face of evolving OPPS complexities.
Join Beth Wolf, MD, CPC, CCDS, for an in-depth webcast on the FY2025 spinal fusion MS-DRG updates. Discover key changes in DRG classification, understand impacts on documentation and CMI, and learn strategies to ensure compliance.
Dr. Ronald Hirsch dives into the basics of Medicare for clinicians to be successful as utilization review professionals. He’ll break down what Medicare does and doesn’t pay for, what services it provides and how hospitals get paid for providing those services – including both inpatient and outpatient. Learn how claims are prepared and how much patients must pay for their care. By attending our webcast, you will gain a new understanding of these issues and be better equipped to talk to patients, to their medical staff, and to their administrative team.
Hospitals face growing challenges in measuring observation metrics due to inconsistencies in classification, payer policies, and benchmarking practices. Join Tiffany Ferguson, LMSW, CMAC, ACM, and Anuja Mohla, DO, FACP, MBA, ACPA-C, CHCQM-PHYADV as they provide critical insights into refining observation metrics. This webcast will address key issues affecting observation data integrity and offer strategies for improving consistency in reporting. You will learn how to define meaningful metrics, clarify commonly misinterpreted terms, and apply best practices for benchmarking, and gain actionable strategies to enhance observation data reliability, mitigate financial risk, and drive better decision-making.
The 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule brings significant changes to payment rates, coverage, and coding for physician services, impacting practices nationwide. Join Stanley Nachimson, MS., as he provides a comprehensive guide to understanding these updates, offering actionable insights on new Medicare-covered services, revised coding rules, and payment policies effective January 1. Learn how to adapt your practices to maintain compliance, maximize reimbursement, and plan for revenue in 2025. Whether you’re a physician, coder, or financial staff member, this session equips you with the tools to navigate Medicare’s evolving requirements confidently and efficiently.
Dr. Ronald Hirsch provides critical details on the new Medicare Appeal Process for Status Changes for patients whose status changes during their hospital stay. He also delves into other scenarios of hospital patients receiving custodial care or medically unnecessary services where patient notifications may be needed along with the processes necessary to ensure compliance with state and federal guidance.
Copyright © 2025 ICD10monitor. Powered by MedLearn Media.
Prepare for the 2025 CMS IPPS Final Rule with ICD10monitor’s IPPSPalooza! Click HERE to learn more
Get 15% OFF on all educational webcasts at ICD10monitor with code JULYFOURTH24 until July 4, 2024—start learning today!
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 2 with code CYBER24
