Each year, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are added, revised and deleted. These code changes affect your daily practice, and staying abreast of these changes is critical. ASA closely monitors these revisions and updates coding resources each year by releasing new iterations of Relative Value Guide® (RVG™) and CROSSWALK®. ASA’s Director of Payment and Practice Management, Sharon Merrick, M.S., CCS-P, details the coding changes and how ASA’s products are favored among health care providers, billers and coders:
What are RVG and CROSSWALK, and in what formats are they available?
The RVG provides information you need for proper coding of anesthesia care. This is where you can learn about what is included in a base unit, how to determine anesthesia start/stop times, information on physical status and so much more. The CROSSWALK is the go-to source to guide you in selecting the anesthesia code most appropriate to each anesthetic performed. When more than one code might apply, it can guide you to the proper code. The 2019 editions of RVG and CROSSWALK are available in print and electronic files. The digital format makes the process more efficient and convenient because the data can be loaded into your billing system for fast and reliable search functionality.
Why does a practice need to use current versions of the RVG and CROSSWALK? What are the implications of using older versions?
Changes to a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure code could influence which anesthesia code most accurately describes associated anesthesia care. Being unaware of any such changes can result in improper payment, either an overpayment or an underpayment, and neither is good for your practice. The CROSSWALK Editorial Panel also reviews all the suggestions received from users over the course of the year, and that feedback can also result in changes to a CROSSWALK entry or to an RVG comment. Claims data is now being used for much more than payment for a specific service, so you want to be sure that your data accurately reflects your practice. The 2019 edition of the RVG will include changes on how the RVG addresses field avoidance and defines anesthesia time.
They come from ASA’s experts who understand the clinical and the coding aspects of anesthesia care. The RVG and CROSSWALK are recognized as reputable sources that you can count on. In fact, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the CROSSWALK! Its longevity demonstrates just how valuable it is to anesthesia practices.
When will the 2019 products be available?
We expect that they will be available in early/mid-December. Place your orders now so that you receive them as soon as they are available to ensure your practice is ready to go by January 1, 2019. ASA offers large-volume discounts for group practices, hospitals and academic institutions so there’s never been a better time to purchase RVG and CROSSWALK. They’re also available as a bundle.
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