April 2008 Update of Hospital
Outpatient Prospective Payment
System (HOPPS)
CMS has issued Transmittal 1487 that contains numerous
updates to HOPPS. It is effective April 1, 2008.
Among the updates is an item regarding Correct Reporting of
Units for Drugs. Providers are reminded to ensure that the units
of drugs administered to patients are accurately reported per
the dosage specified in the full HCPCS code descriptor. For 2008,
CMS implemented edits that will reject a claim for most
nuclear medicine procedures if the claim lacks a code for a
radiopharmaceutical.
CMS has Revised Long and Short HCPCS Code Descriptors for
Echocardiography Services. To ensure appropriate reporting of
the services, CMS has revised the short and long descriptors
for C8921 through C8928 to reflect those services that either
use contrast or are performed without contrast followed by
contrast use. In addition, hospitals are reminded to bill for
echocardiograms without contrast in accordance with the CPT
code descriptors and guidelines associated with the applicable
Level I CPT code(s) 93303-93350.
For more information on the April 2008 HOPPS Update, please
visit: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/transmittals |