When a patient denies a required element of the Welcome to Medicare visit (such as visual acuity) can this still be billed if the physician documents in the note that the patient refused the test?
Visual acuity is not a required element anyway, but yes, I would absolutely give them credit for anything they attempted and documented that the patient refused.
Sorry - I misspoke, I was thinking of AWV and not the IPPE (yes visual acuity is a required element for this one), but my answer remains the same. If provider attempted to perform the visual acuity test and patient refused and this is well-documented I'm sure that us acceptable.
I apologize. I was confused what you were asking. Yes - the IPPE requires the physician do it - but the IPPE does not stipulate HOW it's done. Did the patient decline to have a test requiring a specific device? That doesn't negate the physician performing "■ Visual acuity screen" by asking the patient if they can see this or that or if they're having any visual problems. That's a screen in itself. Did your doctor do that? If so and the patient declines visual problems - the doc did a screen in the same way as asking a patient about alcohol use is a screen and asking them questions about depression is a screen as well.
I thought you were asking if the AWV requires it.
If your doctor did not detect any visual acuity problems in talking to the patient, looking at the patient and watching the patient walk out of the office without tripping over furniture - then I don't see a problem in billing the IPPE myself - but that is only my opinion and I'm not an employee of the CMS and can barely spell CMS.
Comments
Don
Don Self & Associates, Inc
305 Senter Ave, Whitehouse, TX 75791
903 871-1172 fax 480-247-5650
donself@donself.com web: www.donself.com
free webinars at www.donself.com
I thought you were asking if the AWV requires it.
If your doctor did not detect any visual acuity problems in talking to the patient, looking at the patient and watching the patient walk out of the office without tripping over furniture - then I don't see a problem in billing the IPPE myself - but that is only my opinion and I'm not an employee of the CMS and can barely spell CMS.
Don
Don Self & Associates, Inc
305 Senter Ave, Whitehouse, TX 75791
903 871-1172 fax 480-247-5650
donself@donself.com web: www.donself.com
free webinars at www.donself.com