CPT 101: An Introduction to Coding and Reimbursement

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Vol. 55; no. 10; p. S349
• Main Authors: Chang, Jason, MD, Barron-Seabrook, Sherry, MD, MS, Shain, Benjamin, MD, PhD, O'Keefe, Dorothy A., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore Elsevier Inc 01-10-2016; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Basic Skills; Charges; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Codes; Coding; Jargon; Knowledge; Lectures; Modeling (Psychology); Pediatrics; Psychiatrists; Psychiatry; Psychotherapy; Resistance (Psychology); Terminology; Trainees; Vignettes; Visits
• ISSN: 0890-8567; 1527-5418
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2016.07.085

Objectives: This session provides early career psychiatrists and trainees an introduction to the current procedural terminology coding system, so that they can begin to use it properly in their practices. (Attendees looking for more advanced coding instruction should look to other sessions available at the meeting, such as the Member Services Forum, or the Breakfast.) Methods: A general introduction to CPT coding will provide members with the knowledge necessary to understand and use CPT codes properly. The most basic concepts behind coding will be covered thoroughly. More complex coding issues are covered in other lectures at the meeting. Clinical vignettes will be used to teach coding strategies for evaluation and management codes, psychotherapy codes, and interactive complexity codes. Attendees will be encouraged to bring in their own vignettes for analysis. Members' questions and concerns will be addressed. Results: Participants will be active learners in the workshop and participate in practicing to determine level of care and the correct code for vignettes. They will be able to take the knowledge gained back to their practices and immediately apply it to their day-to-day billing of visits. Conclusions: Attendees will develop a basic foundation of knowledge for using the new codes to appropriately code visits, document the visits correctly, and bill properly for the services rendered.