CMS Releases Codes for 2017 Global Surgery Data Collection

January 10, 2017

Beginning on July 1, 2017, practitioners in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, and Rhode Island are required to report on post-operative visits furnished to Medicare Part B patients and associated with a specific list of CPT services. This requirement was finalized in the 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule in November 2016. In early January, CMS posted the list of codes for which reporting on post-operative visits is required. This list can be downloaded on the CMS website and includes procedures that are furnished by more than 100 practitioners and are either nationally furnished more than 10,000 times annually or have more than $10 million in annual allowed charges. 

To decrease burden, CMS has exempted practitioners in practices with fewer than 10 practitioners. Members should note that there are a limited number of PM&R-relevant codes on the list for required reporting. Examples of PM&R-relevant codes include codes for percutaneous vertebral augmentation, codes for certain percutaneous implantation of neurostimulator electrode array, and certain codes for destruction by neurolytic agent. Members practicing in the above mentioned states are encouraged to review the code list in detail to determine whether or not reporting will be required.