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Issue Focus: Timed and Untimed Treatment Codes
Treatment Tips | Breaking News | What's New on ASHA.org | Featured Question
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Welcome to Access SLP Health Care, ASHA's bimonthly e-newsletter that addresses the specific needs of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in health care. If you have not already subscribed, send a blank e-mail with the word "subscribe" in the subject line to: Access-SLPhealthcare-request@lists.asha.org. If you know colleagues who might enjoy this newsletter, please forward this e-mail.
Be a Part of the Access SLP Health Care Community!
Share Your Treatment Tips
Tell us what is working for you and improving the services you provide. Do you use an old tool in a new way? Have you streamlined your documentation? Are you able to manage cancellations and no-shows in your facility? Share what works for you with your colleagues!
Treatment Tip Submission Form
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Breaking News!
- Updated! ASHA Web Information on Swallowing and Feeding
Information has been reformatted and new pages on videofluoroscopy and endoscopy have been added.
- New and Improved! Speech, Language, and Swallowing Information for Consumers
ASHA has made improvements to the format and content of the public Web pages on speech, language, and swallowing development and disorders. Use this valuable resource with your clients and others looking for information about our services.
- Health Care Resources for State Associations
As part of the Focused Initiative on Personnel Issues in Health Care and Education, ASHA offered web information to state associations. So far, Alabama, Florida, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina have added this content to their sites. Contact healthservices@asha.org for more information.
- Cultural Competence Corner
The Joint Commission has compiled a variety of resources on working with culturally diverse populations on their Hospital, Language, and Culture Web site. These resources include a link to ASHA's Diversity Caseload Calculator.
- Responsibilities of Individuals Who Mentor Clinical Fellows
This Issues in Ethics statement replaces the previous version, "Clinical Fellowship Supervisor's Responsibilities" (2004).
- New Resource for Home Care
The Home Health Quality Improvement National Campaign is developing monthly intervention packets designed for use by all home care practitioners. Of particular relevance to SLPs – the Medication Management Packet: Therapy Track [PDF, 1.4MB].
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Did You Know About ASHA's Online Journals?
All four ASHA journals are now published online as well as in print, including an extensive archive of past issues to 1980. All ASHA members can access content from any of the four journals and take advantage of special features offered by our new hosting partner, HighWire Press.
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Featured Question - Timed and Untimed Treatment Codes
I understand that many of the common SLP treatment codes are not based on time, but are billed per session. What is being done to convert these into 15-minute unit codes?
Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes commonly used by SLPs include 92506 (speech-language evaluation), 92507 (speech-language treatment), 92610 (swallowing evaluation), and 92526 (swallowing treatment). The descriptors for these codes have never designated an amount of time; they therefore represent a typical session. This means that they are billed once per session, regardless of the length of that session. This is different than many physical or occupational therapy treatment codes that are billed per 15-minute unit (e.g., the code is billed twice for 30 minutes of treatment or three times for 45 minutes).
ASHA had requested that the treatment codes be in 15 minute segments but this was rejected by the CPT Editorial Panel a number of years ago. The ASHA Health Care Economics Committee continues to review the need for timed treatment codes but must wait until Medicare determines if speech-language pathologists are eligible for professional work rather than valuing the services as technical in nature. If SLPs were granted supplier status and were allowed to bill Medicare directly, it would be easier to make this a reality. Take action now!
Some payers have allowed SLPs to bill these untimed codes more than once, as if they were timed. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) however, it is mandated that CPT codes and their descriptors be used for billing, which has led some payers to examine these descriptors and limit billing to once per session consistent with the CPT code book. In some cases payers are even demanding repayment for services they now see as incorrectly billed.
For more details about this complicated issue of timed and untimed codes, see:
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Announcements
Meet with Your Federal Legislators in August and Earn CEUs
Make your summer a memorable one by visiting your federal legislators locally during their August recess period to advocate on SLP supplier status. Face-to-face meetings with members of Congress are the best way to change public policy. ASHA will provide you with all the information you need to facilitate a successful meeting. Participation in the seminar along with local district office visits qualify for ASHA CEUs.
Attention Special Interest Division Affiliates!
Perspectives is Going GREEN to Save Some GREEN in 2008
In 2008, Special Interest Division member publications, Perspectives, will be published online only. The Divisions are going to this new format:
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To save some GREEN. Increases in content and frequency of publication coupled with increasing postage costs have put a strain on Division budgets. Publishing online only will free up resources that can be allocated to other Division programs and member benefits.
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To be more GREEN. Online publishing is a positive step environmentally; it saves resources (paper, energy) associated with publishing hardcopy.
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To respond to affiliates' interests in accessing content online.
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To provide new benefits (e.g., archived issues).
Get Discovered!
Sign Up For ProSearch - ASHA's Free Referral Service
Want to meet your patient needs more effectively? ProSearch, ASHA's online directory of audiology and speech-language pathology programs, helps consumers find quality services from more than 10,000 programs that employ ASHA-certified SLPs and audiologists.
Nominations for the Robert L. Moody Prize for Distinguished Initiatives in Brain Injury Research and Rehabilitation are now being accepted. The purpose is to recognize and honor individuals or groups whose efforts have made significant contributions toward advancing clinical research related to disorders of the brain; to develop improved treatment and rehabilitation procedures; and to increase awareness for the need for rehabilitation of individuals following brain injury. Nominations are due November 15. The prize includes a $10,000 honorarium.
Be an Ambassador for the Professions!
Recruitment materials are available for career fairs and presentations.
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Watch for the next issue of Access SLP Health Care in September 2007.
ASHA Research (a Member benefit) | ASHA Journals | Coding & Reimbursement (a Member benefit) | SLPs in Health Care (a Member benefit) | Office of Multicultural Affairs | Special Interest Divisions
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