Ala. Admin. Code r. 560-X-6-.14

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 10, July 31, 2024

Section 560-X-6-.14 - Limitations On Services

(1) Within each calendar year each recipient is limited to no more than a total of 14 physician office visits in offices, hospital outpatient settings, nursing homes, or Federally Qualified Health Centers. Visits counted under this quota will include, but not be limited to, visits for: prenatal care, postnatal care, family planning, second opinions, consultations, referrals, psychotherapy (individual, family, or group), for ESRD services not covered by the monthly capitation payment, and care by ophthalmologists for eye disease. Physician visits provided in a hospital outpatient setting that have been certified as an emergency do not count against the annual office visit limit.

(a) If a patient receives ancillary services in a doctor's office, by the physician or under his/her direct supervision, and the doctor submits a claim only for the ancillary services but not for the office visit, then the services provided will not be counted as a visit.

(b) For further information regarding outpatient maintenance dialysis and ESRD, refer to 560-X-6-.19 and Chapter 24.

(c) New patient office visit codes shall not be paid to the same physician or the same physician group practice for a recipient more than once in a three-year period.

(2) Physician services to hospital inpatients. In addition to the office visits referred to in paragraph (1) above, Medicaid covers up to 16 inpatient dates of service per physician, per recipient, per calendar year. For purposes of this limitation, each specialty within a group or partnership is considered a single provider.

(a) Physician hospital visits are limited to one visit per day, per recipient, per provider.

(b) Physician(s) may bill for inpatient professional interpretation(s) when that interpretation serves as the official and final report documented in the patient's medical record. Professional interpretation may be billed in addition to a hospital visit if the rounding physician also is responsible for the documentation of the final report for the procedure in the patient's medical record. Professional interpretation may not be billed in addition to hospital visits if the provider reviews results in the medical record or unofficially interprets medical, laboratory, or radiology tests. Review and interpretation of such tests and results are included in the evaluation and management of the inpatient. Medicaid will cover either one hospital visit or professional interpretation(s) up to the allowed benefit limit for most services. Refer to the Alabama Medicaid Provider Manual for additional guidelines.

(c) Professional interpretations for lab and x-ray (CPT code 70000 through 80000 services) in the inpatient setting should be billed only by the specialist responsible for the official medical record report of interpretation. Professional interpretations performed by physicians of other specialties for services in this procedure code range are included in the hospital visit reimbursement.

(d) Professional interpretations for lab and x-ray services performed in an outpatient setting are considered part of the evaluation and management service and may not be billed in addition to the visit. Professional interpretations may be billed separately only by the specialist responsible for the official medical record report of interpretation. Only one professional interpretation per x-ray will be paid. Claims paid in error will be recouped.

(e) Professional interpretations for lab and x-ray services performed in an office setting are included in the global fee and should not be billed separately.

(f) A physician hospital visit and hospital discharge shall not be paid to the same physician on the same day. If both are billed, only the discharge shall be paid.

(3) Eyecare: Refer to Chapter Seventeen of this Code.

(4) Orthoptics: Orthoptics may be prior authorized by the Alabama Medicaid Agency when medically necessary.

(5) Telemedicine: Telemedicine services are covered for limited specialties and under special circumstances. Refer to the Alabama Medicaid Provider Manual, Chapter 28 for details on coverage.

(6) Telephone consultations: Telephone consultations are not authorized.

(7) Prior authorized services: These are subject to all limitations of the Alabama Medicaid Agency Program.

(8) Post surgical benefits: See Rule No. 560-X-6-.13.

(9) Surgery: When multiple and/or bilateral procedures are billed in conjunction with one another and meet the CPT's definition of "Format of Terminology" (bundled or subset), and/or comprehensive/component (bundled) codes, then the procedure with the highest allowed amount will be paid while the procedure with the lesser allowed amount will not be considered for payment as the procedure is considered an integral part of the covered service.

(a) Operating microscope procedure coverage is limited. For details on coverage, refer to the Physician Chapter of the Alabama Medicaid Provider Manual.

(b) Mutually exclusive procedures are defined as those codes that cannot reasonably be performed in the same session and are considered not separately allowable or reimbursable. An example of this would be an abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy billed for the same recipient on the same date of service.

(c) Incidental procedures are defined as those codes which are commonly carried out as integral parts of a total service and as such do not warrant a separate charge. An example of this would be lysis of adhesions during the same session as an abdominal surgery.

(d) Casting and strapping codes as defined in the CPT and billed in conjunction with related surgical procedure codes are considered not separately allowable or reimbursable as the fracture repair or surgical code is inclusive of these services.

(e) Laparotomy Codes are covered when the laparotomy is the only surgical procedure during an operative session or when performed with an unrelated surgical procedure.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 560-X-6-.14

Rule effective October 1, 1982. Amended effective July 8, 1983; February 8, 1984; October 9, 1984; January 8, 1985; March 11, 1985; June 8, 1985; September 9, 1985. Emergency rule effective December 1, 1986. Amended effective March 12, 1987; July 10, 1987; January 12, 1990; December 12, 1990. Emergency rule effective January 1, 1992. Amended effective April 14, 1992. Amended: Filed February 7, 1994; effective March 15, 1994. Amended: Filed December 7, 1994; effective January 12, 1995. Amended: Filed November 6, 2000; effective December 11, 2000. Amended: Filed May 10, 2002; effective June 14, 2002. Amended: Filed April 11, 2003; effective May 16, 2003. Amended: Filed July 14, 2003; effective August 18, 2003. Amended: Filed March 12, 2003; effective April 16, 2004. Amended: Filed June 11, 2004; effective July 16, 2004. Amended: Filed October 12, 2004; effective November 16, 2004. Amended: Filed February 10, 2005; effective March 17, 2005. Amended: Filed January 11, 2010; effective February 15, 2010. Amended: Filed December 12, 2011, effective January 16, 2012.

Author: Teresa Thomas, Program Manager, EPSDT/Related Svcs

Statutory Authority: Title XIX, Social Security Act; 42 C.F.R. §§ 441.56, 441.57, 401, etseq.; State Plan.