What are Payment Policies

Blue KC has developed Provider Payment Policies to provide guidance on payment methodologies as they pertain to submitted claims. These policies are written following industry standard recommendations from sources such as:

  • Current Procedural Terminology
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
  • American Medical Association
  • National Correct Coding Initiative
  • Other professional organizations and societies

Coverage of any service is determined by date of service, a member's eligibility and benefit limits for the service or services rendered, all terms of the Provider Service Agreement, and other standards of coding rules and guidelines. Final payment is subject to the application of claims adjudication and edits common to the industry. For confirmation of which services may be eligible for coverage and description of when medical services are considered medically necessary, not medically necessary or investigational. In the event of a conflict between any policies, the Member's coverage document will govern.

New Payment Policies (published within last 30 days)

Blue KC has recently made changes to the following payment policies.

Modifier AS Assistant Surgeon
Post FDA Approved Pharmaceutical products, Medical Therapies, and Devices
Esketamine (SPRAVATO)
Bilateral Procedures bilateral,indicator,modifier,descriptor,reimbursement,left,right,allowable,procedure
30 Day Readmissions admission,subsequent,readmission,criteria,related,hospital,related
2023 CPT Evaluation and Management Guidelines observation,deletion,revision,hospital,office,inpatient,G0378,G0379,88221,99222,99223,99231,99232,99233,99238,99239,99234,99235,99236,99242,99243,99244,99245,99251,99252,99253,99254,99255,99202,99203,99204,99205,99212,99213,99214,99215
IOP, PHP, and Inpatient Treatment Services for Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Care treatment,psychiatric,evauation,multidisciplinary,intensive,outpatient,h0015,s0201,h0035,h0018,h0010,90853,g0410,90791,90792,99484,therapy,group,inpatient,residential,psychiatrist,psycho,logist,facility,intervention
Organ Acquisition Costs transplant,organ,acquisition,facility

Updated Payment Policies (updated within last 30 days)

Blue KC has recently made changes to the following payment policies.
Critical Care Services critical,illness,injury,deterioration,time,life-threatening,organ-failure,99291,99292
Emergency Care emergency,ED,99281,99282,99283,99284,99285,G0380,G0381,G0382,G0383,G0384
Prolonged Service and Visit Complexity prolonged,99354,99355,99356,99357,99358,99359,99417
Revenue Codes Requiring HCPCS Codes

All Provider Payment and Coding Policies

List of all Payment and Coding Policies (A-Z).

30 Day Readmissions admission,subsequent,readmission,criteria,related,hospital,related
2023 CPT Evaluation and Management Guidelines observation,deletion,revision,hospital,office,inpatient,G0378,G0379,88221,99222,99223,99231,99232,99233,99238,99239,99234,99235,99236,99242,99243,99244,99245,99251,99252,99253,99254,99255,99202,99203,99204,99205,99212,99213,99214,99215
Advance Care Planning Planning,advanced,directive,will,99497,99498,proxy,attorney,
Advanced Practice Provider Billing Advanced,Nurse,Midwives,asistants,anesthesia,CRNA,APRN,PA
Allergy Testing and Immunotherapy allergy,allergic,reaction,immunotherapy,95004,95012,95017,95018,95024,95027,95028,95044,95052,95056,95060,95065,95071,95076,95079
Ambulatory Continuous Glucose Monitoring glucose,blood,sugar,CGM,95249,95250,95251,sensor,diabetes,99091,monitoring
Anesthesia Processing anesthesia,epidural,sedation,PCA,01960,01961,01967,01969,01968,01996,31500,36563,36557,36558,36560,36561,36565,36566,36570,36571,36575,36576,36578,36581,36582,36583,36584,36585,36589,36590,62350,62351,62360,62361,62362,94002,94003,94004,ventilator,
APN ARNP and CRNA APN,APRN,CRNA,nurse,anesthetists,advanced,registered
Bariatrics and B12 Injections Bariatrics, bariatric,B12,holotranscolbalamin,methylmalonic,screening,global,post-operative,90,vitamni,injectino,J3420,96372,43775,43770,43645,43644,43847,43842,43843,43845,43846
Bilateral Procedures bilateral,indicator,modifier,descriptor,reimbursement,left,right,allowable,procedure
Cardiac Rehabilitation rehabilitation, cardiac,assessment,93797,93798,G0422.G0423,exercise,modification,heart
Chiropractic and Osteopathic Manipulative Services chiropractic,manipulation,manipulative,spinal,muskuloskeletal,extraspinal,therapeutic,98940,98941,98942,98943,98925,98926,98927,98928,98929,97110,97012
Cloning of Documentation cloning,copy,paste,cut,template,default,cloned
COVID 19 Billing and Coding COVID,19,Vaccine,Pfizer,Moderna,Jansen,booster,coronavirus,91300,91305,91307,91301,91306,91303,0001A,0051A,0071A,0011A,0031A,0002A,0052A,0072A,0012A,0003A,0053A,0013A,0004A,0054A,0064A,0034A,86328,86413,86769,87426,87635,U0001,U0002,U0003,U0004,U0005,guidelines,symptoms,suspected,exposure,testing,99072,S8031,99211,G2023,G2024,99000,99001,SARSCoV,CDC,AMA
CPAP Durable Medical Equipment CPAP,DME,equipment,sleep,apnea,hypercapnia,breathing,hypoventilation,obstructive,A4604,A7027,A7028,A7029,A7030,A7031,A7032,A7033,A7034,A7035,A7036,A7037,A7038,A7039,A7046,E0562,E0601,E1390,E0470,E0471,E0472,rented,pressure
Critical Care Services critical,illness,injury,deterioration,time,life-threatening,organ-failure,99291,99292
Cryosurgery for Benign Lesions cryosurgery,cryo,acne,warts,dermatofibroma,hemangioma,keloid,molluscum,contagiosum,myxoid,cyst,pyogenic,granuloma,sebborrheic,keratoses,skin,tags,actinic,lesion,benign
Dental Services and Procedures dental,dentist,pedodontists,orthodontists,peridontists,endodontists,prosthodontists,ADA,CDT
Durable Medical Equipment durable,equipment,DME,supplies,HCPCS,rental,
Echocardiography Echo,sonogram,heart,doppler,ultrasound,transthoracic,-,transesophageal,transcatheter,93303,93304,93306,93307,93308,93312,93313,93314,93315,93316,93317,93318,93320,93321,93325,93350,93351,93352,93355,A9700,C1759,C8921,C9822,C8923,C8924,C8925,C8926,C8927,C8928,C8929,C8930
Electroencephalogram (EEG) Video Monitoring electroencephalogram, eeg,diagnostic,epilepsy,seizures,data,monitoring,veeg,video,intractable,anticonvulsant
Emergency Care emergency,ED,99281,99282,99283,99284,99285,G0380,G0381,G0382,G0383,G0384
Esketamine (SPRAVATO)
Excision and Biopsy of Benign and Malignant Lesions lesions,benign,malignant,excision,skin,margins,11600,11601,11602,11603,11604,11606,11620,11621,11622,11623,11624,11626,11640,11641,11642,11644,11646,11400,11401,11402,11043,11404,11406,11420,11421,11422,11423,11424,11426,11440,11441,11442,11443,11444,11446,11450,11451,1462,11463,11470,11471
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation extracorporeal,oxygenation,membrane,ECMO,ECLS,33946,33947,33948,33949,33951,33952,33953,33954,33955,33956,33957,33958,33959,33962,33963,33964,33965,33966,33969,33984,33985,33986,33987,33988,33989
Facility Routine Supplies and Services facility,supplies,equipment,materials,supplements,remedies
Gastrointestinal Endoscopies and Related Services gastrointestinal,endoscopy,colonoscopy,screening,colorectal,polyp,preventive,biopsy,diagnostic,45378,45380,43232,43202,43216,43217,45385,polyp,flexible,tumor,mass,lesion
General Coding and Billing coding,billing,CPT,HCPCS,ICD-10
Global Surgical surgery,global,pre-operative,post-operative,-54,-55,-56,-57,99024,surgical
Health Behavior Assessment and Intervention behavior,assessment,intervention,96156,96158,96159,96164,96165,96167,96168,96170,96171
Hemodialysis Services hemodialysis,renal,end,stage,esrd,dialyzing,cycle,90935,90937,90951,90952,90953,90954,90955,90956,90957,90958,90959,90960,90961,90962,90967,90968,90969,90970,90999,professional,facility,urea,reduction,ratio,frequency,cg,kx,g1,g2.g3,g4,g5,g6,kx
Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation hypoglossal,apnea,sleep,obstructive,0466T,64568,61886,61888,64569,64570,0467T,0468T,95970,95976,95977
ICD-10 Manifestation and Sequela Diagnosis Codes manifestation,diagnosis,icd10,underlying,disease,primary,disease,principle
IOP, PHP, and Inpatient Treatment Services for Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Care treatment,psychiatric,evauation,multidisciplinary,intensive,outpatient,h0015,s0201,h0035,h0018,h0010,90853,g0410,90791,90792,99484,therapy,group,inpatient,residential,psychiatrist,psycho,logist,facility,intervention
Immunizations-Vaccines immunization,vaccine,component, antigen,conjugates,adjuvants,90460,90461,99071,90472,9473,90474,toxoid
Implants - Inpatient Facility Implants, Inpatient, Facility, inserted, material, tissue, implantable, durable, medical, equipment
Increased Procedural Service (Modifier 22) modifier,22,increased,greater,difficult,additional,effort
JW Modifier jw,modifier,drug,waste,wastage,vial,single,biological,discarded,dosage,administered,unused,dose
Knee Orthotics knee,orthotic,braces,injury,sprain,prefabricated,custom,osteoarthritis,L1834,L1840,L1844,L1846,L1860,L2320,L2330,L2755L2800,L2961,L1810,L1812,L1820,L1832,L1833,L1834,L1844,L1845,L1846,L1847,L1848,L1850,L1851,L1852,L1860,
Maternity Services Maternity, Obstetrical, Antepartum, fetal, Delivery, Pregnancy, Gestation, Cesarean, Vaginal, Birth, VBAC, Postpartum, Newborn, Umbilical, 59400, 59409, 59410, 59412, 59414, 59425, 59426, 59530, 59510, 59514, 59515, 59610, 59612, 59614, 59618, 59620, 59622, 59899, 99460, 99461, 99462, 99463, 99464, 99465, 99477, 99478, 99479, 99480
Modifiers Modifiers
Modifier AS Assistant Surgeon Modifiers
MOHs Micrographic Surgery MOHS, Micrographic, Carcinoma, Dermatofibrosarcoma, Melanoma, malignant, Squamous, Cell, histiocytoma, microcystic, Sebaceous, 17311, 17312, 17313, 17314, 17315
Multiple Surgery Reduction Multiple, Reduction, Bilateral
National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) ncci,guidelines,edit,mue,addon,exclusive,extensive,standards,separate,rationale
Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) wound, negative,ulcer,delayed,npwt,diabetic,surgical,traumatic.pressure,therapy,E2402,A6550,A7000,A7001,K0743,K0744,K0745,K0746,97605,97606
Newborn and Neonatal Critical and Intensive Care Services Newborn, Neonatal, NICU, Intensive, Care, Critical 99460, 99462, 99463, 99464, 99465, 99477, 99478, 99479, 99480, 99468, 99469, 31500, 36000, 36400, 36405, 36406, 36410, 36415, 36420, 36600, 36430, 36440, 36510, 36555, 36591, 36660, 43752, 43753, 51100, 51701, 51702, 71045, 71046, 62270, 92953, 93561, 93562, 94002, 94004, 94375, 94610, 94660, 94662, 94760, 94761, 94762, 94780, 949781
Office Facility Fees Office, Facility, Fees, Place, Service, Clinic, Equipment, E/M
Organ Acquisition Costs transplant,organ,acquisition,facility
Pass Through Billing pass,billing
Physician Fee Schedule Status Indicator Policy physician,fee,schedule,indicator,medicare,status,bundled,active,excluded,valid,invalid,measurement,noncovered,restricted,statutory,exclusion,cms
Post FDA Approved Pharmaceutical products, Medical Therapies, and Devices
Post Service Claim Review review,post-service,claim,reimbursed,fraud,waste,abuse,documentation
Preventive Medicine Services preventive,medicine,evaluate,health,screening,99381,99382,99383,99384,99385,99386,99387,99391,99392,99393,99394,99395,99396,99397
Prolonged Service and Visit Complexity prolonged,99354,99355,99356,99357,99358,99359,99417
Proton Beam Therapy Proton,beam,therapy,treatment,delivery,photon,77520,77522,77523,77525
Revenue Codes Requiring HCPCS Codes
Risk Adjustment and Acute Inpatient Diagnosis oig,risk,adjustment,acute,diagnosis,resolved,outpatient,history,inspector,general,conditions
Robotics in Surgery robot,robotic,surgery,s2900,surgical,procedure
SBRT, SRS, FSRT SBRT,SRS,FSRT,radiotherapy,radiation,therapy,sterotactic,treatment,77470,77370,77300,77331,77293,77014,77301,77338,77371,77372,77373,77336,77401,OART,orthovoltage,evicore
Serious Adverse Events, formerly Never Events never,events
Status Indicator B Codes bundled,indicator,status,A4262,A4263,A4300,A4550,G0269,G0501,Q3031,R0076,0573T,0538T,0539T,15850,20930,20936,22841,34839,36000,36416,38204,90885,90887,90889,92352,92353,92354,92355,92358,92371,92531,92532,92533,92534,92605,92606,92618,92921,92925,92929,92934,92938,92944,93740,93770,94005,94150,96040,96902,97010,97602,98960,98961,98962,99000,99001,99002,99024,99050,99051,99053,99056,99058,99060,99070,99072,99071,99078,99080,99100,99116,99135,99140,99288,99339,99340,99366,99367,99368,99374,99377,99379,99380,99485,99486
Telehealth telehealth,interactive,video,telecommunication
Therapeutic, Prophylactic, and Diagnostic Injections and Infusions injection,infusions,prophylactic,therapeutic,diagnostic,86365,96366,96367,96368,96369,96370,96371,96372,96373,96374,96375,96376,96377,96379,A4211,G0260,G0429,D9610,D9612,
Timed Therapeutic Procedures time,therapeutic,therapy,modalities,97032,97034,97035,97036,97039,97110,97112,97113,97116,97124,97139,97140,97150,97530,97532,97535,97537,97542,G0237,G0238,S5100,S5110,S5115,S5125,S5130,S5135,S8950,S9482
Trigger Point Injections trigger,injection,corticosteroid,myofascial,20552,20553
Tumor Treatment Field Therapy tumor,field,treatment,glioblastoma,temozolomide,77299,E0766,A4555,C71.0,C71.1,C71.2,C71.3,C71.4,C81.5,C71.6,C71.7,C71.8,C71.9,malignant,neoplasm
Unlisted and Miscellaneous Codes unlisted
Vasopneumatic Device Vasopneumatic, Device, Therapy, Lymphadema, 97016,97139,97140,97150,97530,97532,97535,97537,97542,G0237,G02389