FAIRFAX, Va.—The 2009 Interventional Radiology Coding Users' Guide, a comprehensive resource for endovascular and interventional procedures and services, is now available in both book and CD formats. This unique reference is made available by the Society of Interventional Radiology, a national organization of physicians, scientists and allied health professionals dedicated to improving public health through disease management and minimally invasive, image-guided therapeutic interventions.
"It seems like there is no shortage of terms used to describe the procedures that interventional radiologists have developed and performed for several decades. This guide contains the rules, guidelines and systems in place that govern how coding should be done," said Gary P. Siskin, M.D., FSIR, editor of the 15th edition developed by SIR with the American College of Radiology, the Radiology Business Managers Association and the American Healthcare Radiology Administrators. "Physician volunteers have spent much time crafting, studying and evolving this system of coding in this time of much transition," added Siskin, an interventional radiologist at Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y.
Current Procedural Terminology (or CPT®) codes are developed, maintained and copyrighted by the American Medical Association. As technology advances, new codes are developed for new services and current codes may be revised to reflect changes in procedure work as well as supplies and equipment used. This critical reference contains changes in CPT 2009 codes pertinent to interventional radiology; color-coded anatomical illustrations and photographs of interventional radiology procedures; evaluation and management charge sheets; template coverage request letters with supporting documentation for specific IR procedures; in-patient log and a sample registration form; and frequently asked questions. Also included is information about AMA's CPT and Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) processes and the ongoing five-year review. RUC's recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services significantly influence the relative values assigned to physician services and how doctors are paid. The guide also provides an overview of various Medicare payment systems and reimbursement for IR services performed in the freestanding setting.
With the CD guide, users get interactive bookmarks and hyperlinks, linking concepts and codes with just one click. All new and significantly revised text is presented in red to support quick identification and review of changes from the 2008 edition. The 2009 reference contains completed updated 2009 IR coding charge sheets in Excel format, enabling customization to reflect the services provided by particular practices. Also included are evaluation and management charge sheets in Excel format, template coverage request letters with supporting documentation for IR procedures and an in-patient log in Word format that may be customized. The guide's color-coded illustrations are separate JPG/GIF files, and photographs of several IR procedures are available as separate JPG files for office reference and presentations.
The 2009 Interventional Radiology Coding Users' Guide is available for $249 to nonmembers of SIR; bulk purchase discounts are available. The 2009 Interventional Radiology Coding Users' Guide CD-ROM costs $275 for nonmembers of SIR. For more information, visit the Society of Interventional Radiology's Web site at www.SIRweb.org (click on IR Store) or call (888) 695-9733.
About the Society of Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiologists are physicians who specialize in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. They offer the most in-depth knowledge of the least invasive treatments available coupled with diagnostic and clinical experience across all specialties. They use X-ray, MRI and other imaging to advance a catheter in the body, such as in an artery, to treat at the source of the disease internally. As the inventors of angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent, which were first used in the legs to treat peripheral arterial disease, interventional radiologists pioneered minimally invasive modern medicine. Today, interventional oncology is a growing specialty area of interventional radiology. Interventional radiologists can deliver treatments for cancer directly to the tumor without significant side effects or damage to nearby normal tissue.
Many conditions that once required surgery can be treated less invasively by interventional radiologists. Interventional radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery. Visit www.SIRweb.org.