Payment Policy: Outpatient Therapy Services Purpose: Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) reimburses contracted providers for medically necessary covered outpatient therapy services. Therapy services may include physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), speech therapy (SLP), and other similar services performed in a hospital outpatient setting. Original Date Approved: 11/01/18 Effective Date 1/01/19 Scope: Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) Product Lines: X All product lines Senior Care Options One Care Table of Contents: 1. Payment Policy Summary 2. Outpatient Therapy Services 3. Authorization Requirements 4. Reimbursement 5. Billing and Coding Guidelines 6. Audit and Disclaimer Information 7. References Date Revised: N/A PAYMENT POLICY SUMMARY Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) will reimburse physicians and other health care professionals for therapy services that are supported by medical necessity. This policy applies to all products, all network providers and other qualified health care professionals, including, but not limited to, authorized nonnetwork. CCA reimburses outpatient rehabilitation and therapeutic procedures that are designed to improve, develop, correct, rehabilitate, or prevent the worsening of physical functions that have been lost, impaired or reduced as a result of acute or chronic medical conditions, congenital anomalies, or injuries. OUTPATIENT THERAPY SERVICES Outpatient therapy services include three separate categories of services that aim to improve and restore function that a member has lost after an illness or injury. Physical Therapy (PT): Evaluation, treatment, and restoration to normal or best possible functioning or neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. Occupational Therapy (OT): Evaluation and treatment of a member in his or her own environment for impaired physical functions. Speech-Language Pathology (SLP/ST): Evaluation and treatment of speech, language, voice, hearing, fluency and swallowing disorders. Medicare/Medicaid covers outpatient therapy services if the member s need for therapy is documented in a written treatment plan developed by a therapist, a physician, or a non-physician provider (NPP) after consultation with a qualified therapist. A physician or non-physician provider (NPP) must certify 1
the care plan every 90 days. The prescribed course of therapy must be reasonable and necessary to treat the member s illness or injury. Covered therapy services must qualify as skilled therapy services that are appropriate for treatment of the patient s condition. AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS Effective 1/01/2019 Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy, including Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy require prior authorization. Please refer to the 2019 Provider Manual for more details on 2019 Prior Authorization requirements and instructions on faxing Prior Authorization Request Forms to 1-855-341-0720. REIMBURSEMENT Reimbursement for outpatient PT/OT/ST services is based on the Medicare/Medicaid Physician Fee Schedules and are subject to compliance with the following billing rules as well as other industry standards, such as CMS correct coding guidelines. CCA reimburses contracted providers for the following services: Initial evaluation for PT, OT and SLP Both the initial evaluation and therapy treatments rendered on the same day for the same member by the same provider PT treatment with one rate that includes all modalities rendered, per member, per date of service OT treatment with one rate that includes all modalities rendered, per member, per date of service ST treatment with one rate that includes all modalities rendered, per member, per date of service BILLING AND CODING GUIDELINES Industry coding is listed below, subject to codes being active on the date of service. The American Medical Association (AMA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services may update codes more frequently or at different intervals than policy updates. The list of applicable codes may not be all inclusive. Revenue Codes: 0420 Physical Therapy General Classification 0421 Physical Therapy Visit 0424 Physical Therapy Evaluation or Re-evaluation 0429 Physical Therapy General Classification 0430 Occupational Therapy General Classification 2
0431 Occupational Therapy Visit 0434 Occupational Therapy Evaluation or Re-evaluation 3
0439 Occupational Therapy Other Occupational Therapy 0440 Speech-Language Pathology General Classification 0444 Speech-Language Pathology Evaluation or Re-evaluation 0449 Speech-Language Pathology Other Speech Therapy Therapy Modifiers: Therapy modifiers must be used as instructed by CMS GP Physical Therapy GO GN Occupational Therapy Speech Language Therapy CPT/HCPCS Coding: 97161 Physical Therapy evaluation; low complexity 97162 Physical Therapy evaluation; moderate complexity 97163 Physical Therapy evaluation; high complexity 97164 Physical Therapy re-evaluation 97165 Occupational Therapy evaluation; low complexity 97166 Occupational Therapy evaluation; moderate complexity 97167 Occupational Therapy evaluation; high complexity 97168 Occupational Therapy re-evaluation 92521 Evaluation of speech fluency 92522 Evaluation of speech sound production 92523 Evaluation of speech sound production; with evaluation of language comprehension and expression S9152 Speech therapy, re-evaluation Place of Service Codes: Most Common Place of Service Codes 19 Independent Clinic 4
21 Inpatient Hospital 22 On Campus-Outpatient Hospital 23 Emergency Room-Hospital 24 Ambulatory Surgical Center 49 Off Campus Outpatient Hospital AUDIT AND DISCLAIMER INFORMATION As every claim is unique, the use of this policy is neither a guarantee of payment nor a final prediction of how specific claim(s) will be adjudicated. Claims payment is subject to member eligibility and benefits on the date of service, coordination of benefits, referral/authorization and utilization management guidelines when applicable and adherence to plan policies and procedures and claims editing logic. CCA has the right to conduct audits on any provider and/or facility to ensure compliance with the guidelines stated in this payment policy. If such an audit determines that your office/facility did not comply with this payment policy, CCA has the right to expect your office/facility to refund all payments related to non-compliance. 5
REFERENCES CMS Website: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/billing/therapyservices/functional-reporting.html EOHHS Website: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/masshealth/regs-provider/regscdroutpatienthosp.pdf CMS Website: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/billing/therapyservices/functional-reporting.html CCA Website: http://www.commonwealthcarealliance.org/ 6