Integrating Blended Vision into a Practice – Review of Ophthalmology

How to determine the best candidates for blended vision, and answers to related Medicare CPT code and billing questions.

This article answers the following questions:

• What is blended vision?
• Will the patient enjoy spectacle independence?
• What are the characteristics of a good candidate for blended vision?
• Are there patients who would not be good candidates for blended vision?
• What is the best approach for the surgeon to determine if a patient is a suitable candidate for blended vision?
• Are there tests performed to determine patient suitability?
• Are there other tests that may be performed in addition to the refractive tests?
• Are these tests covered by Medicare?
• If these tests are non-covered, may patients be billed for them?
• Should patients sign a waiver agreeing to the out-of-pocket expense?
• Is there a CPT code for the preoperative refractive testing?
• Am I compelled to file a claim to Medicare for the refractive tests?
• How do I determine a reasonable charge for the non-covered services associated with blended vision?
• Are these tests performed more than once?
• If the patient also requires astigmatic correction and wants a claim filed for it, is there a CPT code for this component?

This article was published in Review of Ophthalmology’s Medicare Q & A column, which is written by Corcoran’s Vice-President, Donna McCune, CCS-P, COE, CPMA. To view the entire article in Review of Ophthalmology, click on the link below:

http://www.revophth.com/content/d/medicare_q___and___a/i/1840/c/33416/