Updates from the ACEP EUS Coding and Reimbursement Subcommittee

The mission of the subcommittee is to provide ACEP membership with resources for point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) coding, billing, and documentation such that providers and facilities are in compliance with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rules and regulations. Specifically, the Subcommittee assists members with establishing and maintaining a coding and billing program, responds to specific queries surrounding POCUS coding and denials, provides annual updates of ultrasound codes from the American Medical Association, and fosters the growth and development of trainees and faculty so that they are well-versed in ultrasound-specific coding and billing practices in order to continue to be leaders in POCUS.

We are excited about the new members of our subcommittee who are all bringing great ideas to the table. We kicked things off at the 2018 ACEP Scientific Assembly in San Diego and have a full agenda to tackle this year!

Our specific goals for the year include:

1. Improving the section’s visibility and facilitating access to tools and resources available on our website.
   • We plan to provide links to our site from other ACEP resources such as ACEPnow and social media sites (eg, Twitter, Facebook).
   • We are engaging with outside ultrasound vendors and hope to partner with them to advertise and promote our resources on billing and documentation to their customers.
2. The 2019 CPT codes have been published and we are in the process of updating our website with those changes. We anticipate the release of the CMS 2019 RVU update, as well. Once received, we will work to make those available to all members. We anticipate they will be released by the first quarter of this year.
3. We will begin to tackle the issue of handheld ultrasound devices and work with the ACEP Reimbursement Committee to assist with reimbursement planning.
4. Finally, we are actively monitoring the ACEP EUS listserv for your coding and reimbursement questions and are happy to assist individuals and programs at any time. Please don’t hesitate to reach out as questions arise!

Jennifer Marin, MD, MSc, FACEP¹
Stanley Wu, MD, MBA, FACEP^2
1Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
²Baylor College of Medicine