What Are Massage Therapy Coding Services?
Understanding the right CPT codes for correct billing and coding of medical specialty, including massage therapy, is very important. This is because every medical practice's medical billing and medical coding services have different codes and needs. This incorporates explicit CPT codes for massage therapy. Precise massage therapy medical billing is key for quickly handling reimbursements with fewer denials and postponements.
Massage Therapy Medical Coding Services
An ever-increasing number of patients are now going for massage therapy, yet massage therapists face trouble while billing insurance payers for the services that they have provided. Although the low reimbursement rates are normal for massage therapists, getting reimbursement from insurance payers requires care and correspondence through both the billing system and the administrations you give to patients.
Utilizing the right CPT codes for massage therapy can be key in demonstrating medical needs and getting reimbursement from in-network payers. For this sole purpose, many massage therapists outsource from medical billing companies that provide medical coding, billing, and medical transcription services. If you're uncertain about how to charge clients, you can outsource from UControl Billing, as they provide the best services at the most affordable rates.
What Is Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy is a practice done by authorized, trained professionals, and it includes the manipulation of human delicate tissue and muscles. This therapy helps in getting better health and well-being. This specialty normally requires the application of hands, fingers, knees, elbows, or other such electronic gadgets. Massage therapy has a few advantages that make it a famous treatment for different medical issues. Furthermore, with medical care providers alluding their patients to massage therapy, insurance payers add it to their "covered" services list.
Advantages of Massage therapy:
A few advantages are related to massage therapy, including physical and mental. Critical benefits of massage include:
- Relaxation
- Lessening stress
- Improved blood flow
- Diminishing muscle pain
- Reducing muscle pressures
Alongside these, some studies show a few different advantages of massage therapy. These studies show that massage therapy is also useful for the following:
- Tension
- Anxiety
- Neck pain
- Nerve pain
- Migraines
- Stomach disorders
- Injuries caused by Sports activities
- Upper and Lower back disorders
- Strains connected with delicate human tissues
How To Bill for Massage Therapy?
Like other medical practices, the practice of physical therapy should charge insurers to get reimbursements for the services they provide utilizing CPT codes. These Current Procedural Terminology codes, or CPT codes, are utilized by insurance suppliers to document or record most medical procedures or services performed/provided by all sorts of medical practices. These CPT codes describe the methodology being done so medical care providers can charge insurance organizations for the services and procedures.
There are remarkable CPT codes for massage therapy services well defined for the forte like other medical practices. Medical coding and billing should be done precisely for a massage therapist to get fast reimbursement from the insurance organization. Most massage therapists outsource medical billing and coding services to avoid blunders that bring about extensive delays and denials to the reimbursement cycle.
What are Massage Therapy CPT Codes?
The one-of-a-kind CPT codes for massage therapists cover normal procedures controlled by your medical practice. It's essential to comprehend which CPT codes are utilized for each procedure to avoid damage to the practice's revenue cycle.
Although insurance coverage might make your services more open to patients, it likewise entangles the payment procedure. It requires investment to precisely complete the paperwork included. Most practices, as of now, have a bustling timetable, and it is hard for them to take out time and understand the most utilized massage therapy CPT codes. This is why they opt for medical coding services that can assist with speeding up insurance billing and guarantee a smoothed reimbursement process.
Important Massage Therapy CPT Codes
Here are the most common massage therapy CPT codes utilized by massage therapy medical coding service providers:
97010 Hot/Cold Packs
Depicts the utilization of moist heat for including, however, are not restricted to relaxation of muscle spasticity, advancement of vasodilation, induction of local analgesia and general sedation, and expansion in lymph flow to the area. However, signs for the use of cryotherapy incorporate are not restricted to relaxation of muscle spasticity, advancement of vasodilation, induction of local analgesia and general sedation, and increment of lymph flow to the area.
97110 Therapeutic Exercise
Depicts therapeutic activities applied to solitary or different body parts to foster strength, perseverance, range of movement, and adaptability in around 15-minute stretches. It should be applied by authorized medical care proficient.
97112 Neuromuscular Re-Education
Neuromuscular revised instruction of balance, movement, posture, kinesthetic sense, and proprioception in 15-minute spans.
97124 Massage Therapy
Describes the work inborn in massage, which is a different and particular service from codes 98940-98943. CPT code 97124 portrays work including effleurage, petrissage, or potential tapotement (stroking, pressure, percussion) at regular intervals of 15 minutes.
97140 Manual Therapy
Characterized as "active" therapy procedures, consisting of yet not restricted to connective tissue massage, soft tissue mobilization and manipulation, joint mobilization and manipulation, passive range of motion, manual traction, and therapeutic massage for regular intervals of 15 minutes.
Common Modifiers For Massage Therapy Coding
Two principal modifier codes can be utilized for massage therapy medical coding services
- Modifier code 59
- Modifier code 52
The first is modifier code 59, which recognizes two procedures of comparative nature that were performed on a similar person on a solitary day or across a couple of days. Modifier 59 demonstrates to insurance organizations that if you bill for at least two procedures, these are different and particular procedures.
The subsequent modifier code will be code 52, which assigns the provider's decision to decrease a treatment methodology. This simply intends that while certain service pieces were performed, the full, regular procedure was not carried out.
Timed Versus Untimed Massage Therapy CPT Codes
For rehabilitation providers that charge Medicare, there are two unique kinds of massage therapy billing codes:
- Untimed codes
- Timed codes
Untimed codes
While utilizing untimed codes, the massage therapist is paid a foreordained charge, regardless of the time spent on treatment. These codes can be charged once per treatment session.
Timed codes
Timed codes are repaid given the time spent working one-on-one with their patient and incorporating just skilled interventions. Timed codes can be charged on various sessions, whereas untimed codes must be charged once per session.
The 8-Minute Rule
here is the 8-Minute Rule table that can help medical coding services providers:
8-22 minutes: 1 Unit
23-37 minutes: 2 Units
38-52 minutes: 3 Units
53-67 minutes: 4 Units
Four Medical Coding service Tips for Massage Therapy
Utilize these medical coding tips to keep away from medical billing and coding mistakes that would otherwise delay your repayments:
- Keep away from overcoding
- Make sure your practice is credentialed
- Affirm your patient's insurance eligibility
- Stay updated with new codes or code changes
Allow us to wrap it up!
It is difficult for massage therapy service providers to manage medical coding and billing while providing the best patient care. However, if a practice decides to outsource medical coding services, they can save you time and energy and smooth out your revenue cycle! UControl Billing is an experienced billing company that can help your practice with medical billing, coding, and medical transcription services. If you want to grow your business and reach new heights, visit their website to explore more about their medical coding services.