Health services are billed with medical procedure codes (CPT codes), (ICD9 codes). Using the most current procedure codes and fees is important for healthcare organizations, whether the provider is being paid on a fee-for-service basis (FFS), such as when the provider is reimbursed per procedure code and unit of service rendered, or under a prospective payment system (PPS), which is when a facility or provider is paid a pre-determined amount based on procedure service groups under one of the PPS code systems.
Discuss why having the most current medical procedure codes is important for the healthcare provider? Do you think that the use of these codes is an effective tool for controlling cost and eliminating duplication of services? Why?