Question
We currently have a copy of a summary of audiological CPT codes and description of uses, prepared by another expert in the field. Do you have an updated version or one similar?
Answer
Yes, of course I do! Not one from Bob Fifer. I have what's called the 2007 CPT Manual. And that's a complete list of CPT codes, and for some of the codes, a supplemental description of their uses.
In addition to that, what I recommend for your consideration is another publication by the AMA called the "CPT Assistant." What the "CPT Assistant" does is to take an actual vignette, very often from the paperwork that we submitted to get the code established, and a brief discussion of the procedure, in addition to the vignette, to highlight and/or clarify how that procedure is to be used and how it's not to be used.
No matter who prepares additional materials for these types of talks or presentations, all of our source material is going to come from the CPT Manual and the "CPT Assistant." Those are the two main sources of information.
A source by which you can purchase them is from the AMA, and that website is www.ama-assn.org. That's www.ama-assn.org. And then, in the search box, they have a whole section just for CPT stuff, including where you can purchase a CPT manual. If there's a medical school nearby, you can buy it from a bookstore. You can also special order it, usually, from Barnes and Noble and Borders bookstores as well.
They're not that difficult to get. Several different publishers do publish it. But for the CPT stuff, anything that's published is published under license by the AMA. "CPT Assistant" is strictly an AMA publication, and for that, I do refer you to the AMA website. So those are the two authoritative source manuals for it all.
Robert Fifer, Ph.D., is the Director of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology for the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He is also an Audiology Online Contributing Editor in the area of Coding and Billing. He is the ASHA representative to the American Medical Association's Health Care Professions Advisory Committee for the Relative Value Utilization Committee in addition to being ASHA's representative to the AMA's Practice Expense Advisory Committee.
Editor's Note - The above is a partial transcript from the Coding and Billing QNA Live e-Seminar that was conducted on Audiology Online on June 27, 2007. (The recorded version is available here - Also the complete edited transcript is available here. The format of the session was different from most traditional presentations as we solicited questions ahead of time and also solicited questions during the event and had Dr. Fifer focus on answering those questions during the live session. We have published the transcript from the seminar in a semi-rough format to preserve the live feel from the session and to accelerate the publication timeline of this information to the Audiology Online readers. Submitted questions are bolded, followed by Dr. Fifer's response. Dr. Fifer is a frequent Contributing Editor for Audiology Online in this area, look for additional Coding and Billing QNA sessions on our home page in the near future. - Paul Dybala, Ph.D. - Editor
