Guideline Changes For Portable X-Rays

Guideline Changes For Portable X-Rays

Portable x-ray medical billing is quickly changing. Currently, separate modifiers and medical billing codes are used for transportation of these x-rays when claims are sent to insurance carriers and Medicare fiscal intermediaries. On April 1, 2006, different codes will not be used. Medical billing codes sent to all payers for portable x-rays will be the same.

The correct way to do medical billing for a portable x-ray transportation is to use modifiers. The Medicare fiscal intermediaries require a skilled nursing facility to use modifiers when more than one patient is treated after portable x-ray equipment is transported. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services state that if R0075 (Transportation of portable x-ray equipment and personnel to home or nursing home, per trip to facility or location, more than one patient seen) is used, then a modifier that specifies how many patients were serviced is required

The 5 medical billing modifiers used should be UN (two patients), UP (three), UQ (four), UR (five), and US (six or more). The only time these medical billing modifiers should not be used is when the code R0070 (one patient seen) is used. This lets the payer know that you only transported the portable x-ray for one person’s usage.

It is important to use these codes when performing medical billing. Effective on April 1, 2006, you will not only need these codes for Medicare claims, but also for other payers. Be sure you correctly bill the portable x-ray claims because if there is incorrect medical billing, the claims will be rejected. It is important to train your medical billing staff the importance of accuracy. It is better to pay for training than to get claim payments rejected. Beginning on April 1, 2006, fiscal intermediaries and insurance payers will be treated equally in portable x-ray medical billing.

View all Articles by: Melissa Clark, CCS-P