Medical Coding and Billing Changes for Family Practice in 2015
                     
Medical Coding and Billing Changes for Family Practice in 2015
The CPT 2015 will have approximately 550 new, revised, or deleted codes. It will also include revised 
guidelines and terminologies. These changes will affect family medicine physicians, cardiologists, radiologists, 
and internal medicine practitioners too. Similar to other medical specialties, family medicine will have to gear 
up for dozens of new and revised vaccine codes in 2015. It will include additions of 90630 and 90654 codes 
for flu immunizations. Our Family Practice billing services team can provide you with high-quality and error-
free patient demographic and Family Practice charge entry services.
The 2015 coding changes will alter the way family medicine practices report vaccinations, chronic care 
management services, and arthrocentesis. Some descriptor changes to old codes will also affect this medical 
specialty.
Coding Changes for Family Practice Medicine Practitioners
Family medicine providers need to take CPT coding changes into serious consideration if they want to make 
the most of their reimbursement opportunities. Here are some of the CPT 2015 code revisions, deletions, and
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Medical Coding and Billing Changes for Family Practice in 2015
additions that will affect family medicine practitioners in the next year.
Two new vaccine codes will be added in 2015, just like it was done in 2014. These two new codes and 
descriptor changes for vaccination will include:
• 90630 – Influenza virus vaccine, quadrivalent (IIV4), split virus, preservative free, for intradermal use
• 90651 – Human Papillomavirus vaccine types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58 nonavalent (HPV), 3 dose 
schedule, for intramuscular use
The addition of these two codes has been announced by the CMS; however, the FDA is yet to approve them. 
The codes 90654, 90734, 90721, and 90723 will go through descriptor changes. These codes had been 
primarily revised for distinguishing the existing codes from new ones that are to appear in 2015.
Apart from these coding changes, new CPT codes will be added for arthrocentesis. The new codes for the joint 
aspiration are 20604, 20611, and 20606. These codes need to be reported by the family physicians when they
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Medical Coding and Billing Changes for Family Practice in 2015
perform procedures that involve ultrasound guidance.
For instance, 20600 will have to be used when a procedure is performed without ultrasound guidance and 
20604 needs to be used when ultrasound guidance is used with permanent reporting and recording. Some 
‘arthrocentesis’ codes will also go through description changes such as 20600, 20610, and 20605.
These are some of the scheduled CPT code changes for 2015. If family medicine physicians fail to update their 
coding with the above-mentioned requirements, they will have to face claims denials effective from January 
01, 2015.
The shortage of family medicine physicians is becoming an increasing concern in the US. The pressure caused 
by healthcare reforms and the increasing numbers of baby boomers will create trouble for this medical 
specialty. These challenges will keep family practitioners busier than before, hard-pressed for time, and suffer 
from untimely payments.
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Medical Coding and Billing Changes for Family Practice in 2015
Many family medicine practitioners across the US have started outsourcing their 
family practice billing services and coding requirements to a third party. Seeking assistance from a third-party 
billing partner has helped them balance their time and attention to clinical and administrative tasks.
Billing companies like MedicalBilliersandCoders.com have been helping family physicians overcome their 
coding and billing changes. With less than two months left for the implementation of CPT 2015, providers can 
still seek assistance from billing partners like MBC for avoiding delayed collectibles and enhancing their 
revenue.
MBC is a leading family practice billing company that offers comprehensive services to help family practice 
providers maximize revenue and streamline operations. To know more about our family practice billing and 
coding services, email us at: [email protected] or call us at 888-357-3226.
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