Radiology extenders revisited: to bill or not to bill.

摘要

In the November/December 2008 issue of Radiology Management this column discussed how to properly bill for radiology extenders. There have been several regulatory clarifications that impact the supervision guidelines for extenders and how to bill for their services (if at all!). This article will provide you with the most up-to-date information to ensure that you bill correctly for the services that you provide. It is important to remember that just because a person is clinically able to perform a service, that does not automatically make it a billable service. "Radiologist extender" is a general term for a professional who has been trained to perform services that are above and beyond the typical scope of practice for a radiologic technologist. Radiologist assistants (RAs) and radiology practitioner assistants (RPAs) both fall into this general category. Over the past five years, radiology billing and compliance professionals have struggled to define appropriate ways to utilize and bill for radiologist extenders. While RAs and RPAs are highly trained individuals, their qualifications do not fit neatly into the existing Medicare framework. Practices and facilities that already have an extender on staff, or are considering hiring an extender, should make certain that they are able to use the extender's services effectively and compliantly.