HCPCS Level II Coding Practice Questions and Answers

HCPCS level II (or HCPCS national codes) was created in 1983 after Medicare found that its payers used more than 100 different coding systems, making it difficult to analyze claims data. HCPCS level II -furnishes health care providers and suppliers with a standardized language for reporting professional services, procedures, supplies, and equipment. -Used to describe common medical services and supplies not classified in CPT. -identify services performed by physician and nonphysician providers (e.g., nurse practitioners and speech therapists); ambulance companies; and durable medical equipment (DME) companies, which are called durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) dealers. characteristics of HCPCS level II codes five characters in length, and they begin with letters A-V, followed by four numbers. Medicare Pricing, Data Analysis and Coding (PDAC) Contractor responsible for providing suppliers and manufacturers with assistance in determining HCPCS codes to be used; PDACs replaced SADMERCs (PDACs were previously called statistical analysis durable medical equipment regional carriers, or SADMERCs). Durable medical equipment (DME) defined by Medicare as equipment that can withstand repeated use, is primarily used to serve a medical purpose, is used in the patient's home, and would not be used in the absence of illness or injury. Durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) include artificial limbs, braces, medications, surgical dressings, and wheelchairs. Durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) dealers supply patients with durable medical equipment (DME) (e.g., canes, crutches); submit claims to DME Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) who are awarded contracts by CMS. Orthotics branch of medicine that deals with the design and fitting of orthopedic (relating to bone disorders) devices (e.g., braces). Prosthetics branch of medicine that deals with the design, production, and use of artificial body parts (e.g., artificial limbs).