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Dental Coding Updates: Is Your Staff Prepared For CDT 2018?

Dental Coding Updates: Is Your Staff Prepared For CDT 2018?
by Christine Taxin

Do you bill medical insurance for medically necessary dental procedures performed in your dental practice? If so, it’s important to understand the changes to the CDT codes for 2018. If you find yourself using some of the following new codes, it might be a sign that you should consider billing medical insurance for some specific procedures.

Updating your billing procedures to reflect the new codes

The new codes are now in effect, so it’s time to train your dental staff to use them. Remember, it’s not just the billing staff that needs to understand changes to codes. All clinical staff should receive training so that they can identify situations when the new codes might apply, understand when it’s necessary to gather more information on medical conditions related to a procedure, and document procedures fully so that they can be eligible for medical billing whenever possible.

For many patients, medical insurance may provide better coverage and lower out-of-pocket expenses than their dental coverage for the same procedure. By helping patients receive proper insurance coverage for necessary treatments, you ensure that they can adhere to a treatment plan and restore their health.

New CDT codes that may be eligible for medical cross-coding

Every insurance company has a strong understanding of the oral-systemic issues that are needed in order to help patients become healthy and stay healthy. Thousands of dental office surveys in New Jersey where patients were tested for diabetes found many to be positive, and they were sent to their medical doctors for collaborative treatment. Wow! Patients really do need their dentists!

Read full article on Dentistry iQ.