Providers must be enrolled as a Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) provider in order to:
Licensed physical therapists (PTs) and registered occupational therapists (OTs) who meet the qualifications prescribed by federal regulations for participation at 42 CFR 484.4 and who meet all the requirements under state law are eligible to become Colorado Medical Assistance providers.
Physical therapists must be licensed by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) pursuant to Title 12 Article 41.106 and may supervise up to four individuals at one time who are not physical therapists, including certified nurse aides, to assist in the therapist's clinical practice. Supervision authority extends to the limits stated in the Physical Therapists Practice Act per section C.R.S. § 12-41-113(1).
Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) must be certified by DORA pursuant to Title 12 Article 41 and must work under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist as defined in the Colorado Physical Therapy Practice Act (§ 12-41-203(2) C.R.S.) and accompanying rules as promulgated by the State Board of Physical Therapy.
Occupational therapists must be registered by DORA pursuant to Title 12 Article 40.5.
Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) must practice under the general supervision of a Colorado registered occupational therapist.
Therapy may also be rendered by licensed and enrolled physicians, physician assistants and advanced practice nurses as allowed by their respective scopes of practice.
All providers must submit a completed provider enrollment application to start the process of enrolling to become a Health First Colorado provider. Visit the Provider Enrollment web page and the Revalidation web page for enrollment information.
Physical and occupational therapists not employed by an agency, clinic, hospital or physician may bill Health First Colorado directly, otherwise it is the employer who bills directly for the services. Providers should refer to the Code of Colorado Regulations, Qualified Non-Physician Practitioners Eligible to Provide Physician's Services (10 CCR 2505-10, Section 8.200.2.C), for further regulatory information when providing physical and occupational therapy services.
8.280.4.E Other EPSDT Benefits
Other health care services may include other EPSDT benefits if the need for such services is identified. The services are a benefit when they meet the following requirements:
Outpatient physical and occupational therapy services must be medically necessary to qualify for Health First Colorado reimbursement. Medical necessity (10 CCR 2505-10 8.076.1.8) means a Medical Assistance program good or service meets all of the following criteria. The good or service:
Rendering providers must document all evaluations, re-evaluations, services provided, member progress, attendance records and discharge plans. All documentation must be kept in the member's records along with a copy of the referral or prescribing provider's order. Documentation must support both the medical necessity of services and the need for the level of skill provided. Rendering providers must copy the member's primary care provider (PCP), prescribing provider and/or medical home on all relevant records.
All documentation must include the following:
Health First Colorado requires the following types of documentation as a record of services provided within an episode of care: initial evaluation, re-evaluation, visit/encounter notes and a discharge summary.
Written documentation of the initial evaluation must include the following:
An episode of outpatient therapy is defined as the period of time from the first day the member is under the care of the clinician for the current condition(s) being treated by one therapy discipline until the last date of service for that plan of care for that discipline in that setting.
Under state law, once every 90 days, the therapist's plan of care must be reviewed, revised if necessary, and signed as medically necessary by the member's physician or other licensed practitioner of the healing arts within the practitioner's scope of practice.
The care plan may not cover more than a 90-day period or the time frame documented in the approved IFSP.
A plan of care must be certified. Certification is the physician's, physician's assistant or nurse practitioner's approval of the plan of care. Certification requires a dated signature on the plan of care or some other document that indicates approval of the plan of care. If the service is a Medicare-covered service and is provided to a member who is eligible for Medicare, the plan of care must be reviewed at the intervals required by Medicare.
A re-evaluation must occur whenever there is an unanticipated change in the member's status, a failure to respond to interventions as expected, or there is a need for a new plan of care based on new problems and goals requiring significant modification of treatment plan. Re-evaluation documentation does not need to be as comprehensive as the initial evaluation, but it must include at least the following:
Written documentation of each encounter must be in the member's record of service. These visit notes document the implementation of the plan of care established by the therapist at the initial evaluation. Each visit note must include the following:
In addition to the above required information items, the visit note documentation must contain the Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan format elements. These may be documented in any order (i.e., SOAP, APSO, etc.)
At the conclusion of therapy services, a discharge summary must be included in the documentation of the final visit in an episode of care. This must include the following:
Physical and Occupational Therapy services are covered if they are medically necessary as defined in 10 CCR 2505-10 Section 8.076.1.8 and meet the following criteria:
Health First Colorado covers both rehabilitative and habilitative therapies for all age groups in accordance with the Affordable Care Act Essential Health Benefit provisions.
The Colorado Division of Insurance defined Habilitative services to be:
Services that help a person retain, learn, or improve skills and functioning for daily living that are offered in parity with, and in addition to, any rehabilitative services offered in Colorado's Essential Health Benefits benchmark plan. Parity in this context means of like type and substantially equivalent in scope, amount and duration.
Rehabilitative therapies are those meant to assist a member with recovery from an acute injury, illness or surgical recovery. Habilitative therapies are those meant to help the member retain, learn or improve skills and functions for daily living. This includes the treatment of long-term chronic conditions and meeting developmental milestones.
The following billing policies are effective for Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code 97755 to accommodate HB14- 1211. HB14-1211 requires that all Health First Colorado members seeking complex rehabilitation technology must have an initial Assistive Technology Assessment (complex rehabilitative technology evaluation/assessment) prior to receiving complex rehabilitation technology and follow-up assessments, as needed. Only licensed speech, physical, and occupational therapists may render this specialty evaluation. All providers using procedure code 97755 must follow these guidelines. The Department recognizes that only a portion of Assistive Technology Assessments will be used for complex rehabilitation technology evaluation/assessment. Providers will be asked upon PAR submission if the service is for a complex rehabilitation technology assessment.
Policy | Notes |
---|---|
Complex rehabilitation technology evaluations / assessments are billed using only code 97755. | Combinations of procedure codes, including procedure code 97542, for the purposes of complex rehabilitation technology evaluation / assessment are not allowed. |
Code 97755 always requires PAR. | PARs must be submitted electronically using ColoradoPAR. Visit the ColoradoPAR web page for details. |
Member daily limit of code 97755 is 20 units. | Up to five hours of assessment is allowed per date of service. |
Member yearly limit of code 97755 is 60 units. | Members may have up to 60 units of procedure code 97755 per State Fiscal Year (July 1 - June 30). This limit will reset with the start of each new State Fiscal Year. |
PARs for procedure code 97755 must comply with the following policies:
If a member requires further assessment by a different provider not indicated on the original PAR and that PAR is still active, then it must be closed by the original requesting provider. Once closed, a new PAR can be submitted. Members may request a 'change of provider' on their PAR by contacting the vendor directly. Refer to the Prior Authorization Request (PARs) section of this manual.
Co-treatment sessions between two outpatient therapists (pediatric behavioral therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and/or speech-language pathologists) are a covered service under the following conditions:
Co-Treatment Reporting Example
A child receives one (1) hour of co-treatment involving a Pediatric Behavioral Therapist and a Speech Therapist. While both providers are with the child for the full hour, during that time the Speech Therapist provides direct treatment for 30 minutes and the Pediatric Behavioral Therapist provides direct treatment for 30 minutes.
The Speech Therapist would report one (1) unit of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 92507, because CPT 92507 is a visit-based unit regardless of time. The Pediatric Behavioral Therapist would report two (2) units of CPT 97153, because CPT 97153 is billed in increments of 15 minutes.
National Correct Coding Initiative Procedure-To-Procedure (PTP) and Medically Unlikely Edits (MUE) apply to certain combinations of PT and OT procedure codes. Visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) NCCI web page for a complete list of impacted codes, guidance on bypass modifier uses and general information.
The following place of service codes are allowed:
Place of Service (POS) code | Description |
---|---|
02 | Telemedicine - Not provided in patient’s home (only applicable to certain procedure codes). Refer to the Telemedicine Billing Manual. |
03 | School |
10 | Telehealth - Provided in patient’s home. Refer to the Telemedicine Billing Manual. |
11 | Office |
12 | Home |
13 | Assisted Living Facility |
62 | Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility |
99 | Other - community location |
Effective May 3, 2024, place of service 03 is an allowed place of service for all fee-for-service benefits. In order for community providers to bill fee-for-service to children in a school setting, the provider must follow school district policy. Please reference the Community Providers in a School Setting Policy Memo.
Outpatient Therapy Type | Modifier 1 | Modifier 2 |
---|---|---|
Rehabilitative Physical Therapy | GP | 97 |
Rehabilitative Occupational Therapy | GO | 97 |
Habilitative Physical Therapy | GP | 96 |
Habilitative Occupational Therapy | GO | 96 |
Early Intervention Physical Therapy | GP | TL |
Early Intervention Occupational Therapy | GO | TL |
Physical and Occupational Therapists are indicated as rendering providers for the following procedures. Refer to the current Fee Schedule for rates. Evaluation and orthotic services are not subject to the 48-unit limit.
This table serves only as a reference guide and not a guarantee of payment or coverage. Definitive coverage of a specific procedure code is found on the Fee Schedule.
Table Updated: July 2024
Procedure Code | Provider Type | Prior Authorization Required | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
92526 | OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires a PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
90911 | PT, OT | No | Ended 12-31-2019 |
90912 | PT, OT | No | Effective 1-1-2020 |
90913 | PT, OT | No | Effective 1-1-2020 |
96112 | PT, OT | No | Effective 1-1-2020 |
96113 | PT, OT | No | Effective 1-1-2020 |
97010 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97012 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97014 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97016 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97018 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97022 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97024 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97026 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97028 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97032 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97033 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97034 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97035 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97036 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97110 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97112 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97113 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97116 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97124 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97127 | - | - | Not Covered. Refer to G0515. |
97129 | PT, OT | Always | Effective 1/1/2020 |
97130 | PT, OT | Always | Effective 1/1/2020 |
97140 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97150 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97161 | PT | No | |
97162 | PT | No | |
97163 | PT | No | |
97164 | PT | No | |
97165 | OT | No | |
97166 | OT | No | |
97167 | OT | No | |
97168 | OT | No | |
97530 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
G0515 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | Closed 12/31/2019 |
97533 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97535 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97537 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97542 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97545 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97546 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97597 | PT, OT | No | |
97598 | PT, OT | No | |
97602 | PT, OT | No | |
97750 | PT, OT | No | |
97755 | PT, OT | Always | Modifiers 96 or 97 are not required for this procedure code as this evaluation cannot be classified as either 'rehabilitative' or 'habilitative'. |
97760 | PT, OT | No | |
97761 | PT, OT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | |
97763 | PT, OT | No | |
20560 | PT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | Effective 1/1/2020 |
20561 | PT | Does not require a PAR for the first 48 units; requires PAR after 48 units are utilized. | Effective 1/1/2020 |
L1902 | PT, OT | No | |
L1960 | PT, OT | No | |
L3730 | PT, OT | No | |
L3763 | PT, OT | No | |
L3764 | PT, OT | No | |
L3808 | PT, OT | No | |
L3900 | PT, OT | No | |
L3906 | PT, OT | No | |
L3908 | PT, OT | No | |
L3912 | PT, OT | No | |
L3919 | PT, OT | No | |
L3923 | PT, OT | No | |
L3925 | PT, OT | No | |
L3929 | PT, OT | No | |
L3933 | PT, OT | No | |
L3982 | PT, OT | No | |
Q4040 | PT, OT | No | |
Q4048 | PT, OT | No |
Refer to the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Billing Manual located on the Billing Manuals web page under the CMS 1500 (Professional) drop-down section for further billing information on the above orthotic/prosthetic codes.
When reporting service units for CPT/HCPCS codes where the procedure is not defined by a specific timeframe ("untimed" CPT/HCPCS), the provider enters "1" in the field labeled "units." For untimed codes, units are reported based on the number of times the procedure is performed, as described in the CPT/HCPCS code definition.
Example: A member received a speech-language pathology evaluation represented by HCPCS "untimed" code 92521. Regardless of the number of minutes spent providing this service, only one unit of service is appropriately billed on the same day.
Several CPT codes used for therapy modalities, procedures, tests and measurements specify that the direct (one-on-one) time spent in patient contact is 15 minutes. Providers report these "timed" procedure codes for services delivered on any single calendar day using CPT codes and the appropriate number of 15-minute units of service.
Example: A member received a total of 60 minutes of occupational therapy, e.g., HCPCS "timed" code 97530 which is defined in 15-minute units, on a given date of service. The provider would then report 4 units of code 97530.
When only one service is provided in a day, providers should not bill for services performed for less than 8 minutes. For any single timed CPT code in the same day measured in 15-minute units, providers bill a single 15-minute unit for treatment greater than or equal to 8 minutes through and including 22 minutes. If the duration of a single modality or procedure in a day is greater than or equal to 23 minutes, through and including 37 minutes, then 2 units should be billed. Time intervals for 1 through 8 units are as follows:
1 unit: | • 8 minutes through 22 minutes |
2 units: | • 23 minutes through 37 minutes |
3 units: | • 38 minutes through 52 minutes |
4 units: | • 53 minutes through 67 minutes |
5 units: | • 68 minutes through 82 minutes |
6 units: | • 83 minutes through 97 minutes |
7 units: | • 98 minutes through 112 minutes |
8 units: | • 113 minutes through 127 minutes |
The pattern remains the same for treatment times in excess of 2 hours.
When more than one service represented by 15-minute timed codes is performed in a single day, the total number of minutes of service (as noted on the chart above) determines the number of timed units billed. Refer to Example 1 below.
If any 15-minute timed service that is performed for 7 minutes or less than 7 minutes on the same day as another 15-minute timed service that was also performed for 7 minutes or less and the total time of the two is 8 minutes or greater than 8 minutes, then bill one unit for the service performed for the most minutes. This is correct because the total time is greater than the minimum time for one unit. The same logic is applied when three or more different services are provided for 7 minutes or less than 7 minutes. Refer to Example 5 below.
This Physical and Occupational Billing Manual and the Documentation Requirements section in the Speech Therapy Billing Manual indicates that the amount of time for each specific intervention/modality provided to the member is required to be documented in the Visits/Encounter Note. The total number of timed minutes must be documented. These examples indicate how to count the appropriate number of units for the total therapy minutes provided.
24 minutes of neuromuscular reeducation, code 97112,
23 minutes of therapeutic exercise, code 97110,
Total timed code treatment time was 47 minutes.
Refer to the chart above. The 47 minutes falls within the range for 3 units = 38 to 52 minutes.
Appropriate billing for 47 minutes is only 3 timed units. Each of the codes is performed for more than 15 minutes, so each shall be billed for at least 1 unit. The correct coding is 2 units of code 97112 and one unit of code 97110, assigning more timed units to the service that took the most time.
20 minutes of neuromuscular reeducation (97112)
20 minutes therapeutic exercise (97110),
40 Total timed code minutes.
Appropriate billing for 40 minutes is 3 units. Each service was done at least 15 minutes and should be billed for at least one unit, but the total allows 3 units. Since the time for each service is the same, choose either code for 2 units and bill the other for 1 unit. Do not bill 3 units for either one of the codes.
33 minutes of therapeutic exercise (97110),
7 minutes of manual therapy (97140),
40 Total timed minutes
Appropriate billing for 40 minutes is for 3 units. Bill 2 units of 97110 and 1 unit of 97140. Count the first 30 minutes of 97110 as two full units. Compare the remaining time for 97110 (33-30 = 3 minutes) to the time spent on 97140 (7 minutes) and bill the larger, which is 97140.
18 minutes of therapeutic exercise (97110),
13 minutes of manual therapy (97140),
10 minutes of gait training (97116),
8 minutes of ultrasound (97035),
49 Total timed minutes
Appropriate billing is for 3 units. Procedures would be billed based on the most provider time spent. Bill 1 unit each of 97110, 97116, and 97140. Ultrasound would not be billed because the total time of timed units that can be billed is constrained by the total timed code treatment minutes (i.e., providers may not bill 4 units for less than 53 minutes regardless of how many services were performed). Ultrasound would still be documented in the treatment notes.
7 minutes of neuromuscular reeducation (97112)
7 minutes therapeutic exercise (97110)
7 minutes manual therapy (97140)
21 Total timed minutes
Appropriate billing is for one unit. The qualified professional shall select one appropriate CPT code (97112, 97110, 97140) to bill since each unit was performed for the same amount of time and only one unit is allowed.
Note: The above schedule of times is intended to provide assistance in rounding time into 15-minute increments. It does not imply that any minute until the eighth should be excluded from the total count. The total minutes of active treatment counted for all 15-minute timed codes includes all direct treatment time for the timed codes. Total treatment minutes, including minutes spent providing services represented by untimed codes, are also documented.
Providers report the code for the time literally spent in the delivery of the modality requiring constant attendance and therapy services. Pre- and post-delivery services are not to be counted in determining the treatment service time. In other words, the time counted as "intra-service care" begins when the therapist or physician (or an assistant under the supervision of a physician or therapist) is directly working with the patient to deliver treatment services. The patient should already be in the treatment area (e.g., on the treatment table or mat or in the gym) and prepared to begin treatment.
The time counted is the time the patient is treated. For example, if gait training for a patient with a recent stroke requires both a therapist and an assistant or even two therapists to support during the use of the parallel bars, each 15 minutes the patient is being treated can count as only one (1) unit of code 97116. The time the patient spends not being treated during rests or bathroom breaks should not be billed. In addition, the time spent waiting to use a piece of equipment or for other treatment to begin is also not considered treatment time.
Treatment time for untimed codes is not counted towards the total treatment time for 15-minute unit codes.
Providers must submit PARs for medically necessary services when services will exceed 48 units of service per 12-month period.
PARs are approved for up to a 12-month period depending on medical necessity determined by the reviewer.
Submit PARs for the number of units for each specific procedure code requested, not for the number of services. Modifier codes must be included. The same modifiers used on the PAR must be used on the claim, in the same order.
The authorizing agency reviews all completed PARs and approves or denies, by individual line item, each requested service or supply listed on the PAR. PAR status inquiries can be made through the Provider Web Portal and results are included in PAR letters sent to both the provider and the member. Read the results carefully as some line items may be approved and others denied. Do not render or bill for services until the PAR has been processed.
The claim must contain the PAR number for reimbursement. If the PAR is denied, providers should direct inquiries to the authorizing agency located on the Provider Contacts web page.
Refer to the General Provider Information Manual located on the Billing Manuals web page under the General Provider Information drop-down section for general billing information.
Effective July 1, 2022, the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (the Department) started soft enforcement of the federal requirement 42 CFR § 455.440 that claims for certain types of services contain the National Provider Identifier (NPI) of the provider who ordered the service, and that the NPI is actively enrolled with Health First Colorado.
Effective July 1, 2024, all Outpatient Physical and Occupational Providers are required to enter the NPI of the ordering provider into the following locations for claim submission. In the Provider Web Portal, this field may be labeled as "Referring Provider." If the OPR NPI is missing on the claim, the claim will deny. Refer to the Resources section at the bottom of the Physical and Occupational Therapy Ordering, Prescribing, and Referring (OPR) Stakeholder Engagement web page.
Professional Claims
Institutional Claims
Contact the Provider Services Call Center for assistance with claim submission.
The provider's adherence to the application of policies in this manual is monitored through either post-payment review of claims by the Department, computer audits or edits of claims. When computer audits or edits fail to function properly, the application of policies in this manual remain in effect. Therefore, all claims shall be subject to review by the Department.
The following paper form reference table shows required, optional and conditional fields and detailed field completion instructions for the CMS 1500 claim form.
CMS Field Number and Label | Field | Instructions |
---|---|---|
1. Insurance Type | Required | Place an "X" in the box marked as Medicaid. |
1a. Insured's ID Number | Required | Enter the member's seven-digit Health First Colorado ID number as it appears on the Health First Colorado Identification card. Example: A123456. |
2. Patient's Name | Required | Enter the member's last name, first name, and middle initial. |
3. Patient's Date of Birth/Sex | Required | Enter the member's birth date using two digits for the month, two digits for the date, and two digits for the year. Example: 070124 for July 1, 2024. |
Enter the insured's birth date using two digits for the month, two digits for the date and two digits for the year. Example: 070124 for July 1, 2024.
The field accommodates the entry of two dates: a "From" date of services and a "To" date of service. Enter the date of service using two digits for the month, two digits for the date and two digits for the year. Example: 010124 for January 1, 2024.
From | To | ||||
01 | 01 | 24 |
From | To | ||||
01 | 01 | 24 | 01 | 01 | 24 |
Span dates of service
From | To | ||||
01 | 01 | 24 | 01 | 31 | 24 |
Single Date of Service: Enter the six-digit date of service in the "From" field. Completion of the "To field is not required. Do not spread the date entry across the two fields.
Span billing: permissible if the same service (same procedure code) is provided on consecutive dates.
Supplemental Qualifier
To enter supplemental information, begin at 24A by entering the qualifier and then the information.
ZZ - Narrative description of unspecified code
VP - Vendor Product Number
OZ - Product Number
CTR - Contract Rate
JP - Universal/National Tooth Designation
JO - Dentistry Designation System for Tooth and Areas of Oral Cavity
Enter the Place of Service (POS) code that describes the location where services were rendered. Health First Colorado accepts the CMS place of service codes.
All procedures must be identified with codes in the current edition of Physicians Current Procedural Terminology (CPT). CPT is updated annually.
HCPCS Level II Codes
The current Medicare coding publication (for Medicare crossover claims only).
Enter the appropriate procedure-related modifier that applies to the billed service. Up to four modifiers may be entered when using the paper claim form.
At least one diagnosis code reference letter must be entered.
When multiple services are performed, the primary reference letter for each service should be listed first, other applicable services should follow.
Some CPT procedure codes are grouped with other related CPT procedure codes. When more than one procedure from the same group is billed, special multiple pricing rules apply.
The base procedure is the procedure with the highest allowable amount. The base code is used to determine the allowable amounts for additional CPT surgical procedures when more than one procedure from the same grouping is performed.
Submitted charges cannot be more than charges made to non-Health First Colorado covered individuals for the same service.
Anesthesia Services
Anesthesia services must be reported as minutes. Units may only be reported for anesthesia services when the code description includes a time period.
Anesthesia time begins when the anesthetist begins member preparation for induction in the operating room or an equivalent area and ends when the anesthetist is no longer in constant attendance. No additional benefit or additional units are added for emergency conditions or the member's physical status.
The fiscal agent converts reported anesthesia time into fifteen-minute units. Any fractional unit of service is rounded up to the next fifteen-minute increment.
Each claim must have the date the enrolled provider or registered authorized agent signed the claim form. Enter the date the claim was signed using two digits for the month, two digits for the date and two digits for the year. Example: 070124 for July 1, 2024.
PT and OT outpatient hospital paper claims must be submitted on the UB-04 claim form.
The information in the following Paper Claim Reference Table lists the required, optional and/or conditional form locators for submitting the UB-04 paper claim form to Health First Colorado for PT and OT services. It also provides instructions for completing Form Locators (FL) as they appear on the paper UB-04 claim form. Instructions for completing the UB-04 claim form are based on the current National Uniform Billing Committee (NUBC) UB-04 Reference Manual. Unless otherwise noted, all data FLs on the UB-04 have the same attributes (specifications) for Health First Colorado as those indicated in the NUBC UB-04 Reference Manual.
All code values listed in the NUBC UB-04 Reference Manual for each FL may not be used for submitting paper claims to Health First Colorado. The appropriate code values listed in this manual must be used when billing Health First Colorado.
Required
Enter the provider or agency name and complete mailing address of the provider who is billing for the services:
Abbreviate the state using standard post office abbreviations. Enter the telephone number.
Required only if different from FL 1.
Enter the provider or agency name and complete mailing address of the provider who will receive payment for the services:
Required
For PRTF, use TOB 89X.
Enter the three-digit number indicating the specific type of bill. The three-digit code requires one digit each in the following sequences (Type of facility, Bill classification, and Frequency):
Digit 1 | Type of Facility |
1 | Hospital |
2 | Skilled Nursing |
3 | Home Health Services |
4 | Religious Non-Medical Health Care Institution |
6 | Intermediate Care |
7 | Clinic (Rural Health/FQHC/Dialysis Center) |
8 | Special Facility (Hospice, RTCs) |
Digit 2 | Bill Classification (except clinics and special facilities): |
1 | Inpatient (Including Medicare Part A) |
2 | Inpatient (Medicare Part B only) |
3 | Outpatient |
4 | Other (for hospital referenced diagnostic services or home health not under a plan of treatment) |
5 | Intermediate Care Level I |
6 | Intermediate Care Level II |
7 | Sub-Acute Inpatient (Revenue Code 019X required with this bill type) |
8 | Swing Beds |
9 | Other |
Digit 2 | Bill Classification (Clinics Only): |
1 | Rural Health/FQHC |
2 | Hospital Based or Independent Renal Dialysis Center |
3 | Freestanding |
4 | Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (ORF) |
5 | Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (CORFs) |
6 | Community Mental Health Center |
Digit 2 | Bill Classification (Special Facilities Only): |
1 | Hospice (Non-Hospital Based) |
2 | Hospice (Hospital Based) |
3 | Ambulatory Surgery Center |
4 | Freestanding Birthing Center |
5 | Critical Access Hospital |
6 | Residential Facility |
Digit 3 | Frequency: |
0 | Non-Payment/Zero Claim |
1 | Admit through discharge claim |
2 | Interim - First claim |
3 | Interim - Continuous claim |
4 | Interim - Last claim |
7 | Replacement of prior claim |
8 | Void of prior claim |
Enter the From (beginning) date and Through (ending) date of service covered by this bill using MMDDYY format. Example: January 1, 2024 = 0101024
Member requires immediate intervention as a result of severe, life threatening or potentially disabling conditions.
Exempts inpatient hospital and clinic claims from co-payment and PCP referral.
Exempts outpatient hospital claims from co- payment and PCP only if revenue code 450 or 459 is present.
This is the only benefit service for an undocumented alien.
If span billing, emergency services cannot be included in the span bill and must be billed separately from other outpatient services.
1- Urgent
The member requires immediate attention for the care and treatment of a physical or mental disorder.
2- Elective
The member's condition permits adequate time to schedule the availability of accommodations.
3- Newborn
Required for inpatient and outpatient hospital.
4- Trauma Center
Visit to a trauma center/hospital as licensed or designated by the state or local government authority authorized to do so, or as verified by the American College of Surgeons and involving trauma activation.
Required
Enter the appropriate code for co-payment exceptions on claims submitted for outpatient services. (To be used in conjunction with FL 14, Type of Admission).
1 | Physician referral |
2 | Clinic referral |
3 | Referred from HMO |
4 | Transfer from a hospital |
5 | Transfer from a skilled nursing facility (SNF) |
6 | Transfer from another health care facility |
7 | Emergency Room |
8 | Court/Law Enforcement |
9 | Information not available |
A | Transfer from a Critical Access Hospital |
B | Transfer from another Home Health Agency |
C | Readmission to Same Home Health Agency |
Newborns | |
1 | Normal Delivery |
2 | Premature Delivery |
3 | Sick Baby |
4 | Extramural Birth (Birth in a non- sterile environment) |
01 Discharged to Home or Self Care (Dialysis is limited to code 01) |
02 Discharged/transferred to another short-term hospital |
70 Discharged/Transferred to Other HC Institution |
71 Discharged/transferred/referred to another institution for outpatient services |
72 Discharged/transferred/referred to this institution for outpatient services |
Use code 02 for a PPS hospital transferring a |
patient to another PPS hospital. |
Code 05, Discharged to Another Type Institution, is the most appropriate code to use for a PPS hospital transferring a patient to an exempt hospital.
**A PPS hospital cannot use Patient Status codes 30, 31 or 32 on any claim submitted for DRG reimbursement. The code(s) are valid for use on exempt hospital claims only.
Interim bills may be submitted for Prospective Payment System (PPS)-DRG claims but must meet specific billing requirements.
For exempt hospitals use the appropriate code from the codes listed.
Note: Refer to the "Interim" billing instruction in this section of the manual.
Complete with as many codes necessary to identify conditions related to this bill.
Condition Codes
01 Military service related 02 Employment related 04 HMO enrollee 05 Lien has been filed 06 ESRD patient - First 18 months entitlement 07 Treatment of non-terminal condition/hospice patient 17 Patient is homeless 25 Patient is a non-US resident 39 Private room medically necessary 42 Outpatient Continued Care not related to Inpatient 44 Inpatient CHANGED TO Outpatient 51 Outpatient Non-diagnostic Service unrelated to Inpatient admit 60 DRG (Day outlier)
Renal Dialysis Settings
71 Full care unit
72 Self-care unit
73 Self-care training
74 Home care
75 Home care - 100 percent reimbursement 76 Back-up facility
Special Program Indicator Codes
A1 EPSDT/CHAP
A2 Physically Handicapped Children's Program
A4 Family Planning
A6 PPV/Medicare
A9 Second Opinion Surgery
AA Abortion Due to Rape
AB Abortion Done Due to Incest
AD Abortion Due to Life Endangerment
AI Sterilization
B3 B4 Pregnancy Indicator
Admission Unrelated to Discharge PRO Approval Codes
C1 Approved as billed
C2 Automatic approval as billed - Based on focused review
C3 Partial approval
C4 Admission/Services denied
C5 Post payment review applicable
C6 Admission preauthorization
C7 Extended authorization
Conditional
Complete both the code and date of occurrence.
Enter the appropriate code and the date on which it occurred. Enter the date using MMDDYY format.
Occurrence Codes:
1 | Accident/Medical Coverage |
2 | Auto Accident - No Fault Liability |
3 | Accident/Tort Liability |
4 | Accident/Employment Related |
5 | Other Accident/No Medical Coverage or Liability Coverage |
6 | Crime Victim |
20 | Date Guarantee of Payment Began |
24* | Date Insurance Denied |
25* | Date Benefits Terminated by Primary Payer |
26 | Date Skilled Nursing Facility Bed Available |
27 | Date of Hospice Certification or Re- certification |
40 | Scheduled Date of Admission (RTD) |
50 | Medicare Pay Date |
51 | Medicare Denial Date |
53 | no longer used |
55 | Insurance Pay Date |
A3 | Benefits Exhausted - Indicate the last date of service that benefits are available and after which payment can be made by payer A indicated in FL 50 |
B3 | Benefits Exhausted - Indicate the last date of service that benefits are available and after which payment can be made by payer B indicated in FL 50 |
C3 | Benefits Exhausted - Indicate the last date of service that benefits are available and after which payment can be made by payer C indicated in FL 50 |
*Other Payer occurrence codes 24 and 25 must be used when applicable. The claim must be submitted with the third-party information.
Conditional
Enter appropriate codes and related dollar amounts to identify monetary data or number of days using whole numbers, necessary for the processing of this claim. Never enter negative amounts. Codes must be in ascending order. If a value code is entered, a dollar amount or numeric value related to the code must always be entered.
Most Common Codes:
01 | semiprivate rate (Accommodation Rate) |
06 | Medicare blood deductible |
14 | No fault including auto/other |
15 | Worker's Compensation |
31 | Member Liability Amount* |
32 | Multiple Member Ambulance Transport |
37 | Pints of Blood Furnished |
38 | Blood Deductible Pints |
40 | New Coverage Not Implemented by HMO |
45 | Accident Hour Enter the hour when the accident occurred that necessitated medical treatment. Use the same coding used in FL 18 (Admission Hour). |
49 | Hematocrit Reading - EPO Related |
58 | Arterial Blood Gas (PO2/PA2) |
68 | EPO-Drug |
80 | Covered Days |
81 | Non-Covered Days |
Enter the deductible amount applied by indicated payer: Deductible Payer A B1 Deductible Payer B C1 Deductible Payer C | |
Enter the amount applied to member's co-insurance by indicated payer: A2 Coinsurance Payer A B2 Coinsurance Payer B C2 Coinsurance Payer C | |
Enter the amount paid by indicated payer: A3 Estimated Responsibility Payer A B3 Estimated Responsibility Payer B C3 Estimated Responsibility Payer C |
For Rancho Coma Score bill with appropriate diagnosis for head injury.
Medicare and TPL - Refer to A1-A3, B1-B3, and C1-C3 above.
Enter the revenue code which identifies the specific service provided. List revenue codes in ascending order. Valid dialysis revenue codes are listed in Appendix Q located on the Billing Manuals web page under the Appendices drop-down menu.
A revenue code must appear only once per date of service. * If more than one of the same service is provided on the same day, combine the units and charges on one line accordingly.
When billing outpatient hospital radiology, the radiology revenue code may be repeated, but the corresponding HCPCS code cannot be repeated for the same date of service. Refer to instructions under FL 44 (HCPCS/Rates).
Enter only the HCPCS code for each detail line. Use approved modifiers listed in this section for hospital-based transportation services.
Complete for laboratory, radiology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and hospital-based transportation. When billing HCPCS codes, the appropriate revenue code must also be billed.
HCPCS codes must be identified for the following revenue codes:
HCPCS codes cannot be repeated for the same date of service. Combine the units in FL 46 (Units) to report multiple services.
The following revenue codes always require a HCPCS code.
When a HCPCS code is repeated more than once per day and billed on separate lines, use modifier 76 to indicate this is a repeat procedure and not a duplicate.
0252 | Non-Generic Drugs |
0253 | Take Home Drugs |
0255 | Drugs Incident to Radiology |
0257 | Non-Prescription |
0258 | IV Solutions |
0259 | Other Pharmacy |
0260 | IV Therapy General Classification |
0261 | Infusion Pump |
0262 | IV Therapy/Pharmacy Services |
0263 | IV Therapy/Drug/Supply Delivery |
0264 | IV Therapy/Supplies |
0269 | Other IV Therapy |
0631 | Single Source Drug |
0632 | Multiple Source Drug |
0633 | Restrictive Prescription |
0634 | Erythropoietin (EPO) |
0635 | Erythropoietin (EPO) >,10,000 |
0636 | Drugs Requiring Detailed Coding |
Each date of service must fall within the date span entered in the "Statement Covers Period" field (FL 6).
Enter incurred charges that are not payable by Health First Colorado.
Non-covered charges must be entered in both FL 47 (Total Charges) and FL 48 (Non-Covered Charges.) Each column requires a grand total on line 23.
Enter the payment source code followed by name of each payer organization from which the provider might expect payment.
At least one line must indicate Health First Colorado.
Source Payment Codes | |
B | Workmen's Compensation C Medicare |
D | Health First Colorado E Other Federal Program F Insurance Company |
G | Blue Cross, including Federal Employee Program |
I | Other |
Line A | Primary Payer |
Line B | Secondary Payer |
Line C | Tertiary Payer |
Enter the procedure code for the principal procedure performed during this billing period and the date on which procedure was performed. Enter the date using MMDDYY format. Apply the following criteria to determine the principal procedure:
Complete when there are additional significant procedure codes.
If the attending physician is not enrolled in Health First Colorado or if the member leaves the ER before being seen by a physician, the hospital may enter their individual numbers.
Complete when attending physician is not the PCP or to identify additional physicians.
Ordering, Prescribing, or Referring NPI - when applicable
NPI - Enter up to two 10-digit NPI numbers, when applicable. This form locator identifies physicians other than the attending physician. If the attending physician is not the PCP or if a clinic is a PCP agent, enter the PCP NPI number as the referring physician. The name of the Health First Colorado member's PCP appears on the eligibility verification. Review either for eligibility or PCP. Health First Colorado does not require that the PCP number appear more than once on each claim submitted.
Refer to the General Provider Information Manual located on the Billing Manuals web page under the General Provider Information drop-down section for more information on timely filing policy, including the resubmission rules for denied claims.