Billing First Hour and Subsequent Hours Differently
In cases where the payer requires different unit calculations for the first and subsequent hours, the Minutes per Timespan option should be used in the tab.
Example
Anesthesia was administered from 1:00am to 4:00am. The payer allows billing for the first hour in 15 minute increments (4 units per hour). For subsequent hours, a reduced rate of 60 minute increments (1 unit per hour) is permitted.
tab:
The Minutes per Timespan option has been selected for the applicable code/code range and the Minutes Per Unit setting for the first time span is set to 15 minutes.
Since 15 minute units are permitted for the first hour only and subsequent hours must be billed in 60 minute increments, the From time on the second line is set to 61 minutes. This automatically changes the Thru time on the previous line from 9999 to a value of 60.
Charge Posting:
- The service item is entered and the time range defined (1:00am to 4:00am).
- The number of units is calculated as 6.
- 1:00am to 2:00am = One hour = Four 15 minute units
- 2:00am t0 4:00am = Two hours = Two 60 minute units
- Total number of units: 4 + 2 = 6