Your Practice

Image of White Coats in a Huddle: Text Your Practice

Practice operations depend on a risk assessment of community spread of cases and your state’s current rate of vaccination. It is important to realize that this is a fluid and changing environment, that risk may change with time and decisions may need to change.

Managing Your Practice

The public health emergency (PHE) has been extended through May 11, 2023. This means that the telehealth waivers will remain in effect and many insurers are extending their coverage allowances, but not all. Be sure and check with the patient’s carrier before COVID-19 vaccination, viral testing, antibody testing or monoclonal antibody therapy.

Guidance from the ADT Interest Section for Performing Pulmonary Office Procedures During the Pandemic (4/18/22)
A work group report from the AAAAI's Asthma Diagnosis and Treatment (ADT) Interest Section on pulmonary office procedures is now available from JACI: In Practice. This work group report has diligently reviewed all aspects of office, community and patient considerations in approaching such procedures. Read the report here.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI): Considerations for Safe Clinical Practice During the Pandemic: written by the COVID-19 Response Task Force (12/20/20)

COVID-19 relief provisions and appropriations for FY 2021 of interest to allergy practices are summarized here.

Frequent updates of regulatory issues related to the COVID 19 pandemic from the AAAAI's professional advocacy partner can be found at https://www.aaaai.org/about-aaaai/advocacy/covid.

Telemedicine

Many practices are continuing to utilize telemedicine to see patients. A summary of current regulations and coding and billing guidance can be found here.

Helpful Resources for Telemedicine

AAAAI Telemedicine Toolkit

CMS Telehealth Toolkit for General Practitioners

Updated CMS Medicare fee-for-service FAQs. Telehealth guidance begins on page 35 and includes additional guidance related to telephone-only codes (Q24), billing of disconnected telehealth visits (Q25) and consent requirements for certain telehealth and other virtual visits (Q32).

The Joint Taskforce on Technology and Telemedicine developed several short videos on practicing telemedicine during the pandemic:

COVID-19 Coding

The AMA, in cooperation with CMS, has released new codes for specific vaccine products. A spreadsheet of all the COVID-19 testing, vaccine and vaccine administration codes can be downloaded here.

CMS has a list of specific COVID 19 vaccine codes and payment allowances and a comprehensive toolkit for providers with the information needed to administer and bill for the vaccines.