The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association and American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to increase access to dental surgeries in ambulatory surgical centers.
The three organizations are leading a coalition of dental stakeholders in supporting a proposed rule that would increase access to dental surgeries in hospital operating rooms but would like CMS to make sure that ambulatory surgical centers are included as well by including a single CDT code on the ambulatory surgical centers Covered Procedures List, according to comments filed Sept. 13.
In the comments, the AAPD, ADA and AAOMS applauded CMS for taking the first step in addressing “the critical lack of operating room access for dental procedures for patients who require general anesthesia,” but said they remain concerned that dental rehabilitation and other dental procedures performed in ambulatory surgical centers are not yet eligible for coverage. Read more.
The CMS Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Proposed Rule is proposing that CMS reclassify the CPT code generally used to report dental procedures performed in hospital outpatient settings (CPT 41899) by moving it into the Ambulatory Payment Classification that includes other dental procedures (proposed reclassification of CPT 41899 from APC 5161 to 5871). This will have the effect of increasing the Medicare facility fee for dental surgeries in hospital outpatient departments from $203.64 to $1,958.92, according to the rule.
