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February 2003
Volume 67 |
Number 2 |
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2003 RVG and CROSSWALK™
Now Available
The ASA Relative Value Guide (RVG) lists codes used
to report anesthesia and pain management services along
with the ASA-assigned base units for these services.
It also includes some basic anesthesia billing guidelines
that address questions such as:
| • What services are included in the Basic
Value assigned to an anesthesia code? |
| • When does anesthesia time begin and
when does it end? |
| • How do you report anesthesia services
when multiple surgical procedures are performed? |
| • What are appropriate methods to report
time for labor anesthesia/ analgesia? |
The 2003 RVG includes ASA’s Position Statement
on Monitored Anesthesia Care, Statement on Invasive
Monitoring and Statement on Transesophageal Echocardiography.
The RVG is to be used by practices as a guide in determining
their fee schedules. It makes no suggestions as to the
dollar amount for any unit. It is the official policy
of ASA that all anesthesiologists are free to choose
whatever arrangement they prefer for compensation of
their professional services. The Society does not consider
the compensation arrangement so chosen to be a matter
of professional ethics.
The ASA CROSSWALK™ lists the Current Procedural
Terminology (CPT-4 ™) procedure codes and links
them to the appropriate anesthesia code for that service.
Alternate selections are provided in instances where
multiple possibilities exist. The CROSSWALK reflects
the judgment of the ASA Committee of Economics. Payers
may not necessarily agree with those judgments. Providers
are free to report an anesthesia code other than one
linked to a specific procedure if they feel that another
code more accurately describes their services. Also,
we are pleased to offer a new product for 2003, a Reverse
CROSSWALK™. This is a listing of all the anesthesia
codes linked to the procedures for which they are a
primary cross.
The RVG and the CROSSWALK have been reviewed and revised
to reflect the additions, revisions and deletions made
to CPT for 2003. The CROSSWALK entries have been updated
to accommodate all changes to the descriptors for both
the anesthesia codes and the procedure codes when appropriate.
The RVG and CROSSWALK are each available in a print
version or on CD-ROM. The CD is in ASCII format to be
compatible with any software that imports ASCII files.
The print version of the RVG may be purchased for $15
by ASA members and for $25 by nonmembers. The CD price
is $100 for members and $125 for nonmembers. A copy
of the print version is included with the purchase of
the electronic version.
The printed version of the CROSSWALK costs $75 for ASA
members and $125 for nonmembers. Purchase of the CROSSWALK
CD includes the printed version and costs $150 for ASA
members and $250 for nonmembers. The Reverse CROSSWALK
is available only on a CD at $50 per copy.
Please contact the ASA Publications Department at (847)
825-5586 to order your 2003 Relative Value Guide and
CROSSWALK. For U.S. orders, shipping and handling costs
are included in the price of the publication. For international
orders, contact the ASA Publications Department for
shipping costs. Illinois residents must add 8.25-percent
sales tax to the total amount. Payment must accompany
all orders.
2002 PBLD CD-ROMs
Still Available
The 2002 Problem-Based Learning Discussions (PBLD) CD-ROM
is available at a cost of $15 per copy. This CD presents
the 127 cases discussed during the PBLD Program at the
2002 ASA Annual Meeting. For educational purposes, it
allows the learner to read each case and its objectives,
review the model discussion and references, and then
embark upon an individual study program to identify
and solve the problems posed in each case.
Anyone wishing to purchase copies should send a check
payable to the American Society of Anesthesiologists
for $15 (Illinois residents, add 8.25-percent sales
tax) per copy to: ASA Publications Department, 520 N.
Northwest Highway, Park Ridge, IL 60068-2573.
2003 ASA Scientific Papers: Call
for Abstracts
The submission procedure for the 2003 ASA Annual Meeting
scientific papers is very similar to that used in 2002.
For 2003, ASA will once again partner with Marathon
Multimedia, which specializes in online abstract submissions.
The abstract submission program is accessible on ASA’s
Web site
<www2.asahq.org/web/index.asp>
by clicking on the “Submit an Abstract”
link. All accepted abstracts will be published in their
entirety in electronic format, and a summary of the
abstract will be published in the 2003 Annual Meeting
program book. Submission instructions are available
on the ASA Web site and will not be mailed to authors.
It will not be necessary to request a packet of abstract
submission material.
The following outlines the 2003 Scientific Papers submission
process:
| • Only abstracts submitted online
can be considered. The deadline for submitting
all abstracts is Tuesday, April 1, 2003, at 11:59
p.m. Central Standard Time. |
| • To submit your abstract using
the online submission form, you must be using
Netscape Navigator or Communicator, version 4.7
or higher, or Microsoft Internet Explorer, version
5.0 or higher. |
| • All submission instructions will be
available on the ASA Web site and accessible from
any point during the submission process. No separate
submission packet will be mailed. |
| • Authors may input and revise submissions
until deadline or until the abstract is officially
submitted by clicking the “Submit”
button. Entries will be checked automatically
for completeness once officially submitted. After
the closing deadline, entries that are not in
compliance with all of the submission requirements
will be assumed to be in draft format and will
not be considered by the graders. |
| • A brief summary of the study must be
included with the submission and, for abstracts
that are accepted, will be published in the 2003
Annual Meeting program book. The summary will
not be considered when the abstracts are graded.
The September supplement to Anesthesiology will
consist of a CD-ROM containing the full text and
graphics of all accepted abstracts. |
| • The use of scientific characters and
common style elements such as bold, italic and
underline will be permitted. Font specification,
with some limitations, will be available. |
The ASA Web site contains more complete information
regarding the process for submitting abstracts.
CBA Program Begins Third Year
ASA is pleased to announce the third year of the 2003
Certificate in Business Administration (CBA) Program.
The program is designed to provide physicians with the
business skills needed to successfully manage the operations
and functions of their health care organization or medical
practice. After completing the program, participants
should be able to:
| • Acquire basic concepts of accounting
and financial analysis; |
| • Attain skills for budget development; |
| • Be conversant with compliance and organizational
issues, regulatory and other legal constraints; |
| • Identify and effectively use communication,
negotiation and conflict-resolution techniques
in a group-based environment; |
| • Optimize contracting, fee schedule analysis
and negotiation strategies through an understanding
of basic managed care and integrated delivery
system precepts; |
| • Appreciate employment law issues, selection
and retention issues and the relational cycle
of human resources to overall functional business
strategy; |
| • Develop a marketing plan for your organization
through a basic understanding of the principles
of marketing; |
| • Develop an understanding of business
communications and technical report writing; |
| • Gain an understanding of the role of
promotional strategy in health care services marketing. |
The first on-site session will be held the weekend of
March 22-23, 2003, at the Woodlands Resort and Conference
Center in Houston, Texas, with three additional on-site
sessions at the Woodlands throughout the year. A block
of rooms will be reserved at a local hotel for each
on-site program.
The program will consist of a total of 10 modules. Five
of the modules will be presented at the on-site sessions,
and five will be completed through distance learning
via CD-ROMs.
ASA designates this continuing medical education program
for a maximum of 50 hours of Category 1 credit toward
the American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition
Award.
For more information on the Certificate in Business
Administration Program or to download the registration
form, visit <www.asahq.org/conted/cba.htm>
or contact the ASA Executive Office at (847) 825-5586.
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FEATURES
Doctors Day, Communications and Research
ARTICLES
DEPARTMENTS
The views expressed herein are those of the authors and
do not necessarily represent or reflect the views, policies
or actions of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
NL Archives
Information for Authors
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