Whether you run a small or even slightly larger medical practice in California, you should be pretty aware of how complicated it can be to manage some of the more specialized services – particularly if you run a podiatry practice.

Not that it’s an especially hard service to specialize in, but podiatry medical billing definitely still has a range of different aspects that all need to be fully understood if you want any level of success for your practice.

So, throughout this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at podiatry billing services and what it actually involves, especially in the context of things like routine foot care, coding services, and generally just how you can handle some of the medical claims.

Podiatry Practices and Routine Foot Care Services

Put simply, podiatry practices tend to focus on diagnosing and preventing various kinds of conditions that affect the feet and lower limbs in particular – as well as all the additional treatment that comes along with this.

Now, routine foot care services is obviously a fairly broad term, but this is just because of how many different types of procedures fall under this bracket – whether that’s addressing simple nail issues or some of the more complex treatments for a non-traumatic amputation or claudication temperature changes.

As such, there are a bunch of different medical codes and general billing etiquette that are specific to podiatry, so you and your staff will want to get your head around them to ensure you’re avoiding any claim denials.

The Importance of Podiatry Billing Services

As touched, the specialized nature of podiatry services generally means you’re going to need a much deeper understanding of its coding and billing procedures than you might if your practice didn’t have any particular specialty – not to mention all of the compliance with insurance regulations.

For some of the larger practices out there, you’ve likely got all the resources you need to hire a team of in-house medical billers and coders to handle this, but for those that really have the time or money to train, hire, and integrate new physicians into your practice, the best option by far is to outsource instead.

Whether it’s ensuring you’ve got accurate modifier descriptions or more general services like reducing your A/R days, we recommend choosing PMN to handle all of your medical billing and coding needs. PMN has 20+ years of experience catering specifically to small practices, so they’re well aware of some of the unique challenges they face.

So, if you need a helping hand that specializes in podiatry medical billing and coding, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at PMN for a friendly chat by calling (949) 215-5055 or visiting their office in Laguna Hills, Orange County, California!

Coding Services in Podiatry Billing

Generally speaking, being able to code podiatry services correctly is always going to be necessary if you want your medical claims to be processed quickly, given how just one mistake is going to lead to a claim denial (and ultimately lost revenue for your practice).

Therefore, podiatry billing services, like most other kinds of specialties, are going to require a certain level of expertise to properly translate all of the specific procedures and diagnoses involved with podiatry services into the right billing codes.

Just to revisit the point we made earlier about modifiers – these are one of the most critical components of accurate podiatry billing since you need them to demonstrate any additional information that’s worth mentioning about a procedure or service.

Whether it’s special circumstances, complications, or any other additional services that your physicians have provided throughout the treatment process, it’s essential to use a modifier description, which means it’s vital you have the staff to use them properly.

Addressing Routine Foot Care Services

As mentioned, routine foot care services generally cover quite a range of treatments, so to wrap things up, let’s walk through some of the most common ones:

Cold Feet

Outside of the medical industry, you’ve probably heard ‘cold feet’ used as more of a figure of speech, but in podiatry, it can actually signify a genuine concern.

Generally speaking, cold feet for extended periods of time tend to indicate some kind of vascular issue, so this requires careful assessment and treatment to rectify – naturally, podiatry billing plays a role here, so you’re accurately reflecting some of the services you’ve provided for this condition.

Shiny Skin Texture (Rubor)

This generally comes along with something known as rubor (meaning reddening), but shiny skin texture is once again indicative of some kind of circulatory problem in the feet.

Abnormal Spontaneous Sensations

Lastly, this is slightly more general, but patients often seek podiatry services for any unusual sensations in their feet that they can’t attribute to anything in particular.

FAQs

Does Medicare Cover Routine Foot Care Services?

Medicare generally only ever covers services that are actually medically necessary, meaning certain things related to particular foot conditions or complications due to diabetes are covered. Having said that, routine services like nail trimming, callus removal, or even services for corns (which are usually considered cosmetic) might not be covered.

Are Podiatry Billing Services Different for Pediatric Patients?

Podiatry billing services for pediatric patients usually follow the same basic principles, but some of the specific codes and modifiers used might vary for some procedures. As such, this means that your medical billers and coders are going to need specialized knowledge (not only in podiatry but also in pediatric podiatry services) to make sure all the services are being properly coded and billed for.