Volume 23, Number 4Coding CornerReimbursement Considerations for Instillation of Medications to Treat Low-Grade Upper Tract Urothelial CarcinomaJonathan RubensteinMark PainterCeleste KirschnerUnlike non–muscle invasive bladder cancer, which can be treated with surgical and intravesical medication administration, upper tract urothelial (renal pelvis and ureter) cancer was historically treated only surgically. If a tumor could not be treated with ureteroscopic or percutaneous surgical control, removal of the kidney and ureter was often the only treatment option. When mitomycin for pyelocalyceal instillation 0.4% gel for low-grade upper urothelial cancer became commercially available, nonsurgical treatment became possible.MitomycinAdministration intravesicalureteral neoplasms
Volume 23, Number 4LUGPA NewsLUGPA NewsCeleste KirschnerEvan R GoldfischerThank you to everyone who joined us November 14 to 16, 2024, for the LUGPA 2024 Annual Meeting! We met in Chicago, Illinois, where we learned more about our clinical practice, exchanged ideas, and celebrated LUGPA’s accomplishments in support of independent urology practices. If you missed the annual meeting, you can visit lugpa.org/annual to see photos from the event and read a recap of the entire meeting. You can also follow #LUGPA2024 on social media to access more news and photos from the event and see what attendees had to say about the meeting.
Volume 23, Number 3LUGPA NewsLUGPA NewsCeleste KirschnerEvan R GoldfischerOn May 23, 2024, Dr Timothy Richardson, a member of LUGPA’s board of directors, testified before the US House Committee on Ways & Means’ Subcommittee on Health about the negative impacts of hospital acquisitions on independent physician practices.
Volume 23, Number 2Coding CornerCoding Corner: Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System Code G2211, Visit Complexity Inherent to Evaluation and ManagementJonathan RubensteinMark PainterCeleste KirschnerFor this issue, we reviewed the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) level 2 code G2211. Though the code has existed for a few years, Medicare began reimbursing physicians for reporting the code in January 2024. The code is used to describe the complexity of an evaluation and management (E&M) visit associated with an ongoing, longitudinal care relationship, focusing on a circumstance rather than a specific service. The circumstance described in this code differs from the prolonged services described by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes 99358 through 99418; the case management services described by CPT codes 99366 through 99368; and the chronic care management services described by CPT codes 99490, 99491, and 99437 through 99489:Benign prostatic hyperplasiaEvaluation and management servicesCurrent Procedural Terminology codes
Volume 23, Number 2LUGPA NewsLUGPA NewsCeleste KirschnerEvan R GoldfischerAs the leading voice of independent urology group practices in the United States, LUGPA educates policy makers on the benefits of integrated urologic care. LUGPA’s Health Policy and Political Affairs committees drive grassroots efforts by developing thoughtful analysis and engaging public officials through comment letters on major legislative and regulatory proposals, and other news.
Volume 23, Number 1LUGPA NewsLUGPA NewsCeleste KirschnerEvan R GoldfischerAs the leading voice of independent urology group practices in the United States, LUGPA educates poli- cymakers on the benefits of integrated urologic care. LUGPA’s Health Policy and Political Affairs commit- tees drive grassroots efforts by developing thoughtful analysis and engaging public officials through comment letters on major legislative and regulatory proposals.
Volume 23, Number 1Coding CornerCoding Corner: Current Procedural Terminology Code 99459, Female Pelvic ExaminationJonathan RubensteinMark PainterCeleste KirschnerIn this issue of Reviews in Urology, we tackle the new 2024 CPT code 99459, female pelvic examination (used in addition to the code for the primary procedure).Current Procedural Terminology codesgynecological examinationclinical coding