Ask The Experts
Q&A from the most trusted names in audiology.
Variation in Medicaid Benefits from State to State
October 29, 2007
Why is it that the New York State Medicaid Department will not cover the cost of ENG testing as performed by a licensed and certified audiologist? Medicaid is usually the secondary payer anyway for ma... Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
Open Hearing Aid Fittings for Small Children
October 22, 2007
Is there any reason why I should not fit an open hearing aid on an infant or young child with normal hearing through 2000 Hz? I know that the miniature aids that are used for open fittings do not have... Read More
Hearing Aids - Children Pediatrics
CPT Codes - Technical and Professional Components
October 22, 2007
I work in an outpatient hospital setting. Which of our audiology diagnostic CPT Codes can be broken down into and billed individually as technical and professional components? Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
What is the Correct Way to Bill for Binaural Hearing Aids?
October 15, 2007
What is the correct way to bill for binaural hearing aids? Our claims have been processed as 1 unit when we use a binaural code such as V5261, even when we bill as 2 units. Can we bill a V5257 with a... Read More
Hearing Aids - Adults Practice Management and Professional Issues
Medicare and the Otogram
October 15, 2007
What's Medicare and other insurance companies doing about the Otogram? Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
The GY, GA, and GZ Modifiers for Medicare
October 8, 2007
What is the qualifier, when filing Medicare for hearing aids, to get a rejection so the secondary coverage can pay it? Read More
Evidence Based Practice Reviews
October 8, 2007
In regard to systematic reviews for Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), is there a recommended search engine or database to find these reviews? Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
Private Labeling of Hearing Aids
October 1, 2007
I was looking at the option of using a private label service for the hearing aids I dispense. From a marketing standpoint, does this really make sense? Or is it better to leave the "well known" brand... Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues Hearing Aids - Adults
Blue Cross Blue Shield
October 1, 2007
We seem to have a multitude of billing problems with Blue Cross Blue Shield. The latest is the Medicare Advantage program in Michigan. Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
Billing as an Au.D.
September 24, 2007
Can an audiologist with an Au.D. bill differently than a non-Au.D. audiologist, to improve or increase reimbursement? Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
Asymmetrical Low Frequency Hearing Loss and Acoustic Neuroma
September 24, 2007
I have a patient that presents with asymmetrical low frequency (250-1000 Hz) sensorineural hearing loss with symmetrical high frequencies. Is there a possibility this patient could have an acoustic ne... Read More
Medical and Surgical Electrophysiology Hearing and Hearing Loss
Performing Electrical ABRs Post-Cochlear Implantation
September 17, 2007
I work with patients who have cochlear implants. The physician with whom I work wants to begin performing Electrical ABRs post-implantation. How do I use my evoked potential system for EABR testing? Read More
Electrophysiology Cochlear Implants
Billing for attending IEP meetings
September 17, 2007
Is there any way to bill for attending school-based IEP meetings, providing in-services to preschool teachers as well as functional listening evaluations? Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
Sensitivity of VEMP to Detect Endolymphatic Hydrops
September 10, 2007
Can you define the differences in sensitivity of procedures such as the Cochlear Hydrops Analysis Masking Procedure (CHAMP) and the VEMP in identifying endolymphatic hydrops versus cochlear hydrops? Read More
Vestibular Issues and Balance Disorders Electrophysiology Hearing and Hearing Loss Medical and Surgical
NPI Numbers and Medicare
September 10, 2007
Now that we have the NPI number, do we stop using Medicare and Medicaid numbers? Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
Billing for OAEs
September 3, 2007
I have some confusion regarding the correct way to bill for OAE testing, comprehensive or unlimited? Read More
Interaural Attenuation Values
August 27, 2007
What interaural attenuation values do you recommend using with insert earphones? Read More
Hearing Evaluation - Adults
Billing for pediatric ABRs
August 27, 2007
I work at a hospital where we do ABR for the purpose of identifying hearing loss in babies and young children. We often complete several ABRs, i.e. click, bone conduction, and tone burst ABR at severa... Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
Cost-Benefit Analysis of Mailings Managed by Sycle
August 20, 2007
What is the cost-benefit of allowing Sycle to handle my mailings, as opposed to hiring an in-house assistant? Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues
'Incident' to billing for VNGs
August 20, 2007
I want to know about "incident to" billing for VNGs. I have a Medicare and Medicaid numbers and they will bill my number for those patients but the ENT is not enrolled for some third party payers and... Read More
Practice Management and Professional Issues