Re: US Stops Counting Flu Cases

[Guest guest]

despite that, I just got this email from the AMA:

Oct. 9, 2009

Expedited CPT codes now available for H1N1 immunizations

New Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes have been issued on an

accelerated schedule to help ease the pressures of this year’s unusual

influenza season on physicians and other health care providers. The new codes

will

streamline the reporting and reimbursement procedures in administering

nearly 200 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine in the U.S. and will help to

efficiently report and track immunization and counseling services related to the

vaccine.

Effective immediately, physicians can report H1N1 immunization

administrations and counseling using Category I CPT Code 90470. Code 90663 has

been

revised to refer to the H1N1 vaccine product. The American Medical

Association (AMA) CPT Editorial Panel, in conjunction with the U.S. Department

of

Health and Human Services, made the codes available on an expedited timeline

in preparation for this year’s unusual influenza season.

For quick reference, the two codes are below:

90470

H1N1 immunization administration (intramuscular, intranasal), including

counseling when performed

90663

Influenza virus vaccine, pandemic formulation, H1N1

The AMA is actively monitoring the most salient clinical information and

recommendations on the flu...snip

This would seem to me to indicate that soon the tracking will be

widespread, just from billing.

ck

In a message dated 10/12/2009 11:14:31 Central Standard Time,

spenair@... writes:

If this is right where are all these stats that keep getting thrown around

coming from?

_http://www.jems.http://wwhttp://www.jehttp://www.http://www.jemshttp://wwwh

ttp_

(http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/news/09/us_stops_counting_flu_cases.html)

2009 Oct 9

U.S. Stops Counting Flu Cases

MIKE STOBBE

Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA — U.S. health officials have lost track of how many illnesses and

deaths have been caused by the first global flu epidemic in 40 years. And

they did it on purpose. Government doctors stopped counting swine flu cases

in July, when they estimated more than 1 million were infected in this

country. The number of deaths has been sitting at more than 600 since early

September. Health officials had previously counted lab-confirmed cases, though

the tally was skewed because many people who got sick never were tested.