Opiate billing
Started by SommeRiver
How does someone with a mature practice and no APP see opioid refills q monthly? Seems to me would totally fill your schedule. Q2-3 months is very reasonable for stable patients esp. if on low dose.
My 2c- if you feel like you have to see someone monthly you shouldn't be prescribing them opioids.
My 2c- if you feel like you have to see someone monthly you shouldn't be prescribing them opioids.
IMO, If the government really thought it is okay to see every 3 months, they would allow 2 refills.
IMHO if you think you know who to trust and who not to you haven’t been doing pain very long.
If opioid visits are at least a level 4 then that's about $132.94 under the 2021 increased reimbursement for clinic visits. Also, as mentioned above, why are there regulations in place that disallow refills for opioids? Seems like they are encouraging more frequent follow up which means monthly visits.
There just seems to be a lot of risk associated with managing opioids so frequent follow up that is reasonably well reimbursed makes sense. The PCPs don't want to manage them so they end up coming to the "pain specialist" and we then assume that risk (hopefully try to wean them down as much as tolerable)....
Cynicism is key, I agree with you there. But if I need to see someone monthly for schedule II's I'm looking to wean them or rotate to Butrans/Belbuca or something less risky.
For those of you who see opioid refills monthly, how is your practice not completely overwhelmed by refill visits to the detriment of new patient visits and patient access for non-opioid follow ups?
Physician Assistants.
midlevels
Or don't write many opiates.
