Medical Services Coding

Approved by the ACEP Board of Directors April 2006
This policy statement replaces "Coding Reform" approved by the ACEP Board of Directors June 1999. 

Given the establishment of a uniform transaction code set by the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) believes that all private, state, and federal health care payers should employ a national uniform system for identifying, measuring, and reporting physician services.  Consequently, there should be ongoing efforts to develop and maintain procedures and performance codes, definitions, documentation requirements, and other associated policies regarding medical services in accordance with the following:

• Utilizing appropriate physician experience and expertise in such processes;
   
• Fostering the implementation of reasonable definitions and recognition policies among all payers nationwide;
   
• Establishing, modifying, or deleting codes in a timely manner, based on changing medical practice; and
   
• Having such codes, definitions, documentation requirements, and other associated utilization and reporting policies readily available whenever requested.