Episodios

  • UCR 283: Saturation Biopsy Confusion and Cystoscopy Risk—Where Interpretation Matters
    Apr 6 2026

    April 3, 2026

    In this episode, Scott, Mark, and Dr. Ray Painter tackle two areas where interpretation is driving real-world coding challenges: when a prostate biopsy truly qualifies as a stereotactic template-guided saturation biopsy (55706), and whether diagnostic cystoscopy meets moderate risk under E/M guidelines. The discussion breaks down what differentiates saturation biopsy from standard transperineal approaches, including the importance of 3D templating and full-gland sampling, and why payer expectations may not align with physician interpretation. They also revisit the E/M risk table, reinforcing why cystoscopy is generally considered moderate risk—even if not explicitly stated in current guidelines. The key takeaway: as coding becomes more nuanced, balancing guideline interpretation with payer expectations is critical to staying compliant and getting paid correctly.


    PRS Coding and Reimbursement Hub

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    Botox LCD Alert

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    Free In-Office Prostate Biopsy Calculator (Suppoted by UC-Care)

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    PRS Coding Courses

    For Urologist

    For APPs

    For Coders, Billers, and Admins


    Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer Group

    Empowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.

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    Click Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com


    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.

    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/

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    35 m
  • UCR 282: Playing the Surgical Lottery – Medicare Advantage and Out-of-Network Strategy
    Mar 27 2026

    March 27, 2026

    In this episode, Scott, Mark, and Dr. John Lin dive into the challenges of navigating Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans—what happens when you’re out of network, why reimbursement can feel like a “surgical lottery,” and how to decide whether to participate at all. Prompted by a real-world scenario involving UnitedHealthcare narrowing its network, the discussion explores out-of-network billing strategies, patient responsibility, contract pitfalls, and the risks of unpredictable payments. The team also breaks down the key differences between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage, highlighting how payer incentives, network restrictions, and administrative burden impact both practices and patients. The takeaway: know your numbers, know your leverage, and be intentional about the payers you choose to work with.


    PRS Coding and Reimbursement Hub

    Access the Hub


    Botox LCD Alert

    Download the Alert


    Free In-Office Prostate Biopsy Calculator (Suppoted by UC-Care)

    Download Now


    PRS Coding Courses

    For Urologist

    For APPs

    For Coders, Billers, and Admins


    Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer Group

    Empowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.

    https://www.prsnetwork.com/joinuptp



    Click Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com


    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.

    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/

    Más Menos
    36 m
  • UCR 281: UnitedHealthcare’s New Documentation Rule and MDM Data Clarifications
    Mar 20 2026

    March 20, 2026

    In this episode, Scott, Mark, and Dr. Ray Painter break down a new UnitedHealthcare policy that could impact payment for professional components of diagnostic services—including urodynamics and other PCTC-coded procedures—and what practices must document to avoid denials. The discussion outlines the need for clearly separated diagnostic reports with findings and impressions, as payers increase prepayment scrutiny. The key takeaway: as payer oversight intensifies, precise, structured documentation—and understanding how rules are applied—is essential to getting paid.


    PRS Coding and Reimbursement Hub

    Access the Hub


    Botox LCD Alert

    Download the Alert


    Free In-Office Prostate Biopsy Calculator (Suppoted by UC-Care)

    Download Now


    PRS Coding Courses

    For Urologist

    For APPs

    For Coders, Billers, and Admins


    Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer Group

    Empowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.

    https://www.prsnetwork.com/joinuptp



    Click Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com


    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.

    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/

    Más Menos
    34 m
  • UCR 280: Testosterone Pellet Denials, Secondary Payer Prior Auths, and Urology Risk Assessments
    Mar 13 2026

    March 13, 2026

    In this episode, Scott, Mark, and Dr. Ray Painter tackle three emerging reimbursement challenges affecting urology practices: widespread denials for testosterone pellet (Testopel®) therapy, the growing trend of secondary payers requiring prior authorization for high-cost drugs, and whether urology questionnaires qualify as billable health risk assessments.


    PRS Coding and Reimbursement Hub

    Access the Hub


    Botox LCD Alert

    Download the Alert


    Free In-Office Prostate Biopsy Calculator (Suppoted by UC-Care)

    Download Now


    PRS Coding Courses

    For Urologist

    For APPs

    For Coders, Billers, and Admins


    Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer Group

    Empowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.

    https://www.prsnetwork.com/joinuptp



    Click Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com


    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.

    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/

    Más Menos
    29 m
  • UCR 279: LCDs, NCDs, LCAs, and Audits — Understanding Medicare’s Coverage Landscape
    Mar 9 2026

    March 6, 2026

    In this episode, Scott, Mark, and Dr. Ray Painter break down the complex “alphabet soup” of Medicare coverage and auditing tools—including NCDs, LCDs, LCAs, RAC audits, and the emerging WISER program—and explain how they work together to shape reimbursement policy. Prompted by a new multi-state LCD affecting Botox coverage, the discussion walks through how coverage determinations are created, how Medicare contractors enforce them, and why documentation requirements continue to expand. The panel also explores how practices can adapt by building workflows, intake forms, and clinical documentation processes that capture the data Medicare expects—helping physicians navigate audits while still delivering appropriate patient care.


    PRS Coding and Reimbursement Hub

    Access the Hub


    Botox LCD Alert

    Download the Alert


    Free In-Office Prostate Biopsy Calculator (Suppoted by UC-Care)

    Download Now


    PRS Coding Courses

    For Urologist

    For APPs

    For Coders, Billers, and Admins


    Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer Group

    Empowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.

    https://www.prsnetwork.com/joinuptp



    Click Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com


    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.

    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/

    Más Menos
    30 m
  • UCR 278: E/M Leveling — It’s as Clear as Mud
    Feb 27 2026

    February 27, 2026

    In this episode, Scott, Mark, and special guest Dr. John Lin tackle real-world evaluation and management (E/M) scenarios submitted by members of the Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group. Through practical examples—including BPH follow-ups, elevated PSA management, overactive bladder, recurrent UTIs, and constipation—they break down how to apply medical decision-making rules to determine the correct level of service. The discussion highlights chronic stable conditions, prescription drug management, documentation pitfalls, automatic downcoding, and the ongoing gray areas that make E/M leveling “clear as mud.” The key takeaway: understanding the rules is essential—but precise documentation is what ultimately gets you paid.


    PRS Coding and Reimbursement Hub

    Access the Hub


    Free In-Office Prostate Biopsy Calculator (Suppoted by UC-Care)

    Download Now


    PRS Coding Courses

    For Urologist

    For APPs

    For Coders, Billers, and Admins


    Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer Group

    Empowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.

    https://www.prsnetwork.com/joinuptp



    Click Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com


    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.

    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/

    Más Menos
    49 m
  • UCR 277: The New Economics of In-Office Prostate Biopsies
    Feb 21 2026

    February 20, 2026

    In this episode, Scott, Mark, and Dr. Ray Painter break down the financial realities of the new prostate biopsy CPT codes and what they mean for urology practices. Moving beyond coding mechanics, the discussion focuses on the economic differences between transrectal and transperineal approaches, MRI fusion versus ultrasound guidance, targeted lesion add-on payments, and the site-of-service differential between office and facility settings. They explore how practice expense values, capital equipment costs, disposable supplies, physician time, and block scheduling all factor into the decision to bring advanced biopsy techniques in-house. The episode emphasizes balancing clinical judgment with financial sustainability—helping practices evaluate whether expanding in-office prostate biopsy services makes sense now and in the future.


    PRS Coding and Reimbursement Hub

    Access the Hub


    Free In-Office Prostate Biopsy Calculator (Suppoted by UC-Care)

    Download Now


    PRS Coding Courses

    For Urologist

    For APPs

    For Coders, Billers, and Admins


    Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer Group

    Empowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.

    https://www.prsnetwork.com/joinuptp



    Click Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com


    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.

    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/

    Más Menos
    34 m
  • UCR 276: Live from New Orleans – Modifier 25, Cystoscopy Denials, and How to Win the Appeal
    Feb 13 2026

    February 13, 2026

    In this special live episode recorded at the Urology Advanced Coding and Reimbursement Seminar in New Orleans on January 31st, 2026, Scott, Mark, Dr. John Lin, and Marianne DeSciose dive into one of the most contentious coding battles in urology: billing E/M services with cystoscopy on the same day. Prompted by a real-world question from the Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group, the panel explores when modifier 25 is appropriate, why denials happen, and how to build documentation and appeal strategies that get results. With input from attendees, the episode brings practical insights from the front lines of coding, billing, and payer negotiations.


    PRS Coding and Reimbursement Hub

    Access the Hub


    Free Kidney Stone Coding Calculator

    Download Now


    PRS Coding Courses

    For Urologist

    For APPs

    For Coders, Billers, and Admins


    Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer Group

    Empowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.

    https://www.prsnetwork.com/joinuptp



    Click Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com


    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.

    The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/

    Más Menos
    38 m