DentalWriter Update October 2020

#1 – 2021 updates for ICD-10 diagnosis codes

Effective October 1, 2020

Did you know? There is now a total of 72,616 ICD10 diagnosis codes! For ICD-10 2021, there are: 490 additions, 58 deletions, 47 revisions. 

These changes go into effect on October 1, 2020. The good news is, we have scoured these changes for you to isolate the updates that are important to dental practices who bill their patient’s medical insurance for medically necessary procedures performed in the dental practice setting. 

#2  – 2021 updates for Evaluation & Management (E&M) codes

Effective January 1, 2021

Starting 2021 marks the first major overhaul of guidelines for documenting & selection for Evaluation & Management (E&M) codes.

These codes are used to represent your office visits (evaluation & management) of your patients. As of January 1, 2020, E&M code 99201 has been deleted, and you may now select the level of office visit code based on time spent with the patient as your key factor.

#3 – Telehealth Codes Added

The established patient E&M codes for telehealth visits have been added to the “services” tab, found in any visit in your DentalWriter™. 

#4  – New Epworth Sleepiness Scale Trend Report

You asked, we listened. You can now run a trend report to show your patient’s progress based on their Epworth sleepiness scale scores over time.

#5 – New Sleep Study Trend Report

Another request from our clients we were happy to create: you can now run a trend report to show your patient’s progress based on their sleep study results over time. 

#6  – New drag and drop functionality for your document center in patient charts

It’s the little things in life….

#7 – New Medicare ABN

Required use January 1, 2021

You can use the previous version until January 1, 2021, but you can start using the new one now!

#8 – New QuickLetter Template for Appeals for Higher Allowed Amounts

We’ve added a new QuickLetter template you can use to request that a medical insurer increase the allowed amount of a processed claim/service.

#9 – New QuickLetter for Documenting Financial Hardship

Use this new QuickLetter template if a patient has a true financial hardship in order to document waivers of deductible & coinsurance.

#10 – New QuickLetter Template for Letter of Medical Necessity for Myofunctional Therapy

Use this new QuickLetter to explain to a medical insurer why the myofunctional therapy you are providing is medically necessary.

Other notable mentions:

• Assessment and plan sections of the visits/form tab in patient’s chart will not clear out text after narrative is generated
• Upgrades/enhancements to scanning features to allow more scanner types/brand to function
• User can generate multiple narratives in a TMD visit/form without closing the visit/form
• Prepayments require a payment method/type to be entered prior to saving
• Online patient questionnaires download manager can now search for multiple patients with the same first and last name
• Updating the main file locations will update the patient images as well
• Erroneous prompt in ledger that payment is greater than balance due removed