The American Medical Association and over 100 physicians and healthcare professional organizations have written a letter to Cigna raising concerns about a new policy requirement, urging the insurer to "immediately rescind" the change, according to an April 25report from the AMA.
The new policy requires submission of office notes with all claims, including evaluation and management current procedural terminology codes 99212, 99213, 99214 and 99215 and modifier 25 when a minor procedure is billed.
The new rule makes it harder for patients to get care and imposes significant administrative burdens on health professionals, according to the AMA.
In the letter, medical groups warn Cigna that this policy will have a "negative impact on practice administrative costs and burdens across medical specialties and geographic regions, as well as its potential negative effect on patients."
They warn that the policy "creates a disincentive for physicians and other health care professionals to provide unscheduled services, which may force patients to schedule multiple visits."
Cigna previously told medical associates that only about 10 percent of submitted documentation would be reviewed, according to the report.