cognitive assesment
Additional Information
Cognitive functioning refers to multiple mental abilities, including learning, thinking, reasoning, remembering, problem solving, decision making, and attention.
If your patient is showing the lack of these functions they could be tested and you could be reimbursed for these services. As of January 1, 2023, Medicare pays approximately $266 (may be geographically adjusted) for these services when provided in an office setting.
A mini-Cog can help doctors and other professional care providers identify possible cognitive impairment in older people. The test’s results help determine when it might be time for more in-depth testing
If you detect a cognitive impairment during an office visit please get with your biller about whether or not the office visit or the testing is covered in one visit. You may or may not need to do a more in deep testing on a separate visit. This additional evaluation may be helpful to diagnose a person with dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and to identify treatable causes or co-occurring conditions such as depression or anxiety.
According to CMS you would typically spend 60 minutes face-to-face with the patient and independent historian to perform the following elements during the cognitive assessment:
- Examine the patient with a focus on observing cognition
- Record and review the patient’s history, reports, and records
- Conduct a functional assessment of Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, including decision-making capacity
- Use standardized instruments for staging of dementia like the Functional Assessment Staging Test (FAST) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR)
- Reconcile and review for high-risk medications, if applicable
- Use standardized screening instruments to evaluate for neuropsychiatric and behavioral symptoms, including depression and anxiety
- Conduct a safety evaluation for home and motor vehicle operation
- Identify social supports including how much caregivers know and are willing to provide care
- Address Advance Care Planning and any palliative care needs
You can check out additional information about cognitive assessment directly from CMS on the link below! Don't forget to check out the video just below as well.