|
23.3.1.1 Newborn Hearing Screening
Health Safety Code, Chapter 47, Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated mandates that a newborn hearing screening occur at the birthing facility before hospital discharge. The hospital is responsible for the purchase of equipment, training of personnel, screening of the newborns, certification of the program according to DSHS standards, and notification to the provider, parents, and DSHS of screening results.
OAE or ABR audiometry are used to screen for newborn hearing and may be performed as early as a few hours after birth when completed by a licensed audiologist. There is no additional Medicaid reimbursement for the newborn hearing screening because the procedure is part of the newborn hospital diagnosis related group (DRG) payment. Hospitals must use procedure code K-09547 to report this newborn hearing screen on the UB-04 CMS-1450 claim form.
This facility-based screening also meets the physician's required component for hearing screening in the inpatient newborn Texas Health Steps (THSteps) check up. The physician must ensure that the hearing screening is completed before discharging the newborn or, when the birthing facility is exempt under the law, that there is an appropriate referral for a hearing screening to a birthing facility participating in the newborn hearing screening program.
The physician must discuss the screening results with the parents, especially if the hearing screening results are abnormal, and order an appropriate referral for further diagnostic testing. If the results are abnormal, the parent's or legal guardian's consent must be obtained to send information to DSHS for tracking and follow-up purposes.
If a physician has any concerns about this process, the physician should contact the hospital administrator or the DSHS Audiology Services Program at 1-512-458-7724.
|
