The state of Arizona's Industrial Fee Schedule is released around midyear with the schedule covering October through the end of September the following year. The current fee schedules are available through September 2017.

CODE BREAKDOWNS

All medical services are given individual codes. This makes it easier for those in the billing department to type in short codes for longer procedures. Most branches within the medical community have individual codes and guidelines. Sections that fall under the physician's fee schedule include:

• Pharmaceutical

• Anesthesia

• Surgery

• Radiology

• Pathology and Laboratory

• Medicine

• Physical medicine

• Special services

• Evaluation and Management

• Category III

INTERESTED IN INDIVIDUAL CODES?

When patients receive bills, they are almost always itemized. It is very important for patients to look over this information carefully to verify they received the services and are not being charged incorrectly. If your bill is difficult to understand, you can look up individual codes from a billing sheet in order to see where it appears in the billing schedule.

When working within the medical industry or making payments on current medical expenses, it is important to understand the industrial fee schedule. The schedule is based on the fiscal year and not the standard January through December calendar. This is why the effective fee dates run October through September. Additional dates for October, 2017 through September, 2018, will be released in the upcoming months.