FAQs
Integrative Medicine Network
What is “Integrative Medicine” ?
Integrative Medicine is an emerging medical specialty that incorporates the art and
science of caring for the whole person –body, mind, and spirit –designed to treat and
prevent disease.
What is the IMN?
Integrative Medicine Networks (IMN) is a national PPO of Integrative and
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Providers working to better serve
patients by using a new set of health insurance reimbursement codes covering an
additional 4000+ integrative medicine procedures, techniques, and modalities.
What kinds of practitioners are joining the IMN?
IMN is open to all medical and complementary medicine practitioners, including MDs,
DOs, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Massage Therapists, Naturopathic Doctors, Nurses,
and other allied health practitioners seeking to improve the health of their patients and
clients and lower the cost of healthcare.
What are key IMN Preferred Provider Membership Features and Benefits?
Feature Benefit
Customized Encounter Forms by Better and faster reimbursement from insurance companies paid
State and Modality, using ABC directly to CAM practitioners when you identify codes for
Codes services provided
Patient/Client Billing Statements Clients pay less out of pocket by submitting Billing Statements
[with new ABC codes] directly to their insurance companies
National CAM Coding Manual Available on CD-ROM, this insurance reimbursement “Bible”
provides new ABC codes by state and modality
Direct Referrals Get additional patients/clients via IMN PPO Member network
referrals
Discount on Scope of Practice Protects you by keeping your professional practice within your
Guidebook legal scope of practice
What is the cost of Membership?
The Preferred Provider Membership cost $189 for the first year and includes many
membership benefits [see chart]. Renewal memberships are priced at $89 per year.
1
FAQs
Integrative Medicine Network
Will insurance companies treat me differently if I am a credentialed IMN Preferred
Provider?
Yes. Being credentialed by IMN shows that you are serious about contributing to “Best
Practices” and that you know how to accurately bill insurance companies with correct
coding within your scope of practice
Must I discount my professional fees to participate in your PPO network?
No. CAM practitioners agree to a standard fee as part of the agreement to participate in
the network The fees are based on Relative Value Units for each State and most of the
time are at or near your current fees. RVUs establish the financial worth of specific
interventions in relation to other interventions and support health economics studies,
health insurance benefit plan design, managed care and provider contracting, utilization
and clinical practice management, claims processing, outcomes research and a variety of
actuarial analyses.
What is a Patient/Client Encounter Form?
An Encounter Form is a standardized insurance form that details the techniques,
modalities, and procedures that you perform in your practice. .The form can be sent to
insurance companies [by your office or given directly to the patient] for reimbursement.
As a Preferred Provider you will receive Encounter Forms customized by state and
modality.
How many new ABC Codes are now in the process of being approved and
implemented?
Over 4,500 codes specific to 15 modalities are now being approved by exception by U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. Older medical code sets have significant
gaps, because they do not adequately describe or reflect the care delivered by more than 3
million licensed healthcare practitioners and millions of other caregivers.
What will happen to existing CPT Codes? Can I still use them?
CPT codes will continue to be used and accepted by most payors for a number of years.
ABC codes will be used in conjunction with CPT codes, are much more specific, and if
documented correctly, will provide better reimbursement for you and your patients.
Do CAM Practitioners need referrals from MDs in order to bill insurance
companies with the new ABC Codes?
No.
Who is behind the ABC codes and how do they work?
ABC codes were developed by Alternative Link of Albuquerque, NM specifically to help
control costs and support consumer-driven healthcare. The new, supplemental coding
system fills gaps that currently exist in older medical and dental coding systems and the
national health information infrastructure.
2
FAQs
Integrative Medicine Network
ABC codes fit into the same forms, data fields, software applications, information
systems and business processes as older HIPAA code sets, such as CPT, HCPCS II and
CDT. These codes help healthcare consumers, practitioners and organizations gain more
reliable information on the best practices of conventional, complementary and alternative
medicine, so they can make better health policy and personal healthcare decisions.
What organizations are supporting ABC codes?
A number of organizations have publicly disclosed their use or planned deployment of
ABC codes, including:
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine National Coalition
Alternative Healthcare Options
American Healthcare Alliance
Bridges in Medicine
Carolinas HealthCare System
Integrative Medicine Networks
Lovelace Sandia Health System
Medical Professional Systems
MediMerge Health
Mitchell Medical
National Assn. of Clinical Nurse Specialists
N-CAM Wellness Benefits Company
Preferred health Systems
What about insurance fraud? Aren’t insurance companies suspect of these codes
and practitioners?
IMN Preferred Providers are trained to bill accurately and fairly subscribing to “Best
Practices” treatment plans. Insurance companies recognize the value of Best Practices
and the ability to lower overall healthcare costs. By documenting associated relative
value units [RVUs] for provider contracts and fees, we assist qualified CAM practitioners
in gaining appropriate reimbursement under health insurance programs.
What access to CAM research can you offer me?
IMN’s comprehensive CAM and integrative medicine library saves you time with
convenient 24/7 online access to thousands of articles and topics, allowing you to research
specific patient health conditions and symptoms.
How do I join IMN?
Three ways to join IMN:
1. Email: info@integrativemedicinenetworks.com and we’ll email you the CAM
Provider Application
2. Call our Membership Director at 978-526-1110
3. Go to Welcome_General_IMN.pdf
Download the application and fax to 978-231-0520
3