How do you bill for HBV and HCV testing for patients at risk for hepatitis, Dr. Khaykin?

In Pavel Khaykin's general practice, which specializes in internal medicine and family medicine, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are a daily concern, unlike in other general practices. The infectious disease specialist works in Frankfurt's Bahnhofsviertel district, where hepatitis incidence rates are many times higher than in other regions in Germany. Antibody prevalence rates are around 80 percent, especially among intravenous drug users. In Germany, the incidence is less than one percent.

In the podcast, Khaykin explains which initiatives the practice is participating in for World Hepatitis Day on July 28. He also discusses the extent to which the World Health Organization's (WHO) goals of significantly reducing hepatitis B and C by 2030 are still achievable in Germany, and where the greatest gaps in care still exist.

He emphasizes that the practice in the focal point treats all patients equally in terms of hygiene measures so that there is no feeling of stigmatization.

The discussion focuses on both the diagnostics and treatments practiced in Khaykin's practice. On the one hand, the internist distinguishes between the once-in-a-lifetime hepatitis screening, which is available to every insured person over the age of 35 (GOP 01734, as a supplement to the 35-year-old check-up), and discusses the usefulness of this measure, even when the probability of prior testing is very low.

On the other hand, the infectious disease specialist performs testing for hepatitis B and C, which is much more frequently required for high-risk patients. Khaykin describes how he works with exception codes as much as possible to prevent laboratory costs from skyrocketing. He explains why a cost-effectiveness bonus remains out of reach for his practice—but also why that's not such a bad thing.

Khaykin also provides guidance on treatment for patients with hepatitis B and C – and describes how compliance can be achieved even in high-risk patients from drug abuse groups, and what the ultimate impact of the controlled distribution of drugs and injection equipment, as practiced in Frankfurt, can be. (Duration: 22:22 minutes)