Final answer:
The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) is a CMS program that prevents improper coding and assists in controlling improper payments in Part B claims.
Step-by-step explanation:
The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) is a program developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) aimed at preventing improper coding practices and controlling improper coding leading to inappropriate payment in Part B claims. The initiative includes coding policies and edits that help ensure that national coding conventions and Medicare policies are followed. The NCCI edits help to check for coding and billing errors by detecting pairs of services that should not be reported together.
The NCCI is also involved in the decision to name specific diseases as National Priority Inputs (NPIs). When diseases are classified as NPIs, the CDC commits resources to raise awareness, develop better diagnostic testing, and treatments by analyzing available data. They may also provide recommendations for treating these diseases and assist in distributing medications that might be difficult to access otherwise.