Flat Rate Times: General
All correction codes also have an associated Flat Rate Time (FRT) that indicates how long it takes to perform an entire procedure. FRTs represent the amount of hands-on time (administrative, diagnostic, etc. is not included), and are calculated by trained professionals performing the procedure in a controlled environment numerous times. See FRT CREATION GUIDELINES for more information.
The FRTs are listed in decimal hours. For example, a procedure with an FRT of 1.1 takes 1 hour and 6 minutes to perform. A procedure with an FRT of 0.25 takes 15 minutes to perform. The minimum FRT time is 0.05, or 3 minutes.
Unless explicitly mentioned in a procedure, the correction code FRT for any given procedure is all inclusive, and encompasses all work required to complete the procedure, even if that procedure is at top-level and has subordinate procedures. Similarly, the correction codes FRTs of all subordinate procedures within a top-level procedure are included (but hidden) within the top-level procedure's correction code FRT.
To prevent redundant and incorrect billing of FRT time, do not add the correction code FRTs of subordinate procedures individually to the correction code FRT of the top-level procedure. Instead, bill only the top-level correction code FRT.