What classification system is used to group outpatient services under the OPPS?

The Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APCs) is the correct classification system used to group outpatient services under the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). This system categorizes outpatient procedures and services based on clinical characteristics and expected resource use, allowing Medicare to pay a fixed amount for a specific group of services.

APCs streamline the reimbursement process for outpatient services by grouping them into clinically related categories, thereby providing a transparent and systematic approach to billing and payment for outpatient care. By emphasizing the average cost of services and procedures based on historical data, APCs ensure that healthcare providers are reimbursed in a way that reflects the value and complexity of the services they offer.

Other options do not apply specifically to the grouping of outpatient services under OPPS. For instance, MS-DRGs are primarily used in inpatient settings to classify hospital services, while Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) is a coding system used to describe medical, surgical, and diagnostic services but doesn't group them for payment purposes. Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine (SNOMED) is primarily a clinical terminology system for capturing detailed medical information, not a payment classification system.