Review a cross-sectional study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that revealed people experiencing homelessness were significantly less likely to receive inpatient systemic therapy or procedures despite having a higher prevalence of more aggressive cancers and longer lengths of stay.
Q: A patient presents with exacerbation of COPD complicated by positive COVID-19 with COVID-19 pneumonia and superimposed MRSA bacterial pneumonia in the setting of chronic bronchitis due to smoking, severe persistent asthma (not currently in exacerbation), and left lower lobe lung cancer in remission following a lobectomy one year ago. Patient continues to smoke cigarettes. How would this diagnostic note be reported in ICD-10-CM?
Revisions to the E/M guidelines have simplified documentation and eliminated unnecessary documentation. Clinicians may choose levels of E/M services based on time or level of medical decision-making. Nancy M. Enos, FACMPE, CPC-I, CPMA, CEMC, CPC emeritus , dives deep into both processes and provides best practices for each.
The American Medical Association recently announced new codes, deletions, and revisions included in the CPT 2025 code set. Explore these notable updates to the code set.
The American Medical Association recently announced new codes, deletions, and revisions included in the 2025 CPT code set. Explore these notable updates to the code set.
Q: Based on the instructions for sacroiliac joint injections, our physicians believe they can bill the injection and report imaging separately if they use ultrasound. Is this true?
How do you code the conversion of a previous unicompartment knee arthroplasty to a total knee arthroplasty when there is no conversion code? This article reviews the AMA’s and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ takes on this issue. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Pancytopenia is defined as the simultaneous presence of anemia, leukopenia (neutropenia), and thrombocytopenia. Refresh yourself on how each condition plays a role in diagnosing, treating, and coding pancytopenia. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Q: Consider patients who are admitted with cellulitis and have type 2 diabetes mellitus with no neuropathy or elevated glucose levels. Should coders query the provider to clarify if the cellulitis is caused by the diabetes, or should such a query only be sent if a patient has other complications of diabetes such as hypoglycemia or neuropathy?
Deanne Wilk, MPS, BSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CDIP, CCS, provides an overview of toxic encephalopathy including signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, and relevance for coding professionals and CDI teams.