CMS released the fiscal year (FY) 2017 IPPS final rule August 2, and ICD-10-CM/PCS code changes and the addition of the Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) both had starring roles. CMS also made changes to several quality initiatives and reversed the agency's 0.2% payment reduction instituted along with the 2-midnight rule first implemented in the FY 2014 rule.
Last month, I wrote about the role of coding and CDI compliance in ensuring the clinical validity of submitted ICD-10-CM/PCS codes, which impact payment, outcomes measurement (e.g., complications, mortality, and readmissions), and patient safety.
The fiscal year (FY) 2017 IPPS final rule was released August 2 and will be published in the Federal Register August 22. The majority of the finalized updates are consistent with those outlined in the proposed rule, but with a few refinements to applicable time periods. The final rule expands and refines the number of claims-based outcomes linked to payment under these programs. Let's review a few of the key changes to support your CDI program's strategic focus for the coming year.
The accurate capture of acute respiratory failure has been a long-standing challenge for CDI programs. The accurate reporting of this condition as a post-procedural event can be even more difficult.
We as coders, clinical documentation specialists, and compliance officers, are actively invested in coding compliance, aren't we? AHIMA and ACDIS emphasize coding compliance in their codes of ethics. If we aren't interested in coding compliance, why are we reading newsletters named Briefings in Coding Compliance Strategies and other similar publications?
"You are your own best teacher," or so the old adage goes. Sure, goodies and gifts are great for recognizing high-quality documentation, but for CDI teams struggling to obtain physician buy-in, the best strategy may be found in their providers' own records.
Following are some ICD-10-PCS documentation and coding tips for three of the most common (and commonly misunderstood/miscoded) procedures performed via bronchoscopy.
The fiscal year (FY) 2017 IPPS proposed rule alerted us to some significant changes to Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) 90, one of which is a new name: the Patient Safety and Adverse Events Composite. A fact sheet released by the measure's owner, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), provides insights into what may lie ahead if the proposed rule's content is finalized.
The last few weeks have brought us some direction, though, including the release of approximately 1,900 new ICD-10-CM codes for 2017. (The list can be found on CMS' website.) We also have a list of approximately 3,600 new ICD-10-PCS codes for 2017. (This is also available on CMS' site.) Of course, we will also be looking for changes in DRG mappings and the CC/MCC lists, which will likely appear later this summer.
