Rose T. Dunn, MBA, RHIA, CPA, FACHE, FHFMA, CHPS , writes about how one of the many coder obligations is to report noncompliant activities and provides information on how to do this anonymously. Note: To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription. Once you have set up your free registration, you can log in and access this article by clicking here.
Adrienne Commeree, CPC, CPMA, CCS, CEMC, CPIP , writes about how the selection of the code and a principal diagnosis seems fairly straightforward, but there are multiple factors that must be considered and reviewed before a coder can assign a certain diagnosis as principal.
Q: If a complication is clearly documented as unavoidable or due to a complex situation, should it be coded even if an intervention was done to correct it?
CMS recently made an administrative settlement process available for inpatient status claims. This process is open to eligible hospitals willing to withdraw pending appeals in exchange for a timely partial payment, or 66% of the net allowable amount, CMS said in the statement.
Trey La Charité, MD, FACP, CCDS , notes that getting a handle on a facilities’ case-mix index (CMI) fluctuations can be difficult, and shares insights to how CDI teams can handle these CMI difficulties.
The 2017 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting brought many changes and updates for coders, and present-on-admission (POA) reporting was not excluded. Completely understanding POA guidelines is necessary for any inpatient coder.
CMS announced that 70% of commercial payers have agreed to use the 30-day all cause acute myocardial infarction mortality outcome measure as one of the cardiology outcomes linked to payment. Shannon Newell, RHIA, CCS , writes about how CDI teams can best prepare for these upcoming changes.
Last week, CMS released an updated version of the Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON), which stated that effective March 8, 2017, hospitals will be required to present the MOON advisory in writing and verbally to Medicare beneficiaries who receive at least 24 hours of hospital services under outpatient status.
After a year full of numerous coding changes, Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CDIP , takes a closer look at 12 new guidelines that will affect CDI and helps coders better understand these recommendations.