E codes are important in a variety of settings. Pamela L. Owens, PhD, Kathy Vermoch, MPH, Leslie Prellwitz, MBA, CCS, CCS-P, and Suzanne Rogers, RHIA, CCS, CCDS, explain the importance of reporting E codes and why every facility should have an internal coding policy that includes E codes.
Coders may be surprised by the expansion and reorganization of codes for diabetes in ICD-10-CM. Pamela Rand, RD, LDN, Bonnie S. Cassidy, MPA, RHIA, FAHIMA, FHIMSS, and Laura Legg, RHIT, CCS, discuss the differences between coding diabetes in ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM.
The accuracy and completeness of coded data can potentially affect physicians more as the healthcare industry becomes increasingly transparent to consumers. William E. Haik, MD, FCCP, CDIP, Timothy Brundage, MD, Melanie Endicott, MBA/HCM, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, Cathy Testerman, CCS, EMT, and Donna Walker-Thomas, MBA, RHIA, CPC, CMA, review how coded data relates to physician profiling and offer tips for engaging physicians in documentation improvement.
Under a new ruling, CMS allows full Part B payment for inpatient stays that a contractor denies because it deems them to be not reasonable and necessary. David Danek and Ann Marshall, both from CMS, explain how the rebilling works under the ruling and what will be different under a simultaneously released proposed rule.
Distinguishing between clinical and coding significance is often confusing. Joel Moorhead, MD, PhD, CPC, discusses how coders should differentiate between the two.
Change is consistently a part of HIM and coding. Rules, regulations, and codes change yearly and sometimes quarterly. Melanie Endicott, MBA/HCM, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, reveals why the switch to ICD-10 is different from the annual changes coders are used to and how coders and organizations can prepare.
Office politics are a fact of life, but can lead to poor or unjust outcomes. Lois Mazza, CPC, offers tips to help coders navigate the political waters in the office.
Coders remain highly accurate when reporting present-on-admission (POA) indicators, but they need to maintain that accuracy. The OIG reiterates the importance of POA reporting in terms of monitoring hospital quality of care and the role that such reporting plays in CMS’ effort to align payment incentives with patient outcomes. Glenn Krauss, BBA, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, C-CDI, CCDS, and Nena Scott, MS, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, offer tips to ensure complaint POA reporting.
Coders are under constant stress and pressure. They must remain incredibly focused and pay attention to detail regularly. Lois E. Mazza, CPC, discusses why coders need to think about their health.
ICD-10-PCS differs significantly from ICD-9-CM procedure coding, but fortunately, the Cooperating Parties are providing plenty of guidelines. Laura Legg, RHIT, CCS, discusses some of the key ICD-10-PCS guidelines and why coders should learn them.