Q: A physician debrides a hyperkeratotic lesion on a patient’s left foot, second toe. During the same encounter, he performs a debridement of the five toenails. Which CPT codes and modifiers would be reported for this procedure?
A scan of healthcare news sources or the Office of Inspector General work plan often finds psychiatry and mental health practices under scrutiny . Laurie Bouzarelos, MHA, CPC , reviews revenue cycle functions, provider contracting/credentialing, and coding and documentation tips to avoid denials.
Providers can receive additional revenue when they check a patient for social determinants of health, but the service requires patient selection, a standardized tool, and follow up. Julia Kyles, CPC, explains how practices can report this service with a new HCPCS code for 2024.
The 2024 ICD-10-CM update added 36 codes to the now nearly 400 codes in category M80.- (osteoporosis with current pathological fracture). The additional codes add further specificity for pelvis fractures due to age-related osteoporosis. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
A recent ProPublica article found that nearly 30,000 Medicare patients may have received atherectomy procedures prematurely or unnecessarily, resulting in millions of dollars in reimbursement.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 is a broad federal law that establishes the basic privacy and security protections that coders are required to follow.
Medical necessity is the foundation for justifying the need for services. It provides the reason for the diagnostic test or therapeutic services. Anna Santoro, MBA, CCS, CCS-P, RCC, CHRI , reviews the fundamentals of medical necessity and explains its importance.
CMS released its January 2024 HCPCS Level II code update December 7, outlining 344 new and 74 discontinued codes. The code changes will become effective January 1, 2024.
Q: A patient underwent a diagnostic nasal endoscopy at 10 a.m. At 7 p.m., the patient developed an epistaxis and the physician had to use some complex cauterizing techniques to control the nosebleed. How would the physician’s services in this scenario be reported?
