Hospital coders must develop and adhere to internal E/M coding guidelines and CPT guidance to accurately report visits to the ED. In addition, because ED coding encompasses professional and facility billing, they may need to scour provider documentation to determine the correct E/M service level for both bill types.
Telehealth services are likely to promote health, wellness, and disease management, providing an avenue to offer efficient, high-quality care while supporting value-based care in a cost-effective manner. Although the benefit of telehealth is obvious and its value is continually highlighted by CMS, it appears the services are underutilized.
Providers will find significant leeway in how they can approach and report advance care planning services for physicians given CMS’ open-ended coding requirements, which should push the already strong growth of the codes to new heights.
Coding for knee arthroscopies can be challenging, especially when procedures are performed in multiple compartments of the same knee. Read about anatomy and coding details required to accurately report these procedures.
In the 2018 OPPS final rule, CMS removed total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from the inpatient-only (IPO) list effective January 1, 2018. Although some guidance was provided at the time, providers and physicians alike were left confused with a significant number of questions regarding documentation and inpatient status
The most commonly reported CPT codes are getting a much-needed makeover. Shannon McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CRC, CCDS , writes about E/M code changes implemented this year and changes for implementation over the next two years.
Vestibular migraine is a common visual and neurological disorder that can be difficult to diagnose as symptoms of the disorder resemble those of other conditions such as vestibular neuritis and Meniere’s disorder. In this article, Debbie Jones, CPC , reviews clinical indications of vestibular migraine disorder and CPT coding for diagnostic tests used to assess vestibular functioning.
A spinal fusion is a major surgery used to fuse together two or more vertebrae so they can heal into a single bone. This article breaks down spinal anatomy and simplifies CPT and NCCI guidance for reporting spinal fusions. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Wound care coding is frequently a target of payer and Office of Inspector General audits. This article provides coders with step-by-step instructions for interpreting provider documentation and assigning CPT codes for excisional, selective, and non-selective debridement, based on the depth of the tissue removed and the total surface area debrided. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
