Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said the only constant is change. With the release of the fiscal year (FY) 2019 IPPS proposed rule , and all of the changes it contains, CMS has certainly proven Heraclitus correct. The rule applies to 3,257 acute care hospitals, and once finalized, will affect discharges on or after October 1.
In inpatient coding, all diagnoses that affect the current hospital stay must be reported. In addition, the Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set is commonly followed for reporting secondary diagnoses; it says that other (or additional) diagnoses are defined as "all conditions that coexist at the time of admission, that develop subsequently, or that affect the treatment received and/or length of stay."
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), it is estimated that more than half a million people in the U.S. have Crohn’s disease. For unknown reasons, the disease has become more widespread in both the U.S. and other parts of the world.
A coding audit may be conducted by internal staff or external entities, typically representing the insurers paying for the care. When planning to implement a coding auditing program, the type of reviews, focus areas, and review frequency must all be taken into consideration.
James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CDIP, CCDS , writes that ICD-10-CM/PCS documentation and coding rules surrounding patient safety indicators (PSI) must be honored in order to ensure proper compliance and reimbursement.
Cornelia de Lange syndrome is a genetic disease that could be misdiagnosed due to its rarity. Yvette DeVay, MHA, CPC, CPMA, CIC, CPC-I , reviews symptoms, procedural treatments, and ICD-10-CM coding for the condition.
Understanding when and how to report hospital modifiers is critical to ensuring compliant billing. Review CPT guidelines for modifiers -25, -50, and -59, as well as case studies and denial numbers by specialty, to reduce your risk from audits. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Allen Frady, RN-BSN, CCDS, CCS, CRC, reviews proposed changes applicable to coding and CDI teams within the fiscal year (FY) 2019 IPPS proposed rule including HIV disease, ARDS, and CC/MCC changes.
A common question that coders often ask is when to report a secondary diagnosis. In part two of this two-part series, Gloryanne Bryant, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCDS , looks at the chapter-specific coding guidelines related to secondary diagnosis coding found in the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting.
Adrienne Commeree, CPC, CPMA, CCS, CEMC, CPIP, writes that when reporting Alzheimer’s, understanding the disease and its symptoms is important for coders, as entries in the ICD-10-CM alphabetic index can be confusing. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
