Got an ICD-10 question? Answers are coming soon. ICD-10 implementation is still almost two years away, but the American Hospital Association’s Coding Clinic will add an ICD-10 section starting in the...
Hospitals and physician practices are used to being in competition with each other and maintaing a veil of secrecy over internal operations. Well, that’s not really limited to just healthcare, it...
In this month's issue, we examine correct coding for critical care, review shoulder anatomy to prepare for ICD-10, unravel coding confusion for chronic kidney disease, and answer your coding questions.
Coders play a crucial role in ensuring compliance, and the FY 2013 IPPS final rule , released August 1, gives them many reasons to showcase their skills.
Inpatient-only procedures are those that CMS has determined providers must perform on an inpatient basis because they are invasive and require at least 24 hours of postoperative recovery time or monitoring.
Learn about the 2013 IPPS final rule, inpatient-on;y procedures, asthma terminology in ICD-10, computer-assisted coding, and body mass index calculation.
Our coding experts answer your questions about coding for hysteroscopy prior to ablation, appending modifier -59 for MRI and MRA, charging for venipunctures, therapy caps under OPPS, reporting limits for Provenge®, modifier -59 and infusion therapy, Reporting TEE pre- and post-operativley, coding for toxic metabolic encephalopathy
When the AMA revised the instructions for reporting ancillary services with critical care in 2011, facilities knew they wouldn't see an immediate increase in payment. CMS determines payment amounts through use of claims data from two years earlier, meaning the earliest facilities could expect additional reimbursement is 2013.
As you may know, ICD-9-CM V codes have been expanded to include higher body mass indexes (BMI). More specifically, code category V85.4x denotes a BMI of 40 or more in an adult. How can you calculate BMI?
Now that CMS has finalized a 2014 implementation date for ICD-10-CM/PCS, increasingly more hospitals may turn to computer-assisted coding (CAC) to help ease the transition and mitigate anticipated productivity losses, says Angie Comfort, RHIT, CCS, director of HIM solutions at AHIMA in Chicago.
The transition to ICD-10 code set is expected to be one of the most substantial changes in medical coding history and providers and payers need to start preparing now. Undoubtedly, you still have...
Wouldn’t it be nice if the physician documented a definitive diagnosis for every patient at the time the patient left the office, clinic, or hospital? We know that will never happen. Sometimes, the...
Coders are the backbone of an organization’s fiscal health. Timely coding leads to timely revenue collection. Glenn Krauss, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, PCS, FCS, C-CDIS, discusses why coders must be willing to look beyond their traditional roles to help ensure the continued financial viability and success of the organization.
Providers may find themselves with a completely new definition of the term inpatient if CMS follows through with its intent to clarify this ever-confusing patient status, as explained in the 2013 OPPS proposed rule published July 30. The agency solicits input from providers on pp. 45155-45157 of the rule and suggests that it may implement fairly significant changes going forward.
Patients aren’t the only ones paying attention to quality scores these days. Payers are, too. Cheryl Manchenton, RN, BSN, and Audrey G. Howard, RHIA, explain why coders and clinical documentation improvement specialists must understand which conditions affect provider profiles.
Coders play a crucial role in ensuring compliance, and the FY 2013 IPPS final rule , released August 1, gives them many reasons to showcase their skills. William E. Haik, MD, FCCP, CDIP, and Glenn Krauss, BBA, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, C-CDI, CCDS, detail the changes and how coders can take charge of them.
Football season is underway in Anytown and we have some crazy players coming in to Fix ‘Em Up Clinic with some crazy-looking knee injuries. Quarterback Tom is in after suffering an unhappy triad of...
