Q: What are some of the common documentation pitfalls or missteps related to pediatric malnutrition? And what can CDI specialists do to address them proactively?
CMS’ proposed rule to revise the Medicare hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System for calendar year 2025 has been released. Review some of the proposals that could directly impact your organization.
With CMS’ release of its proposed 2025 Medicare physician fee schedule, the agency proposed many policy changes and revisions. Explore several of them and other announcements made by CMS.
Teresa Brown, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, explores the significance of the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index in enhancing our understanding of patient health profiles and supporting informed decision-making across various facets of healthcare delivery.
Protect your office/outpatient E/M claims from front-end denials and post-payment recoupments with the freshest information from Medicare administrative contractors (MAC).
It can be especially challenging to thoroughly document rendered services in the emergency department due to the unique needs of the setting. Hamilton Lempert, MD, CEDC, reviews several areas of critical care coding that may trip up clinicians and coders.
HIPAA has protocols for when patients’ protected health information can be used for research and marketing. This means you must understand privacy rule limitations and your organization’s policies and procedures before releasing any PHI in these situations. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
The concept of expanding clinical documentation integrity (CDI) programs into the outpatient setting is not new but the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into a lot of organizations’ expansion plans. Now it might be time for organizations to revisit the idea. Review the steps to expand into outpatient CDI.
It can be especially challenging to thoroughly document rendered services in the emergency department due to the unique needs of the setting. Hamilton Lempert, MD, CEDC, reviews several areas of critical care coding that may trip up clinicians and coders. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
CMS finalized many behavioral health requirements related to social determinants of health risk assessments, care management services, and more with the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule. With all these changes where do providers start?
Q: Is it appropriate to code metabolic encephalopathy related to alcohol withdrawal or alcohol withdrawal delirium? And if so, how do you successfully defend against denials?
The best technical security in the world cannot prevent breaches of protected health information if people are careless. Coders, billers, and HIM professionals should then learn to protect confidential health information by following proper security procedures and creating effective passwords.
Q: A specialty society's fact sheet offers guidance for determining E/M level when an ICD-10-CM social determinant of health code affected the diagnosis or treatment. What is Medicare's policy on this?
Medical decision-making (MDM) documentation has gained increased importance in recent years to justify a visit’s medical necessity. Review CMS’ MDM table and guidelines to take the guesswork out of your coding.
It is important for both coders and providers to understand that they can report critical care along with other services such as ED E/M and CPR. Hamilton Lempert, MD, FACEP, CEDC, answers questions about the proper ways to do so, as well as the importance of doing so. Note: To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Our experts answer questions about reporting total knee arthroplasty in CPT, medically unlikely edits adjudication indicators, and coding for anticoagulation management visits.
CMS recently finalized a multitude of new price transparency requirements in the 2024 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) final rule. These requirements have staggered enforcement deadlines, which means that revenue integrity professionals have their work cut out for them in the coming year to ensure their organization is in compliance.
CMS recently released an updated MLN fact sheet reminding providers about documentation requirements for requests from its Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) program.
A few years ago, providers started using new guidelines for their office/outpatient services that based the level of service on medical decision-making (MDM) or time on the date of the face-to-face encounter. This article focuses on office/other outpatient coding basic guidelines that apply to all level-based E/M codes. Note: To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
CMS recently finalized a multitude of new price transparency requirements in the 2024 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) final rule. These requirements have staggered enforcement deadlines, which means that revenue integrity professionals have their work cut out for them in the coming year to ensure their organization is in compliance.
Q: Should signs, symptoms, or unspecified ICD-10-CM codes (e.g. M54.50 [low back pain, unspecified]) be reported when the condition (e.g. M51.36 [other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region]) is also reported on the same outpatient encounter?
CMS recently released a revision to its benefit policy manual to stress that codes and modifier combinations should be reported when social determinants of health risk assessments and Medicare annual wellness visits are conducted together.
Shelley C. Safian, PhD, RHIA, CCS-P, COC, CPC-I , delves into ICD-10-CM and CPT coding for urogynecology, a subspeciality that provides necessary crossover care for female patients. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
CMS updated its July 2024 HCPCS Quarterly update file in May with a total of 70 new HCPCS codes, 11 discontinued codes, and 32 revised codes. All code changes will be implemented July 1.
Hamilton Lempert, MD, FACEP, CEDC, reviews the basics of CPT critical care services and addresses common reporting questions, such as services that pass midnight, continuous care, and which clinical tasks count toward critical care.
Make sure staff who handle audit requests understand when a missing signature should—or should not—trigger an automatic denial of your claims or prior authorization requests. Recent guidance from CMS clarifies how auditors should proceed when a medical record lacks a signature.
Penny Jefferson, MSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CCS, CDIP, CRC, CHDA, CRCR, CPHQ , and Mercedes K. C. Dullum, MD, FACS, FACC , describe the advantages of creating CDI programs in outpatient settings and how they can decrease gaps in patient care and improve financial management.
Nancy Reading, RN, CPC, CPC-P , explains how understanding liver disease and its many complications is key to supporting higher-specificity ICD-10-CM coding and reimbursement.
Hamilton Lempert, MD, FACEP, CEDC, reviews the basics of critical care services in CPT and addresses common reporting questions, such as services that pass midnight, continuous care, and which clinical tasks count toward critical care. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) emergency use authorization for Pemgarda, a pre-exposure COVID-19 prophylaxis, has led to the release of HCPCS Level II codes for the drug and its administration.
Julia Kyles, CPC , examines the factors of medical necessity required to decrease chance of denials for preoperative E/M visits, including who performs the visit, associated risks, and the patient’s health.
CMS published a summary of its first quarter 2024 HCPCS Level II code update application decisions. There were 48 additions, two code definition revisions, and seven discontinuations.
Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC, explains how to report neonatal respiratory failure, including meconium aspiration, failure to thrive, and associated symptoms in ICD-10-CM.
Tonya Chandler, RHIT, writes about mental health status in youth, clarifies possible contributing factors, and explains how to report mental and behavioral conditions in ICD-10-CM with several case scenarios.
Lynn Anderanin, CPC, CPB, CPMA, CPC-I, CPPM, COSC , covers FAQs she has received, specifically about CPT reporting for arthrodesis, acromioplasty, arthroplasty, arthroscopy, and spinal decompression procedures. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , explains how to report neonatal respiratory failure, including meconium aspiration, failure to thrive, and associated symptoms in ICD-10-CM.
Q: How would a coder report the scenario of an unmedicated diabetic patient with diabetic renal nephrosis and out-of-control blood sugar during an encounter?
This article reviews malware basics and covers tips that healthcare employees can implement to avoid cyberattacks that could put protected health information (PHI) at risk.
