By now, you may have heard that the ICD-10-CM codes are more specific than those used in the ICD-9-CM system, and fracture coding is one of the areas undergoing the most changes. Shannon McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CPC-I, CCDS, discusses fracture coding in ICD-10 and some of the expected documentation challenges associated them.
With the increased specificity required for ICD-10-CM coding, coders need a solid foundation in anatomy and physiology. To help coders prepare for the upcoming transition, we will provide an occasional article about specific anatomical locations and body parts as part of a larger series for ICD-10-CM preparation. This month’s column addresses the anatomy of the skull.
A writer paints a picture with words. The English language alone offers somewhere in the neighborhood of a quarter of a million words. But really how many does the average person use? According to...
Summer semi-officially arrived this week with Memorial Day and that means plenty of sun and sand related illnesses at the Fix ‘Em Up Clinic. Our first patient is Todd, who was trying to grill up the...
Our Town Zoo hosted its annual black tie fundraiser and things got a little, well, wild as the patients at the Fix ‘Em Up Clinic prove. Tiffany made a fashion statement with a bright blue shimmering...
In ICD-10-CM, coders must report two codes to fully describe certain conditions. They will find “Use additional code” notes in the Tabular List at codes when they need to report a secondary code to...
So we’ve survived the zombie apocalypse, but we’re not out of the undead woods yet. It seems a group of vampires is trying to one-up the zombies. But, never fear, vampires can actually be regular...
Gregory House, MD, is hanging up his stethoscope before the transition to ICD-10-CM. I loved House MD when Fox first starting airing it in 2005, but the last few seasons, not so much. Let’s ask Dr...
Coders will need very specific information in order to code for fractures in ICD-10-CM, including the type of fracture, specific bone fractured, and whether the patient is seen for an initial or subsequent visit. Robert S. Gold, MD, Sandy Nicholson, MA, RHIA, and Shannon E. McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CCDS, detail the information physicians must document for accurate fracture code assignment.
QUESTION: We are a small anesthesia group and we are concerned about the specificity for ICD-10-CM. If we submit a claim with an unspecified code and the surgeon submits a claim with more specificity, will we still get paid?
Coders often report signs and symptoms when physicians document them in the patient’s medical record. However, coders should not always report additional codes for signs and symptoms. How can coders...
Certain conditions have both an underlying etiology and multiple body system manifestations due to the underlying etiology. ICD-10-CM coding conventions for such conditions require coders to report...
Home repair and improvement can be hazardous to your health. Just ask the residents of Calamity Condos who are visiting the Fix ‘Em Up Clinic. Tom and Wendy decided to repaint the living room of...
Braaaaains! Braaaaains! Don’t look now, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was right about the zombie apocalypse . It’s here! Run for your lives! Okay, we’re not about to be overrun...
...and the documentation coach will turn into a pumpkin if you're not on time. As a CDI specialist, what has been your approach to ICD-10? Are you hoping it will go away? Are you waiting for 2014?...
Spinal conditions can be congenital, pathologic, or traumatic, and they can affect the vertebrae, spinal cord, muscles, nerves, discs, or a combination of the parts of the spine.
Coders will need more information in order to code for fractures in ICD-10-CM. For instance, the physician must document which specific bone is fractured, including which side of the body. They will also need to document whether the patient is seen for an initial or subsequent visit.
Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend because it’s time to dive into coding for today’s visitors to the Fix ‘Em Up Clinic. Our first patient, nine-year-old Chris, arrived with a really nasty...
A surgeon performs an open reduction of right tibia fracture for an inpatient. Which ICD-10-PCS root operation should be reported? In this case, it’s fairly easy: reposition. In a reposition...
ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS contain a significant number of new codes, which shouldn’t be news to anyone at this point. Most of the codes are longer than the current ICD-9-CM codes, which could increase...
