Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is only covered for certain diagnoses after extensive prequalification. Gloria Miller, CPC, CPMA, reviews how HBO therapy can be used for wound care, as well as 2014 changes for wound care clinics.
While many of the code changes in the 2014 CPT® Manual surgical sections involve bundling together common procedures, the major changes in the Radiology and Laboratory sections involve updates for newly recognized technologies and drugs.
When an NCCI edit occurs on a claim, providers can go directly to CMS’ website and download the latest edits to pinpoint why the edit occurred and what codes may be conflicting.
While the 2014 CPT ® Manual features many new combination codes among its hundreds of changes this year, it was also updated to reflect newly recognized technologies and procedures . Denise Williams, RN, CPC-H, looks atsome of the changes made in the Radiology and Laboratory sections.
While the digestive and integumentary sections had extensive edits in the latest CPT ® update, many sections were left relatively unchanged. Joanne Schade-Boyce, BSDH, MS, CPC, ACS , and Denise Williams, RN, CPC-H, review which sections only had minor updates and take a closer look at evaluation and management and chemodenervation changes in the 2014 CPT Manual.
One of the most radical changes CMS proposed in this year’s OPPS was to collapse the five levels of E/M CPT ® codes and replace them with three new HCPCS G-codes, including one APC for all clinic visits, one for all Type A ED visits, and one for all Type B ED visits.
Joanne Schade-Boyce, BSDH, MS, CPC, ACS , and Denise Williams, RN, CPC-H, look at the changes in the integumentary and cardiovascular systems and how they demonstrate a trend toward bundling in the 2014 CPT® Manual.
Skin and dermatology coding includes unique challenges with its extensive terminology and the need to calculate wound and lesion sizes. Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , discusses common documentation problems and how coders can improve their efficiency and proficiency.
More than 330 codes have been added, deleted, or revised in the 2014 CPT ® Manual . Almost one quarter of those changes appear in the digestive system. Joanne Schade-Boyce, BSDH, MS, CPC, ACS , notes important code and guideline changes to be aware of for 2014.
Hydration services, located on the bottom of the drug administration hierarchy, present challenges for coders due they are used with other injections and infusions. Jugna Shah, MPH, and Valerie A. Rinkle, MPA, review how to code hydration, along with other special considerations for drug administration.
Q: How does CPT ® define "final examination" for code 99238 (hospital discharge day management; 30 minutes or less)? Does the dictation have to include an actual detailed examination of the patient? We have been coding 99238 for discharges that include final diagnosis, history of present illness, and hospital course along with discharge labs, medicines, and home instructions. Very few contain an actual exam of the patient. Have we been miscoding all this time?
Codes for OB/GYN haven’t changed much recently, but some diagnoses still confuse coders. Glade B. Curtis, MD, MPH, FACOG, CPC, CPPM, CPC-I, COBGC , and Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC, review some top areas of concern and walk through case studies to explain those problems.
Coding for podiatry services requires an extensive understanding of complex anatomy and regulations. Lynn M. Anderanin, CPC, CPC-I, COSC , AAPC Certified ICD-10-CM instructor, AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM trainer, reviews what steps coders can make to ensure complete documentation for podiatry services that are facing increasing audits.
Coders select E/M levels based on criteria developed by their organization. CMS has proposed a significant change to E/M coding-replacing the current 20 E/M levels for new patients, existing patients, and ED visits with three G codes-but that change would only apply to Medicare patients and only to the facility side.
New CPT ® codes introduced for 2014 will give healthcare providers new ways to report pain management services and treatments. Shelley C. Safian, PhD, MAOM/HSM, CCS-P, CPC-H, CPC-I, AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainer , reviews some of the codes, including new evaluation and management and Category II codes.
Like the skin, dermatology coding has several layers. Betty Hovey, CPC, CPC-H, CPB, CPMA, CPC-I, CPCD, says that coders need to pay attention to the type of procedure, site, size, and more in order to accurately report each encounter.
Despite its apparently straightforward definition in the CPT ® Manual , modifier -59 (distinct procedural service) can be deceptively difficult to append properly.
Modifiers are sometimes essential to ensure proper payment, but choosing the correct one can be tricky. Sarah L. Goodman, MBA, CHCAF, CPC-H, CCP, FCS; Katherine Abel, CPC, CPMA, CEMC, CPC-I; and Susan E. Garrison, CHCA, CHCAS, CCS-P, CHC, PCS, FCS, CPAR, CPC, CPC-H, discusssome confusing modifiers and how to use them accurately.
