Numerous Briefings on Coding Compliance Strategies (BCCS) advisory board members will be presenting at the 2018 AHIMA Convention and Exhibit in Miami, Florida, from September 22–26. The advisory board members will cover topics including ICD-10-PCS accuracy basics, surgical complications, and HIM leadership.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, approximately 13,000 Americans die each year from aortic aneurysms , with most of the deaths attributable to an aneurysmal rupture or dissection.
As I sit down to summarize the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2019 ICD-10-CM update, the number of changes proposed are significantly less than the prior two years. This makes me think we’re getting back to the norm of expected yearly changes.
As with many diagnoses in the inpatient setting, acute kidney disorders can be confusing for coders to report due to multiple abbreviations and varying clinical criteria. Although the ICD-10-CM codes for the genitourinary system may seem straightforward, they don’t always line up precisely with the provider’s documentation in the medical record.
CMS’ 2019 OPPS proposed rule continues the agency’s efforts to enforce site-neutral payments and reduce drug payments by introducing policies to reduce reimbursement for hospital outpatient clinic visits at off-campus, provider-based departments (PBD) and expanding last year’s payment reductions for drugs purchased under the 340B discount pricing program by nonexcepted PBDs.
A common error and audit finding affecting providers is the lack of a physician order or physician signatures on medical documentation. Kimberly A. H. Baker, JD, CPC , reviews CMS guidance for physician signatures on medical documentation.
Q: When is it appropriate to bill CPT code 77470 (special treatment procedure [e.g. total body irradiation, hemibody radiation, per oral or endocavitary irradiation]) for a special treatment procedure?
To help bring JustCoding members together and let them learn more about their colleagues, JustCoding created a monthly member spotlight to appear in upcoming issues. The JustCoding team loves hearing members’ stories, including major triumphs and challenges, and sharing them with the larger JustCoding membership.
The 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule includes significant potential updates to E/M coding and reporting. Shannon McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CRC, CCDS , reviews the proposed changes and their potential impact on coding and billing for office visits and other outpatient services in 2019.
ICD-10-CM and CPT coding for glaucoma and retinal detachment requires a detailed understanding of coding guidelines as well as ocular anatomy and terminology. Explore the anatomy of the eye and review coding guidance for conditions that affect our view of the outside world. Note : To access this article, you must first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Q: Our coding team is currently debating how to report acute tubular necrosis (ATN) in ICD-10-CM for a patient after a renal transplant. Can you provide any guidance?
Amy Sanderson, MD, says that the term “dysphagia” has many synonyms used by providers in medical documentation. However, not all of these symptoms are able to describe the diagnosis with enough specificity so that it can be translated into its corresponding code assignment.
Adriane Martin, DO, FACOS, CCDS, summarizes the proposed changes found in the fiscal year (FY) 2019 IPPS proposed rule, broken down by Major Diagnostic Category (MDC), that would impact ICD-10-CM/PCS codes. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
In June, an article detailing the upcoming release of the fourth edition of the universal definition of myocardial infarction (MI) was published in the American Journal of Medicine .
William E. Haik, MD, FCCP, CDIP , AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainer, Jonathan Besler, CPA, MA , and Mary Devine, RN , write that while it is well-known that ICD-10-CM/PCS code assignment impacts hospital reimbursement and compliance, there is an additional code that often flies under the radar for inpatient coders and has a huge impact on reimbursement: the discharge status code.
Emergency departments (ED) at designated trauma centers encounter some of the most complex patients—and with them, a complicated documentation web that’s difficult for even the most experienced CDI specialists and coders to untangle.
To succeed in a modern health information management (HIM) environment, coding departments need efficient coding specialists and knowledgeable management to monitor coder performance and provide feedback. Review expert guidance on hiring staff and determining work flow to improve the organizational structure of your coding department.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is not easily diagnosed and brings added risk factors to pregnancy oversight. Lori-Lynne Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, CDIP, COBGC, reviews ICD-10-CM coding for hypertension during pregnancy and related complications.
