According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is by far the most common type of cancer . Exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun without protection can cause skin cancer. UV rays can come from other sources as well, such as tanning beds and sun lamps. The number of skin cancer diagnoses has increased in the past few years.
The newness and specificity of ICD-10 has ushered in a stronger focus on clinical coding audits. From internal reviews to external inpatient coding audits, healthcare organizations nationwide are revisiting tried-and-true audit practices with ICD-10 coding quality in mind.
Section 216(a) of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA) added a requirement that will dramatically revise the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) effective January 1, 2018.
Patient care continues to move from the inpatient setting to outpatient. With this change, the challenge of securing comprehensive documentation that articulates the services rendered and the patient care provided now needs to extend across the care continuum.
In July, Utah pain doctor Jahan Imani, MD, and Intermountain Medical Management, P.C., entered into a nearly $400,000 settlement with the OIG to resolve allegations that Imani’s practice submitted false or fraudulent claims due to improper modifier use for payment by improperly using modifier -59 with HCPCS code G0431.
Q: If you have an acute exacerbation of chronic right heart failure (CHF) with a preserved ejection fraction (EF) above 55%, can you code it as heart failure (HF) with preserved EF? All the clinical symptoms exemplify right-sided heart failure (e.g., ascites, pronounced neck vein distension, swelling of ankles and feet).
Documentation is crucial for the development of data reflecting the healthcare needs of domestic violence victims. Yvette DeVay, MHA, CPMA, CPC, CIC, CPC-I , explains how to properly screen for and code incidents of domestic violence.
The new ICD-10-CM codes for FY 2018, effective October 1, represent significant changes in some hospital documentation and coding practices. James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CDIP, CCDS , reviews some of the most significant revisions to the ICD-10-CM guidelines for 2018.
A Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) study showed insufficient documentation causes most improper payments for arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, according to the October 2017 Medicare Quarterly Compliance Newsletter .
Whether big or small, crooked or straight, the nose is a vital component of the human respiratory system. There will be extra focus on nasal anatomy in 2018, as the CPT® codes for nasal endoscopies were revised. Brush up on nasal anatomy to prepare for reporting these new codes. Note: To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CCDS, CDIP , deciphers the new information given for functional quadriplegia, marasmus, kwashiorkor, and palliative care found in the various fiscal year 2018 ICD-10-CM guidance updates.
On October 4, CMS issued a notice in the Federal Register containing numerous corrections to the 2018 IPPS final rule, including significant recalculations of MS-DRG relative weights and all budget neutrality factors.
Allen Frady, RN-BSN, CCDS, CCS, CRC, answers questions about the fiscal year 2018 IPPS final rule’s updates, additions, and deletions in hopes to help guide coders and clinical documentation improvement specialists through the implementation.
In 2017, an estimated 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S. In this article, Shannon McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CRC, CCDS , details best practices when assigning ICD-10-CM/PCS codes for breast cancer diagnoses and procedures. Note: To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Compliance is more than just abiding by coding guidelines and payer policy. Coding professionals must become familiar with ethical standards and federal regulations to avoid facing denials or federal penalties. Note: To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
The best time to determine code edits is when the account is coded, meaning coding professionals play a key role in establishing overarching principles and best practices for edit management.
