Trust is a basic human emotion. It allows us to explore out surroundings and grow. You can't expect grouth or change without trust. Cindy Seel, MSA, RHIA, director of education and training at HRS,...
Any healthcare organizations are considering computer-assisted coding (CAC) to help minimize the expected coder productivity decline in ICD-10. Lisa Knowles-Ward, RHIT, coding and reimbursement for...
ICD-10 implementation is only 18 months away. Sounds like a long time, doesn't it? It's really not, Kathleen Frawley, JD, MS, RHIA, FAHIMA, told attendees at the 2013 AHIMA ICD-10 and CAC Summit in...
By now you have probably heard that you need to train more than just your coders on ICD-10. Shelley Weems, RHIA, CCS, implementation lead for the Health Information Management Program Office for the...
CMS added seven CPT ® codes to the conditionally bilateral list as part of the April update to the Integrated Outpatient Code Editor. When a provider performs a conditionally bilateral service bilaterally, coders must append modifier -50 (bilateral procedure) to the code.
Q: A physician's office collects a pap specimen and sends the specimen to the hospital lab for processing. The physician's office lists ICD-9-CM code V72.31 (general gynecological examination with or without Papanicolaou cervical smear) as the diagnosis for this service. What is the proper diagnosis code for the hospital to use for billing when only processing the specimen?
More and more entities are auditing healthcare claims-Recovery Auditors, Medicare Integrity Contractors, MACs, FIs, commercial payers, and on and on. Andrea Clark, RHIA, CCS, CPC-H, CEO, Debbie Mackaman, RHIA, CHCO, and Peggy Stilley, CPC, CPMA, CPC-I, COBGC, ACS-OB , explain how coders and their organizations can benefit from internal audits.
At first glance, the new CPT ® codes for reporting molecular pathology services might seem simple. They certainly look easier than the old stacking codes that focused on methodology and processes, resulting in multiple codes and quantities being used to report a single test. Jugna Shah, MPH, and Michelle L. Ruben, detail some of the nuances of correct code assignment for molecular pathology tests.
How often do you default to an unlisted code or a non-specific code in ICD-9 because the physician just didn’t document enough information? For example, how many times do you see documentation...
Here’s a stat that will come as no surprise to most coders: approximately 50% of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners have no clue about ICD-10. Of the remaining 50%, only a very...
Editor’s note: For purposes of today’s example, we are ignoring medical necessity. We’re going to say Sidney is an inpatient. In the real world, he would need to meet the criteria for an inpatient...
Q: Using the ICD-10-CM guidelines for the seventh character extensions for fracture codes, how should I identify each of the following? Avascular necrosis following fracture Cast change or removal Emergency treatment Evaluation and management by a new physician Follow-up visits following fracture treatment Infection on open fracture site Malunion of fracture Nonunion of fracture Medication adjustment Patient delayed seeking treatment for the fracture or nonunion Removal of external of internal fixation device Surgical treatment
Three out of four providers have completed only 25% or less of their ICD-10-CM/PCS conversion process, according to an ICD-10 snapshot survey conducted by the Aloft Group in February. However, CMS and others are busy helping to ensure that providers and payers are ready for the transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS.
Many organizations are concerned about the expected drop in coder productivity after the transition to ICD-10. Angie Comfort, RHIT, CDIP, CCS, discusses the pros and cons of using computer-assisted coding to help offset those productivity losses.
Change is consistently a part of HIM and coding. Rules, regulations, and codes change yearly and sometimes quarterly. Melanie Endicott, MBA/HCM, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, reveals why the switch to ICD-10 is different from the annual changes coders are used to and how coders and organizations can prepare.
Choosing the correct root operation may be one of the most challenging aspects of ICD-10-PCS. Sandra Macica, MS, RHIA, CCS, and Kristi Stanton, RHIT, CCS, CPC, define some of the root operations in the surgical section of ICD-10-PCS and explain when to report them.
Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow. Maybe that worked for Aaron Burr, but it doesn’t really work for the ICD-10 transition. I’ve seen some disturbing numbers about ICD-10 preparation...
Anytown’s baseball team just completed its home opener and while the team came away with a win, not all of the players made it through the game. Eddie the outfielder suffered a painful run-in with...
Will you be ready for ICD-10? The ICD-10 implementation date draws closer by the day and CMS wants to help you make sure you’re ready. CMS is hosting a national provider call to discuss ICD-10...
Q: We received an outpatient radiology report (exam performed 7/11/12) where the radiologist states: CLINICAL INDICATION: LUMBOSACRAL NEURITIS EXAM: LUM SPINE AP/LAT CLINICAL STATEMENT: LUMBOSACRAL NEURITIS COMPARISON: MAY 23, 2012 FINDINGS: There is posterior spinal fusion L-3-L-5 with solid posterolateral bridging bone graft. Pedicle screws and rods are stable in position. There are bilateral laminectomy defects at L3-L-4. The vertebral body and disc space heights are preserved. The spinal alignment is maintained without evidence of spondylolisthesis. No acute fracture is identified. No lytic or blastic lesions are seen. The sacroiliac joints are unremarkable. IMPRESSION: Stable postsurgical changes with solid posterolateral fusion graft. Would you use the following ICD-9 codes: V67.09, 724.4. or 724.4, V45.4? Our coders disagree.
