CMS generally took the path of least resistance and cushioned the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 IPPS final rule. Effective October 1, the final rule covers payment rate updates, new technology add-on payments, and changes to MS-DRG rate setting and groupings.
Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , breaks down CPT coding for diagnostic services performed during the second and third trimesters, and provides an overview of an obstetric (OB) hospitalist's role in caring for high-risk maternity patients.
Q: The 2022 ICD-10-CM code set includes a new code, U09.9 (post-COVID-19 condition, unspecified), for post-COVID-19 conditions. When would it be appropriate to report this code? A: The fiscal year...
Shelley C. Safian, PhD, RHIA, CCS-P, COC, CPC-I , writes about endocrine anatomy and physiology as well as ICD-10-CM/CPT coding for thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and pineal irregularities.
Several CPT modifiers have similar definitions, which can make distinguishing between them challenging. Review guidance for the appropriate application of modifier -51 versus -59 and discontinued service modifiers -52, -53, -73, and -74. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
John Peter Smith Hospital in Tarrant County, Texas, has agreed to pay $3.3 million to settle allegations that it was in violation of the False Claims Act by upcoding certain claims.
Q: We have a patient admitted for heart failure who is also being treated for latent autoimmune diabetes of adulthood (LADA). What is LADA and how would it be reported in ICD-10-CM?
CMS recently released the fiscal year (FY) 2022 IPPS final rule, which repealed the MS-DRG relative weight methodology finalized in the FY 2021 IPPS final rule.
Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CDIP, CRC, reviews how critical thinking is important within the CDI and coding realm in order to enhance review accuracy and query rates and to help loosen reliance on technological tools such as encoders.
Alba Kuqi, MD, CICA, CCS, CDIP, CCDS, CRCR, CSMC, MSHIM, RHIA, writes that CDI professionals and inpatient coders need to pay attention to the definitions and clinical indicators of acute kidney injury (AKI) to ensure proper ICD-10-CM reporting and reimbursement.
Through examples given within the wound care setting, Bobbie Starkey, RHIT, CCS-P , shows the importance of documentation and ICD-10-CM reporting to support hierarchical condition category (HCC) capture within the inpatient coding sphere. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
CMS recently released the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule, which introduces new guidelines for reporting split/shared visit services. Julia Kyles, CPC , analyzes how the changes would impact physician practices.
Q: A 32-year-old female presents for a planned vaginal delivery of twins. Twin A is delivered vaginally but due to complications, the second-born is delivered via a caesarean section (C-section). How would these obstetric services be reported in CPT?
Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , breaks down CPT coding for ancillary services provided by obstetric providers including targeted ultrasound services and maternal serum tests used to screen for fetal abnormalities.
CMS overpaid physicians an estimated $1.7 million for transitional care management (TCM) services over a two-year period, according to a recent Office of Inspector General (OIG) report. Overpayments were due to CPT coding and billing errors.
Outpatient coding for injections and infusions can be challenging given the foundational definitions and complex rules that drive reporting of these services. This article breaks down the facility drug administration hierarchy and CPT coding for therapeutic infusions, injections, and hydration. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Outpatient coding for injections and infusions can be challenging given the foundational definitions and complex rules that drive reporting of these services. This article breaks down the facility drug administration hierarchy and CPT coding for therapeutic infusions, injections, and hydration.
Review proposed updates to the CPT set for 2022, including new codes for chronic care management, laser interstitial thermal therapy, spinal anesthesia, and more.
To select the most specific CPT codes for prenatal care, physician coders must have a solid understanding of complex guidelines for reporting pregnancy-related office visits. Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , unpacks services included in the global obstetric package and CPT coding for routine prenatal care.
CMS recently released the fiscal year (FY) 2022 IPPS final rule which finalizes its efforts to cushion the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital revenue and resources. Along with payment rate updates, the final rule also repealed the MS-DRG relative weight methodology and hospital cost-reporting requirement finalized in the 2021 IPPS final rule.
Review proposed updates to the CPT set for 2022, including new codes for chronic care management, laser interstitial thermal therapy, spinal anesthesia, and more. Note: To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
CPT coding for vaginal and cesarean deliveries and postpartum care requires strong attention to detail. Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , breaks down stages of delivery and CPT coding guidance for childbirth.
Earlier this year, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) added a new OIG Work Plan item for reporting E/M services with minor surgical procedures. Joe Rivet, Esq., CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CPMA, CICA, CHRC, CHPC, CHEP, CHC, CICA, CAC, CACO , reviews appropriate use of modifier -25 for separately identifiable E/M services.
Medicare overcompensated providers for complex and noncomplex chronic care management (CCM) services billed over a two-year period, according to a recent OIG report. These overpayments occurred because CMS did not have claim edits in place to prevent billing of overlapping care management services.
Sarah Nehring, RHIT, CCS, CCDS, writes that ICD-10-CM/PCS reporting for the cardiac system is complex and requires frequent review in order to report the most accurate codes. In this article, Nehring covers ICD-10-CM/PCS coding and clinical indicators for cardiogenic shock, intra-aortic balloon pumps, and more. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Judith L. Kares, JD, details pertinant changes found in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 IPPS final rule, including payment rate updates and the repeal of the MS-DRG relative weight (RW) methodology.
Q: We recently had a patient admitted with severe acute meningitis causing respiratory decompensation. A diagnostic lumbar puncture and mechanical ventilation were both performed during the inpatient stay. Which of these two procedures would be the principal procedure?
Dawn Valdez, RN, LNC, CDIP, CCDS, says that the clinical indicators used to validate sepsis can also have other possible etiologies that could be equally responsible for the clinical indicators that are present—these are known as competing diagnoses.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently released its fiscal year (FY) 2020 Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Control Program report. During FY 2020, the federal government won or negotiated more than $1.8 billion in healthcare fraud judgments and settlements, according to the report.
Hospital coders often review charts for patients with diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, and other colorectal problems. Review ICD-10-CM coding for common conditions of the large intestine and CPT coding for proctosigmoidoscopies, sigmoidoscopies, and colonoscopies. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
To select the most specific CPT codes for prenatal care, physician coders must have a solid understanding of complex guidelines for reporting pregnancy-related office visits. Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , unpacks services included in the global obstetric package and CPT coding for routine prenatal care.
The American Medical Association (AMA) recently announced that it updated the CPT code set to include new codes for third doses of the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines.
Read up on ICD-10-CM code updates for fiscal year 2022, including new codes for post-COVID-19 symptoms, social determinants of health, and poisonings by cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids.
Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC, writes that inpatient coding for pacemaker Insertions can be confusing to both novice and experienced coders. Because of this, it’s important for all inpatient coders to regularly review ICD-10-PCS reporting for these procedures. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
CMS released the fiscal year (FY) 2022 IPPS final rule on Monday, August 2, which finalizes its efforts to cushion the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital revenue and resources. Along with payment rate updates, the final rule also repealed the MS-DRG relative weight methodology and hospital cost-reporting requirement finalized in the 2021 IPPS final rule.
Howard Rodenberg, MD, MPH, CCDS, and Lynn Shay, CPHQ , say that making sense of varying COVID-19 case-mix index metrics is an important endeavor that will sometimes require a bit of DIY. In this article, they explain how they were able to unscramble their departments’ COVID-19 case-mix index data.
In this article, Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CDIP, CRC, reviews Coding Clinic , Second Quarter 2021, advice for reporting encephalopathy, a laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy, and more.
The 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule includes significant policy updates affecting physician coding and billing. Review proposals to decrease to the Medicare conversion factor, revise guidelines for critical care services, and loosen telehealth coverage requirements.
Cardiovascular conditions affect the structure and function of the heart and are a leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This article details ICD-10-CM coding for common heart conditions and CPT coding for cardiac catheterization procedures.
Read up on ICD-10-CM code updates for fiscal year 2022, including new codes for post-COVID-19 symptoms, social determinants of health, and poisonings by cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids.
With most patient charts now housed in EHRs, technology has become a standard part of the healthcare industry. Growing technological adoption, however, means physicians spend an increasing amount of time on computers and using technology.
The kidneys filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. As kidneys fail, these wastes build up. The symptoms of chronic kidney disease (CKD) generally develop slowly and aren't specific to the disease. Often, there are no noticeable symptoms, and the condition is noted incidentally from a diagnostic testing, or the symptoms first appear once the disease course has reached significant impairment.
HIM and coding directors and managers report some gains in salary but have fewer staff in the department with no plans to hire new staff, according to the results of an HCPro’s 2021 HIM director and manager salary survey. Although directors’ and managers’ salaries and benefits appear to have weathered the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, HIM departments may continue to see resources stretched thinner than ever.
The 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule includes significant policy updates affecting physician coding and billing. Review proposals to decrease to the Medicare conversion factor, revise guidelines for critical care services, and loosen telehealth coverage requirements.
Debbie Jones, CPC, CCA , breaks down CPT coding for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)—a non-surgical treatment used to destroy kidney stones.
Cardiovascular conditions affect the structure and function of the heart and are a leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This article details ICD-10-CM coding for common heart conditions and CPT coding for cardiac catheterization procedures. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
A recent study highlighted growing evidence that patients of all ages can develop type 1 diabetes after an acute COVID-19 infection. In this article, Susan Belley, RHIA, CPHQ, and Audrey Howard, RHIA, evaluate these findings as well as ICD-10-CM reporting for the two conditions.
Q: Would telemetry and the continuation of home medications be considered continued care for a myocardial infarction (MI) or treatment when reporting in ICD-10-CM? Would this meet the definition of a secondary diagnosis?
The fiscal year (FY) 2022 ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, both effective October 1, were recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and CMS, respectively.
Trey La Charité, MD, FACP, SFHM, CCS, CCDS, writes that organizations that aren’t reviewing all in-hospital mortality cases are missing some tremendous opportunities to improve reimbursement and documentation.
Sarah Nehring, RHIT, CCS, CCDS , reviews ICD-10-CM reporting and clinical criteria for various types of heart failure including diastolic, systolic, hypertensive, and more. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
In this note, we will review proposed changes to quality programs for inpatient acute and long-term hospital services, and changes to address existing inequities and prevent future inequities in the delivery of these services, including significant improvements to data collection and analysis capabilities.
Staten Island University Hospital overcharged Medicare an estimated $11.8 million for inpatient and outpatient services billed over a two-year period, according to a recent Office of Inspector General (OIG) report.
Hip and knee replacements are two of the most commonly performed elective surgeries, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Review major joint anatomy and CPT coding for hip and knee revisions and replacements. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Pacemakers are small devices implanted in the chest to help regulate inconsistent heart rates. Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , breaks down documentation and CPT coding for pacemaker insertions, repairs, and relocations.
While technological solutions and electronic health records have made leaps and bounds over the past years in the inpatient setting, there still seems to be much lacking on the outpatient side. Learn how to leverage existing technology to track Hierarchical Condition Category capture and other coding metrics.
Q: Per Coding Clinic, Second Quarter 2017, when a spinal fusion is performed without bone grafting it cannot be coded to the root operation Fusion in ICD-10-PCS. Is this advice still accurate?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released the fiscal year (FY) 2022 ICD-10-CM code set which includes 159 new, 20 revised, and 32 deleted ICD-10-CM codes. CMS also released the finalized ICD-10-PCS codes for FY 2022, which includes 191 new, 62 revised, and 107 deleted ICD-10-PCS codes. The code changes take effect October 1, 2021.
Shelley C. Safian, PhD, RHIA, CCS-P, writes that inpatient Removals of a device from a lower bone may be performed less frequently than other procedures, which creates a need for more education on reporting ICD-10-PCS codes from table 0QP. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Judith L. Kares, JD, reviews potential updates found in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 IPPS proposed rule that pertain to quality programs for inpatient hospitals and changes to address existing inequities in the delivery of these services.
Pediatric record reviews require a different skill set than those in the traditional adult acute care space. Often, those reviewing these specialized charts are islands within their overall CDI or coding department, acting as the sole pediatric chart reviewer. This article sheds light on how some have perfected these reviews within their department.
In April, CMS released the fiscal year (FY) 2022 IPPS proposed rule. The rule contains proposed payment changes under Medicare Part A for covered inpatient stays in short-term acute care hospitals and inpatient stays in long-term care hospitals.
National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits and Medically Unlikely Edits (MUE) can throw a wrench in the Medicare billing process, delaying appropriate revenue. Learn how to apply recent guidance and best practices to resolve challenging edits.
Refresh your knowledge of dysphagia, esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and Barrett’s esophagus, and review guidance for reporting these conditions in ICD-10-CM.
Approximately 34.2 million Americans, or 10.5% of the U.S. population, were diagnosed with diabetes in 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Review signs and symptoms of diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2 and ICD-10-CM coding for these conditions.
Joe Rivet, Esq, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CHC, CCEP, CHRC, CHPC, CICA, CPMA, CAC, CACO , summarizes findings from recent Office of Inspector General audits that highlight improper billing of high-level inpatient stays. He also outlines steps hospitals can take to prevent billing errors due to upcoding.
Approximately 1.5% of the general population sees a primary care physician each year for treatment of chest pain symptoms, according to Family Practice . In this article, Sarah Nehring, RHIT, CCS, CCDS , breaks down potentially confusing ICD-10-CM coding guidelines for chest pain and angina. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Howard Rodenberg, MD, MPH, CCDS , describes how internal reviews can be used to identify repeated coding errors and prevent payment penalties due to Patient Safety Indicators (PSI) and hospital-acquired conditions (HAC).
Medicare Recovery Auditors will review claims submitted by inpatient psychiatric facilities to ensure that billed services are medically reasonable and necessary, according to a recent Medicare Quarterly Provider Compliance Newsletter.
CPT coding for psychotherapy and psychiatric diagnostic evaluations can be challenging, especially when these services are provided with office visits. Shelley C. Safian, PhD, RHIA, CCS-P , breaks down documentation and CPT coding for visit services provided with psychiatric care. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Medicare waivers and flexibilities allow providers to deliver care via telecommunication technology during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Judith Kares, JD , reviews CPT coding for e-visits, virtual communication services, and telephone E/M services.
CMS withdrew the split/shared and critical care sections of the Medicare Claims Processing Manual and announced its intent to update coverage policies for these services. Prepare for changes to come by reviewing documentation, CPT coding, and billing guidance for split/shared and critical care services.
University of Michigan Health System overcharged Medicare an estimated $12.5k for polysomnography services submitted over a two-year period, according to a recent Office of Inspector General (OIG) report. Overpayments were due to insufficient documentation and CPT coding errors.
A recent Office of Inspector General audit estimates that Medicare improperly paid inpatient hospitals $267 million over a two-year period for transfer services incorrectly billed as discharges. Judith Kares, JD , analyzes documentation and billing rules for acute and post-acute transfers.
Approximately 185,000 amputations occur in the U.S. each year, according to the Amputee Coalition. Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , breaks down documentation and ICD-10-PCS coding for amputations of the upper and lower extremities. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently performed a compliance audit of specific diagnosis codes billed by Anthem Community Insurance Company Inc. to CMS and found that the company submitted unsupported diagnosis codes for 123 of the 203 enrollee-years.
CMS offers hospitals some breathing room to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2022 IPPS proposed rule. Review proposed updates to complication/comorbidity (CC) and major CC classifications, and a proposed new MS-DRG rate-setting method aimed at alleviating hospital burden.
