A Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) study found that the improper payment rate for radiation therapy planning claims was significantly higher than many other physician specialty services, according to the Medicare Quarterly Compliance Newsletter .
The American Medical Association (AMA) is trying to get a seat at the ICD-10 table by resolving to request inclusion as one of the Cooperating Parties. Mind you, today’s resolution at the AMA annual...
The AMA and Republican congressmen have been working together for quite a w hile to try and kill ICD-10, but their latest attempt shows not only desperation, but a fundamental misunderstanding of how...
We’re very excited to add a new voice to the ICD-10 Trainer blog family. I’ve (cough, cough) volunteered Steve Andrews to write for the blog. The joys of being the boss. Steve joined HCPro and...
One of the best parts of attending the Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists’ (ACDIS) 8 th Annual Conference is talking with others in the field to find out what documentation...
Shannon Newell, RHIA, CCS, Steve Weichhand, and Sean Johnson conclude their four-part series on PSI 90 with an in-depth look at PSI 12, which evaluates a hospital’s risk adjusted rate of perioperative deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism in surgical discharges for patients 18 years and older.
CMS provided plenty of proposed refinements to quality measures in the 2016 IPPS proposed rule, but did not suggest any changes to the 2-midnight rule. Kimberly A.H. Baker, JD, CPC, James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CDIP, and Shannon Newell, RHIA, CCS, highlight the most significant proposed changes.
Coding, documentation, and diagnoses aren’t always clear-cut, which can challenge even experienced codes. Review the coding and documentation requirements for encephalopathy, stroke, and anemia.
Q: When I started as a coder, I learned that the complication code, such as from ICD-9-CM series 998 or 999, takes precedence as the reason of admission when present with another contributing condition. Is this correct, and is there any written guidance from AHA Coding Clinic for ICD-9-CM/ICD-10-CM/PCS that discusses this?
CMS declared its second week of ICD-10 end-to-end testing , held from April 27 through May 1, a success. Approximately 875 participants submitted 23,138 test claims during the week and CMS accepted...
Are you currently dual coding to prepare for ICD-10 implementation? Or are you double coding? Do you know the difference? When you dual code, you assign both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 codes to the same...
In the third part of our series on Patient Safety Indicator 90, we focus on inclusions, exclusions, and coding and documentation vulnerabilities for PSI 7.
The 2016 OPPS proposed rule is likely to continue CMS' trend of expanded packaging and feature refinements and expansion of comprehensive APCs based on comments CMS has made in prior rules.
The April quarterly I/OCE update from CMS did not defy convention?featuring the typically small number of updates following extensive changes in the previous quarter?but CMS did continue to clarify the logic for comprehensive APC (C-APC) payments.
The April quarterly I/OCE update from CMS did not defy convention?featuring the typically small number of updates following extensive changes in the previous quarter?but CMS did continue to clarify the logic for comprehensive APC (C-APC) payments.
