Heart disease is the most common cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The most common type is coronary artery disease (CAD), which can lead to heart attacks, heart failure, angina, and arrhythmias, according to the CDC.
A 12-year-old male developed umbilical discomfort Monday and didn't eat much dinner. On Tuesday, he started vomiting at school and the pain shifted to his right lower quadrant. His parents brought him to the ED, where his vital signs showed:
Each new CMS fiscal year, MS-DRG weight and classification changes in the CMS IPPS final rule are closely scrutinized by coders and CDI specialists to identify any potential impact on documentation capture and code assignment processes.
Heart disease is the most common cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The most common type is coronary artery disease (CAD), which can lead to heart attacks, heart failure, angina, and arrhythmias, according to the CDC.
When a patient suffers a traumatic injury or poisoning, we need to report how they became injured and where they were when it happened. You already know this from ICD-9-CM.
A 12-year-old male developed umbilical discomfort Monday and didn't eat much dinner. On Tuesday, he started vomiting at school and the pain shifted to his right lower quadrant. His parents brought him to the ED, where his vital signs showed:
Ready or not, ICD-10 is here. Sam Antonios, MD, FACP, FHM, CCDS, writes about how to talk to physicians about the transition in order to make it as seamless as possible.
Most improper payments for diagnostic nasal endoscopies reviewed during a Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) special study occurred due to insufficient documentation, according to the latest Medicare Quarterly Compliance Newsletter .
Providers have to create their own ED E/M guidelines, which can present a variety of challenges for facilities. For coders, this means an understanding of how to calculate critical care and other factors in order to report the correct visit level.
Coders can no longer rely on the muscle memory and cheat sheets they developed working with ICD-9-CM for so long. Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, CDIP, COBGC, reviews ways coders can update their processes for reporting certain OB/GYN services in ICD-10-CM.
Queries will no doubt increase due to the increased specificity in ICD-10-PCS. John C. Alexander Jr., MD, MBA, James Fee, MD, CCS, CCDS, and George W. Wood II, MD, offer insight into which specialties will be most impacted and how coders can talk to surgeons about the query process.
Providers need to report all services from October 1 forward with ICD-10 codes, but many will likely face scenarios with patients whose dates of service begin prior to October 1 and end after implementation. CMS has released special guidance to clarify how those instances would be billed with each bill type in MLN Matters ® SE1325 .
Coders will need to master root operations in order to be successful in ICD-10-PCS. Cindy Basham, MHA, MSCCS, BSN, CCS, CPC, writes about which root operations will be most frequently used for cardiovascular procedures and how to interpret the guidelines related to them.
Q: How can our team prepare for potential productivity losses post-ICD-10 implementation, specifically regarding procedure codes? Should we consider hiring additional staff or staff with a surgical background?
Combination codes in ICD-10-CM will allow coders to report pressure ulcer location and severity in a single code. Jaci Johnson Kipreos, CPC, CPMA, CEMC, COC, CPC-I, and Betty Hovey, CPC, CPC-H, CPB, CPMA, CPC-I, CPCD, review the stages of pressure ulcers and which information coders will have to look for in documentation.
Sue Bowman, MJ, RHIA, CCS, FAHIMA, and Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CPMA, CPC-I, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, CPEDC, provide strategies for coders and coding department managers to speak with physicians regarding ICD-10 in order to allay physicians’ fears.
A Recovery Auditor review of claims from September 25, 2012, to August 30, 2013, found providers billing hydration therapy with diagnosis codes not considered reasonable and medically necessary, according to the July 2015 Medicare Quarterly Compliance Newsletter .
The updated guidelines in ICD-10-CM will impact how coders report certain diagnoses. Shelley C. Safian, PhD, RHIA, CCS-P, COC, CPC-I, highlights important changes in each section for coders to review before implementation.
