Struck by a killer whale? Bit by a turtle or mouse? All are included in a new medical coding system doctors must use to get reimbursed by Medicare and insurance…
University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have developed a website that walks healthcare providers through the challenging transition from the current International Classification of Diseases -- ICD-9 -- to the…
The health care industry is “not progressing at a suitable pace” to be ready for tens of thousands of new government-mandated “ICD-10” codes used to describe diseases and hospital procedures…
In a video statement issued late Tuesday afternoon Medical Coding Pro denied that any "hidden messages" are used in Laureen Jandroep's Blitz Videos to increase the pass rate of the…
Ector County Health District officials unanimously passed a measure Tuesday night to fund training to accommodate a switch in the system in which they process diagnosing and procedure codes to…
As U.S. health care providers continue the march toward implementing the ICD-10 — a standardized set of medical diagnoses used by medical professionals across the world — the code set…
Filed a claim during the legal battle between the American Medical Association (AMA) and UHC? There’s good news for you.
In a letter published today in the British Medical Journal, authors from Imperial College London NHS Healthcare Trust stress the importance of accurately capturing and coding patient episodes.
EHRs may reduce medical liability for some errors, but could create new forms of medical liability and expose existing liability issues, says report.
Bill all three or get a denial: supply, injection, and illumination. Coding for photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves three key components, which means you should look into multiple CPT® codes to describe your claim appropriately. But this could jeopard...
New options replace 49420 for tunneled catheter. Choosing an intraperitoneal catheter insertion used to mean deciding between “permanent” and “temporary” — but CPT 2011 changes all that. Now you’ll need to know if the procedure is open, lap...
Posted on 07. Jul, 2011 by rpandit in Hot Coding Topics, Provider News Check whether your group might fall into one of four new categories. The push toward e-prescribing is in full swing, with physicians possibly being subjected to a one percent paym...
Question: If our surgeon removes a sebaceous cyst from the back that measures 2.5 x 1.75 x 0.5 cm, should we add up all the dimensions or should we just use the biggest dimension of 2.5? Is the answer the same if this were a tumor instead of a cyst? An...
Checklist Extra: The physician’s credentials have a role to play, too.
Your CPT® coding may be spick and span, but if you fail to fulfill your physician signature requirements, your claims could end up in hot waters because not following these rules can trigger audits and other compliance headaches. Getting your provider to sign your patient’s charts is a basic documentation prerequisite that calls for your relentless compliance.
Basic: The treating physician’s signature serves as a legible identifier for the provided/ordered services. Payers require that the signature must be present in the documentation that comes with your claim.
Check out the following Q&A and find out why stamped signatures just won’t do you any good.
Get to the Bottom line Of Handwritten vs. Electronic Signatures
Question 1: Some of our physicians use handwritten signatures on their charts and others prefer electronic signatures. Is either kind acceptable?
Answer 1: According to CMS,, “Medicare requires a legible identifier for services provided/ordered.” That “identifier” — or signature — can be electronic or handwritten, as long as the provider meets certain criteria. Legible first and last names, a legible first initial with last name, or even an illegible signature over a printed or typed name are acceptable. You’re also covered if the provider’s signature is illegible but is on a page with other information identifying the signer such as a typed name.
“Also be sure to include the provider’s credentials,” says Cindy Hinton, CPC, CCP, CHCC, founder of Advanced Coding Solutions in Franklin, Tenn. “The credentials themselves can be with the signature or they can be identified elsewhere on the note.”
Example: Pre-printed forms might include the physician’s name and credentials at the top, side, or...
Reporting modifier 78 for a staged procedure? Expect denials.
When it comes to appending CPT® modifiers to your codes, the rules can be daunting, and Medicare’s regulations only compound the confusion. But if you’re up to speed on these key modifier billing practices, you’ll be raking in deserved pay.
Check out the following five tips to ensure that you aren’t missing any opportunities.
1. Don’t Avoid Modifier 26.
If your physician provides an interpretation and report for an x-ray or other radiological service in the treatment of a patient, that’s not always just part of his E/M—in some cases, you can separately bill for the interpretation and report by appending modifier 26 (Professional component) to the CPT® code.
Typically, the technologist that performed the patient’s x-ray will bill the code — such as 71010 (Radiologic examination, chest; single view, frontal) — with modifier TC (Technical component) to indicate that he is billing for the equipment, room charge, film and radiologic technician, but not for the physician’s interpretation. If the physician who renders the interpretation is with a separate professional group and is not a hospital employee, you should report the service with modifier 26 to obtain his proper share of the reimbursement.
2. Know the Difference Between Modifiers 58 and 78.
Because both modifier 58 and 78 describe procedures performed during another surgery’s global period, it can be easy to confuse them. But differentiating between the two can mean the difference between collecting your due and filing endless appeals.
Key: You’ll report modifier 78 (Unplanned return to the operating room for a related procedure during the postoperative period) when conditions arising from the initial surgery (complications) rather than the patient’s condition...
Modifiers and test results are among the ‘instant denial’ triggers for these codes.
Whether you search under medical oncology, hematology, or hematology/oncology, J0881 and J0885 rank first and third on the lists of the top 10 codes reported to the CMS database (2009). These J-codes for erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) carry a heavy load of very specific reporting requirements and volatile reimbursement rates. To be sure your claims for these frequently reported codes are as clean and accurate as possible, apply the tips below.
Learn more: These recently available top 10 rankings are listed in a file posted by Frank Cohen, MPA, principal and Senior Analyst for The Frank Cohen Group. Choose the link for “Top 10 procedure codes by frequency for all specialties” at www.frankcohen.com/html/access.html.
Warm Up With Code and ESA Definitions
The HCPCS codes in focus are as follows:
Code J0881 is appropriate to report the supply of Aranesp. Code J0885 applies instead to supply of Epogen or Procrit. Keep in mind that the J codes represent only the supply. You should report the ESA administration separately using 96372 (Therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic injection [specify substance or drug]; subcutaneous or intramuscular) for intramuscular (IM) administration, says Janae Ballard, CPC, CPC-H, CPMA, CEMC, PCS, FCS, coding manager for The Coding Source, based in Los Angeles.
Both codes indicate they are specific to “non-ESRD use.” ESRD is short for end stage renal disease. Consequently, these codes are appropriate when the injection is connected to oncologic use.
What ESAs do: ESAs stimulate bone marrow to produce more red blood cells, according to...