Understand testing process to see how codes work together.
If you don’t know “typing” from “crossmatch,” you’ll have a hard time picking the right code when your lab performs human leukocyte antigen (HLA) testing for transplant patients. Get a clear...
Test your 2010 consultation coding understanding with these questions and answers.
Consultation coding has every practice on edge this year. Ensure that you’ve got a handle on this complicated coding and billing situation by taking this three-question quiz and then...
Pre-authorization snag may require ABN.
If your practice performs MR urograms, you need to be prepared to handle a few reimbursement roadblocks.
You may find conflicting information in researching how to code MR urograms. For example, you may come across...
Grasping 93010’s effect on new vs. established patient status could bring a $58 reward.
Whether you call them ECGs or EKGs, chances are you see a lot of electrocardiograms in your practice. That means that even the tiniest coding errors...
Forget about incident-to in the facility, but consider this similar billing technique.
ED coders that have never heard of “incident-to” billing have nothing to worry about, as you cannot code for “incident-to” services in the hospital. Coders that don’t understand...
Wrap your brain around using letters in your diagnosis codes.
If you aren’t curious about how the ICD-9 codes crosswalk to ICD-10, maybe you should be.
“The transition date for ICD-10 codes is Oct 1, 2013,” stressed CMS’s Stewart Streimer...
Medicare clears up confusion surrounding ‘8-hour rule.’
Reporting your FP’s observation services can be tricky business, as there is confusion about how, when, and why to choose from one observation code set or another.
Add to that a common misconception...
Don’t let ‘wrong surgery’ modifier mistakes stall your reimbursement.
You use modifier TC for the technical component of a test. So logically, you should use modifier PC for the professional component, right? Wrong. But many coders are making that mistake...
Measuring total removal lengths is a no-no … here’s why.
Your ED physician removes a pair of benign lesions from the patient’s left thigh; you add the repair lengths and code based on those numbers. You’ve coded correctly … right?…
Knowing how to use add-on codes can net you up to $258 in additional reimbursement.
CPT is full of “add-on” codes, additions to minor and major surgical procedures as well as to E/M services. Fortunately for urology there are not…
A revised GA and new GX hope to clarify some of Medicare’s non-coverage policies.
At least one aspect of dealing with Advance Beneficiary Notice of Non-Coverage (ABN) forms is about to get a little simpler, thanks to two modifiers.
CMS…
Understand ‘significant’ and ‘separate’ to earn a gold star.
Knowing when to report modifiers and choosing the best one for each situation can be an easy trip-up for coders. If you find yourself especially befuddled…
Check your 2010 consultation coding savvy.
Find out if you’re set to properly code your physician’s consultation services this year by tackling three problems and their solutions.
Check With Your MAC for Guidance
When…
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Remember ligament repair abbreviations to simplify elbow ligament surgeries.
Baseball players are gearing up for the season, which means your orthopedist could see a sudden increase in elbow ligament injuries. If conservative therapies fail to help torn medial (841.1) or…
Improve your reimbursement chances by applying modifier 58 in this situation. When your surgeon targets the brain or spine with stereotactic radiosurgery (also called gamma knife surgery) to treat multiple lesions over multiple sessions, you need to know two crucial things: what stereotactic radiosurgery codes to use and how many units to include. Take this three-question challenge [...] Related articles:
Caution: Keep enough paperwork on hand to back up EHR. Transitioning to the world of Electronic Health Records (EHR) can make your coding easier on many levels, but don’t take it for granted. Physicians often fall short in their review of systems (ROS) documentation whether you use paper charts or rely on EHR, but you can [...] Related articles: