Doctors and practice administrators are always looking for how to maximize profits. As a coding/billing consultant, chart auditor, and educator, I’m often asked about ways to improve coding. Here are…
SPELLING OUT MEDICAL NECESSITY Q: Does a diagnosis code alone support medical necessity for lab tests? Shouldn’t there be something in the note documenting a sign/symptom or current status of…
On Oct. 1, a big change is coming to the health care industry. That’s the deadline for all health care companies – doctors, hospitals, clinics, insurance provider – to upgrade…
The advice from those who have already tried coding with ICD-10? Hire a certified coder if you don’t have one on staff already. “If a physician office doesn’t have a…
Communication was the theme at the Code It Right conference last week as medical coders prepare for a massive transition to a new medical coding system known as ICD-10. “I…
Without further ado, then, here are the ten most popular Government Health IT articles of 2014.
MANY readers were shocked by my recent article about Peter Drier, who received a surprise bill of $117,000 from an out-of-network assistant surgeon who helped out during his back operation.
As we move towards building a universal patient-centered data platform in health IT, several sources of data are useful. Data coming from transitions of care, clinical summary documents (C-CDAs) which…
Confused about the implementation of the new medical coding system called ICD-10? So is everyone, including the federal government — so much so, in fact, that Congress passed legislation that…
Medical coders or medical coding specialists go through detailed information about patient injuries, diseases and procedures from medical records and documents provided by doctors and other healthcare providers. They then…
To ensure that you can perform all the necessary job requirements out in the medical coding field, the CPC certification examination itself tests for strength in all areas, including the…
Medical Coding is one of the fastest growing jobs in the United States. Currently only 49% of healthcare employers reported being adequately staffed with medical coders. The most common reason…
Theodore Roosevelt once said: “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain [and] difficulty.” While the former president’s outlook is a bit extreme,…
With the transition to ICD-10 fast approaching, many want to know if they need to know ICD-9 and ICD-10. The short answer is yes. ICD-9 is not going away completely…
You maybe wondering if a career in medical billing and coding is a good choice for you. Before making any career move, it’s important to understand what kinds of responsibilities…
Healthcare providers say Medicare is going to short-change them on patients who spend fewer than two nights in the hospital, and delaying implementation of a new payment policy until October…