Coder's Cranium / General / Hot Coding Topics

CMS Proposes New Glaucoma, Skin Cancer, Dementia Codes

 

Many new codes abound in final update to proposed ICD-9-CM code set

If you’ve felt that your skin cancer diagnoses could use a bit more specificity, ICD-9 will deliver this October if the proposed list of new, deleted, and revised diagnosis codes becomes final. The list of ICD-9 changes was recently posted to the CMS Website, and includes the final full set of changes that the agency will make to ICD-9 codes. After the new codes take effect on Oct. 1, CMS will only add new ICD- 9 codes on an emergency basis as it prepares to switch over the diagnosis coding system to ICD-10.

 

Seek Out Skin Cancer Changes

You’ll find a significant expansion to the 173.x (Other malignant neoplasm of skin) categories, including changes to 173.0x (…Skin of lip), 173.1x (Eyelid, including canthus), 173.2x (Skin of ear and external auditory canal), 173.3x (Skin of other and unspecified parts of face), 173.4x (Scalp and skin of neck), 173.5x (Skin of trunk, except scrotum), 173.6x (Skin of upper limb, including shoulder), 173.7x (Skin of lower limb, including hip), 173.8x (Other specified sites of skin), and 173.9x (Skin, site unspecified).

 Among these changes, for example, you’ll find the following new codes to delineate various types of skin cancers:

  • 173.60 —Unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
  • 173.61 — Basal cell carcinoma of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
  • 173.62 — Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
  • 173.69 — Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of upper limb, including shoulder.

 The changes in the other skin cancer categories referenced above follow this pattern, with the fifth digit of “0” referring to an unspecified malignant neoplasm, “1” denoting a basal cell cancer, “2” referring to a squamous cell carcinoma,” and “9”...

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June 22, 2011
Coder's Cranium / General / Hot Coding Topics

CMS Proposes New Glaucoma, Skin Cancer, Dementia Codes

Many new codes abound in final update to proposed ICD-9-CM code set.

 If you’ve felt that your skin cancer diagnoses could use a bit more specificity, ICD-9 will deliver this October if the proposed list of new, deleted, and revised diagnosis codes becomes final. The list of ICD-9 changes was recently posted to the CMS Website, and includes the final full set of changes that the agency will make to ICD-9 codes. After the new codes take effect on Oct. 1, CMS will only add new ICD- 9 codes on an emergency basis as it prepares to switch over the diagnosis coding system to ICD-10.

Seek Out Skin Cancer Changes

You’ll find a significant expansion to the 173.x (Other malignant neoplasm of skin) categories, including changes to 173.0x (…Skin of lip), 173.1x (Eyelid, including canthus), 173.2x (Skin of ear and external auditory canal), 173.3x (Skin of other and unspecified parts of face), 173.4x (Scalp and skin of neck), 173.5x (Skin of trunk, except scrotum), 173.6x (Skin of upper limb, including shoulder), 173.7x (Skin of lower limb, including hip), 173.8x (Other specified sites of skin), and 173.9x (Skin, site unspecified).

Among these changes, for example, you’ll find the following new codes to delineate various types of skin cancers:

  • 173.60 —Unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
  • 173.61 — Basal cell carcinoma of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
  • 173.62 — Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
  • 173.69 — Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of upper limb, including shoulder.

 The changes in the other skin cancer categories referenced above follow this pattern, with the fifth digit of “0” referring to an unspecified malignant neoplasm, “1” denoting a basal cell cancer, “2” referring to a squamous cell carcinoma,” and “9” describing another...

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June 22, 2011
Toolkit

Billing Specialist Knowledge Assessment Answer Key

Name: _____________________________________________  Date: _______________

1. A CPT code has ___5_____ digits and an ICD-9-CM code has ___3-5____ digits.

 2. Explain the difference between a CPT code and an ICD-9-CM code.

CPT (Current Procedural Terminology), standardized numeric system (5 digits without modifiers) is used to report WHAT medical services and procedures are done to the patient. 

ICD9 (International Classification of Diseases – Ninth Edition) a Universal coding system is used to describe WHY a service was performed.  Codes range from 3-5 digits.  

3. What is the purpose of a modifier?

To identify in certain circumstances that a service or procedure has been altered by some specific circumstance but it has not changed the basic definition or code  (this is the literal CPT book definition, but anything remotely close to this is acceptable).

4. What are E&M codes?

Evaluation and Management Codes that describe different levels of physician “visits” in various healthcare settings.

5. What does “COB” stand for?   Coordination of Benefits

6. What insurance information do you obtain when the patient contacts our office with new insurance?

Guarantor name, guarantor DOB, guarantor policy and group number, new insurance name, address for claims submission, effective date of new policy, and (if possible) termination date of previous policy.

7.  If the patient has Medicare and Medicaid, which insurance would you bill first?

Medicare would always be billed first.                                              

8. What does HIPAA stand for? And what does it mean to you?        Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

HIPAA designates certain standards and procedures that must be followed to keep secure PHI (protected Health Information). HIPAA also calls for standardization of transaction code sets and various privacy laws (looking for some level of knowledge about the general concept of HIPAA).

9.  How would you handle each of the following EOB rejections?...

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September 16, 2010
Toolkit

Billing Specialist Knowledge Assessment

Before you hire a biller, you need to make sure he or she is qualified for the position. The following test coupled with a math test will assess whether the candidate will be successful in the role — and an asset to your company.

Name: _____________________________________________  Date: _______________

  1. A CPT code has _______ digits and an ICD-9-CM code has _______ digits
  2. Explain the difference between a CPT code and an ICD-9-CM code
  3. What is the purpose of a modifier?
  4. What are E&M codes?
  5. What does “COB” stand for?  
  6. What insurance information do you obtain when the patient contacts our office with new insurance?
  7. If the patient has Medicare, Tricare and Medicaid, which insurance would you bill first, second, last? 
  8.  Patient is 65; has BCBS through employer w/ 100+ employees and has Medicare Part A only.  Which insurance would you file first?
  9. What does HIPAA stand for? And what does it mean to you? 
  10. What is a CMS 1500 used for?
  11. What is the difference between HCFA and CMS 1500?
  12. How would you handle each of the following EOB rejections?
    • Procedure not a covered benefit
    • Patient not eligible on the date of service
    • Applied to deductible 
    • Bundled Service

 

Multiple Choice

1. A “crossover” claim is:

a. When Medicare forwards a claim electronically to a secondary insurance carrier

b. When duplicate claims are sent and the same claim is returned for more information. (essentially the two claims are “crossing” in the mail)

c. When a claim is sent that has more than one box “crossed out”

d. Sending the claim to the secondary insurance first for administrative purposes, “crossing” the normal procedural policies.

 

2. An EOB is:

a. End of Balance

b....

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September 16, 2010