In a recent policy reversal the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced it would offer ICD-10 end-to-end testing this summer. But, testing required for a successful switch is not…
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…
Providers, payers and claims clearinghouses can look for no relief from the looming, Oct. 1 compliance deadline for the nationwide conversion to the ICD-10 family of diagnostic and procedural codes,…
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,…
From patient accounting systems to sticky notes and "cheat sheets" posted in exam rooms, ICD-9 codes permeate the health care environment, translating the information in medical records to numbers on…
One question we are asked a lot is "what are the approved manuals for the medical coding CPC exam from AAPC?" The most surprising "non change" is there is no…
ICD-10 Is Coming This Year Many physician practices have avoided getting ready for ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition) for a variety of reasons: • Some hope that the…
Remember the new, uber-complicated system of medical codes coming soon? You know, the ones that will tell your insurance company whether this was the first, second or third time your…
Healthcare providers may face disruptions in their payments even if they are on target to operate using ICD-10 codes on Oct. 1, 2014. Since providers will, and indeed need, to…
There was a time not that long ago that a patient might never see a medical bill, much less have to read it. But few of us can afford to…
The numbers are in! According to the American Medical Association (AMA), there will be 329 total code changes in 2014, to include 175 new codes, 107 revised codes, and 47…
Medical coding is the strategy that primarily focuses on the process of assigning universal medical codes. The codes can be either alphanumeric or numeric that holds true for procedures, drugs…
More and more radiation oncology practices are opting for medical coding services. Outsourcing their coding is helping them deal with the ever-increasing complexities involved in reimbursement for this specialty. A…
Outsourcing medical coding and billing requirements is definitely beneficial in terms of reduced workload, better performance and improved revenue. However, the task of hiring a medical coding company should be…
Healthcare vendors are reassuring providers that they can improve medical coding productivity with computer-assisted coding (CAC) systems. But can hospitals and medical practices rely on those claims? What CAC does…
When most go to the doctor their main concerns are diagnosing their health issue and getting better. Then at some point, the medical bill may become a concern. Will their…