CMS Proposes Payment Models for Surgical Procedures

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed an episodic payment model, the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM). This is one of CMS’s “innovation” models. If it makes…

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Understanding Billing Requirements for Caregiver Training Services

As part of the Jan. 1, 2024 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) guidelines, caregiver training services (CTS) codes were listed as billable services if provided by physicians and non-physician practitioners…

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Diagnosis Pitfalls to Look for When Seeking to Avoid Denials

A recent study from the healthcare solutions company Premier indicated that $19.7 billion is what hospitals and health systems are spending annually on handling and appealing denials. Yes, that is…

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The IPPS Proposed Rule Demonstrates the Importance of SDoH

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Proposed Rule, through which it proposes to change the severity designation for several…

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Staying Current with Medical Necessity

A new quarter began on Oct. 1, an event that usually brings updates to National Coverage Determinations (NCDs). The coding updates included for Oct. 1 are specified in Change Request…

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2024 CPT Code Set Released: 5 Key Takeaways

There are over 300 changes you need to know. KEY TAKEAWAYS Knowledge of coding updates is essential for everyone from the biller to the revenue cycle leader. The 2024 CPT…

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Is Greater UR-CDI Integration on the Horizon?

There has been growing interest in the intersection of utilization review (UR) and clinical documentation integrity (CDI). With greater recent changes, such as more UR and CDI staff going remote…

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Coding Medical Records – A Comprehensive Guide

In the ever-evolving world of healthcare, medical coding plays a crucial role in capturing and organizing patient data for various purposes, including medical billing, research, and quality assessment. Coding medical…

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Must We Wait for The Pathology to Code Malignancy?

This article was inspired by an article I read by Cynthia Tang and Richard Pinson (https://libmaneducation.com/coding-of-possible-malignancy-diagnoses-when-the-pathology-report-is-pending/). They expressed their concern about Coding Clinic’s advice to code an uncertain malignancy diagnosis…

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10 common issues with medical billing and how to resolve them

Navigating the complex terrain of medical billing can be fraught with expensive and frightening pitfalls. From minor transcription errors to major coding misunderstandings, mistakes in this area can result in…

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