The American Medical Association updated its Current Procedural Terminology set to include updates to coding for tests that detect influenza and COVID-19. The two new codes, per the AMA’s CPT editorial panel, are: 87636: “Infectious agent detection by nucleic acid (DNA or RNA); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) and influenza virus types A […]
Major changes are found in the 2021 Evaluation and Management guidelines. As we enter the final quarter of 2020, I hope everyone is committed to being prepared for the 2021 evaluation and management (E&M) changes, because they’re locked in, and the focus going forward should be on education for coders, auditors, and providers. Many articles […]
Accurate diagnosis coding is crucial for medical billing, as it narrates the patient’s healthcare journey. Patients often present with multiple conditions, requiring coders to select and sequence the most specific codes. This sequencing, or code arrangement, is vital for correct billing. This discussion highlights five key terms from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and […]
There has been much discussion about COVID-19 this year, but as autumn approaches, thoughts turn towards influenza season. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Policies (ACIP) recently published guidelines for flu vaccination. Their advice is that routine annual vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. The United States vaccines will include updates […]
Further, the study underscored that inpatient rehab plays a unique and positive role in treating patients recovering from COVID-19. Discover key strategies hospitals can use to improve outcomes through rehabilitation for patients recovering from COVID-19. Importance of Rehab for Patients Recovering from COVID-19 At least 700,000 Americans recovering from COVID-19 will require inpatient rehabilitative […]
Q: Do the new 2021 coding rules for office visits apply to all payers or just Medicare and Medicaid? Also, are these rules just for office visits, or can we use them for hospital visits, nursing home services, and home visits? A: The changes to the documentation requirements are for codes 99202-99215 only and are […]
The World Health Organization (WHO) updates ICD codes every 10 years to improve clinical use and acknowledge innovations in healthcare. After the tumultuous transition to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, simply mentioning the phrase “ICD-11” is liable to strike fear in the hearts of revenue cycle professionals and healthcare providers across […]
One of the codes, CPT Code 99072, is for reporting additional supplies used to mitigate spread of the virus. The American Medical Association (AMA) announced, Sept. 8, two new Category I CPT® codes to meet the changing needs of the healthcare industry brought about by the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). The codes were approved […]
Make sure your diagnosis coding is up to date by reviewing this chapter-by-chapter summary of the changes effective October 1. The future is here, and it brought diagnosis codes for hoverboard accidents. But that’s not all that’s changed in ICD-10-CM 2021, effective Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021. Below are highlights from the 56-page […]
The American Medical Association (AMA) implemented major changes to the 2021 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set in an effort to simplify coding and documentation of office visits and other outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) services. The code set released earlier today modified E/M office visit codes 99201 through 99215 to eliminate history and physical exam as […]










