As 2020 winds down, typically everyone from newscasters to sports reporters to anyone with a Twitter handle will write a “Year in Review” article, adding their predictions for the upcoming year. So we thought we would do the same – take a look back and also a look ahead. 2020 has been a fascinating year. […]
When billing for outpatient telehealth services during the COVID-19 PHE, providers should use the POS code that they would have otherwise used had the service been provided in person. Q: What place of service (POS) codes and modifiers should be reported on physician claims for wound care services performed via telehealth during the novel coronavirus […]
The mood of the country impacts claims. There are a few words that can be associated with the pandemic and the election. These words are the following: Stress – a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances Anxiety – a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease typically […]
The government is working at warp speed to make a COVID-19 vaccine available in the United States. To that end, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published an interim final rule with comment period (IFC) to implement Section 3713 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which established Medicare Part […]
Cold antibody hemolytic anemia is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by the premature destruction of red blood cells by autoantibodies at temperatures of approximately 0 to 10 degrees Celsius. Q: What is the difference between cold, hot, and mixed type autoimmune hemolytic anemia, as described by 2021 ICD-10-CM codes D59.11-D59.13? A: ICD-10-CM code category D59.- (acquired […]
The ICD-10-PCS codes can be found in the XW0 Table for the drug infusions. There were new ICD-10-PCS codes implemented on Aug. 1, involving substances associated with the treatment of COVID-19. As we know, these codes are not to be assigned unless the substances were used to treat coronavirus. Here is some information regarding these […]
For 2021, there are 490 new, 47 revised and 58 deleted ICD-10-CM codes. We will cover the ICD-10-CM guidelines in this article and the ICD-10-CM code changes next month. There are several important changes to the guidelines, including those relating to COVID-19 coding. The updates for these were a little late this year due to […]
Good news for physicians tired of counting bullet points to assign an evaluation and management (E/M) level for an outpatient office visit: Per new AMA guidelines, it’s going to be a whole lot simpler. As of January 1, 2021, physicians will select an E/M code based on total time spent on the date of […]
Facility-specific coding guidelines are key to code hospital visits and encounters consistently. Another role that facility-specific guidelines play is to capture all possible reimbursement that is due to an organization. Every Oct. 1, the MS-DRGs and ICD-10-CM/PCS are updated. In addition to the MS-DRGs, the New Technology Add-On Payments (NTAPs) are updated as well. It […]
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 […]










