Tag: Diagnosis Codes

ICD-10-CM Codes for Proper Payment

Sequence ICD-10-CM Codes for Proper Payment

Five terms lead the way to determining primary diagnosis codes. When we select diagnosis codes for billing, we are telling the story of a patient’s healthcare encounter. Patients often present with multiple conditions — some related, some not. Medical coders are tasked with selecting the most specific codes and putting them in the right order. […]
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New CPT Codes for COVID-19

AMA Approves 2 New CPT Codes for COVID-19

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 […]
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2021 Inpatient Prospective Payment System Rule

CMS Releases Long-Awaited 2021 FY IPPS Final Rule

  Medicare spending on acute-care inpatient hospital services will increase by about $3.5 billion in FY 2021 As the healthcare industry continues to be buffeted by the unrelenting coronavirus pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) final rule. The […]
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Billing and Documentation Guide

Billing and Documentation Guide for Patient Care During COVID-19 Pandemic

  The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about robust changes to the traditional practice of healthcare in the United States. In a time of social distancing and widespread quarantining, regulatory bodies, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), have adapted to the current environment. The most critical goal was to allow healthcare providers to […]
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Surgery Modifiers

Check NCDs for ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Updates

Changes to ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code mean NCD coding changes. ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code changes went into effect Oct. 1, as usual, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is updating National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) to reflect those changes. NCDs Affected by Updates to ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code CMS notes the following NCD coding changes in […]
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OB CODING

Is It Possible to Make OB Coding Less Complicated?

Just like our patients, proper OB coding and billing for obstetric patients can be…complicated. As a coding instructor and compliance auditor, I field a lot of questions from new students and experienced billers alike. In this article, I’ll break down a few of the most important concepts you need to understand to master obstetric coding. […]
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Emergency Claim Denials

How to Approach Emergency Department Claim Denials

By now, many hospitals have received denials for emergency department level-of-care coding. We could legitimately ask, “how did this happen?” Today we shall address how it started, why it’s important, and potential institutional responses. Denials for emergency care are not new. The spectrum of denials and the audacity with which payers deny claims now strains […]
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