Debridement is a process that involves the removal of foreign material, as well as tissue that is either devitalized or contaminated, until healthy tissue is revealed. Its primary purpose is to clean the affected area and is often performed concurrently with other orthopedic surgical interventions. In my role as an auditor specializing in orthopedics, I […]
Physicians are currently facing challenging times. The existing shortage of doctors, compounded by the pandemic, has exacerbated the patient-to-physician ratio. With an increase in patients, there’s a corresponding surge in administrative tasks for doctors. Consequently, this diminishes the time available for patient care and heightens stress levels among physicians. Furthermore, this situation often leads to […]
Review the changes to ensure that ICD-10-CM codes are reported accurately On July 5th, The National Center for Health Statistics released the 2024 update to the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting. It is recommended that medical coders and auditors review these guidelines on an annual basis to ensure accurate reporting of patient conditions […]
On April 1, your revenue cycle will have additional diagnosis code options to further capture social determinants of health. The CDC just released upcoming changes to both the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code set and the official coding guidelines. The new changes include 42 diagnosis code additions, seven deletions, and one code revision. All changes will go […]
E/M, Gastro, and Lab Coders, take note. The American Medical Association (AMA) announced some last-minute corrections to the CPT® code set effective Jan. 1, 2023. Add these to your code book, along with the previously released corrections, to ensure you start the year off right with accurate codes and guidelines. Evaluation and Management (E/M) In […]
Severe maternal morbidity often intersects with cesarean deliveries. Reducing the number of cesarean deliveries can lower the maternal mortality rate, and one of the drivers of cesarean rates is thought to be induction of labor (IOL). In 2014, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) adopted definitions for labor, labor induction, and augmentation of […]
Reducing denials starts with understanding osteopathic manipulation as well as coding and coverage guidelines for this therapy. Is it appropriate to bill an evaluation and management (E/M) service when osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is performed at the same visit? We must address a few key principles to adequately answer this question. I learned quickly, having […]
Released earlier than usual, the fiscal year (FY) 2022 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting became available online Monday, July 12, and include instructions for assigning novel code U09.9 Post COVID-19 condition (found under Section I.C.1.g.1). Familiarize yourself with the following new and revised guidance, effective October 1, to ensure proper diagnosis coding and […]