By Aimee Wilcox, MA, CST, CCS-P If you work in pain management, anesthesia or interventional radiology, you are probably keenly aware of the changes that have occurred over the past three years with facet joint injection coding and its effect on your bottom line. What is a facet joint injection? A facet joint injection is a diagnostic procedure used to determine if the … [Read more...] about Changes in facet joint coding affect your bottom line
Coding
Coding for newborns in the US and the UK
By Therese M. Jorwic, MPH, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P Oyez! Oyez! The firstborn of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is had the new Prince George been born in the U.S., he would have been V30.00. That’s because we’re still using the ICD-9 codes while Great Britain has already moved to the international version of ICD-10. But Z38.0 or V30.00, it’s the best a … [Read more...] about Coding for newborns in the US and the UK
What effect will ICD-10 have on the office’s clinical documentation?
Getting ready for ICD-10-CM A big concern about ICD-10 is how the requirements for clinical documentation will change. The answer is that the new codes will not change the way a provider documents. Instead, they call for more information than ICD-9 requires. Yet most of it is information doctors are already documenting. Generally, the new required information falls into … [Read more...] about What effect will ICD-10 have on the office’s clinical documentation?
CKD with I-9 and I-10: not very much difference
ICD-9-CM and CPT By Therese M. Jorwic, MPH, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P More than 26 million adults in the U.S. have chronic kidney disease, or CKD. Millions more are at risk. Determining the extent of damage is usually done by testing the glomerular filtration rate, or GFR, which indicates the level of kidney function. And detection needs to be early, because left alone, the disease … [Read more...] about CKD with I-9 and I-10: not very much difference
Good ICD-10 training starts with the overall picture
By Therese M. Jorwic, MPH, RHIA CCS, CCS-P, FAHIMA The best way to begin ICD-10-CM training is to start at the beginning – what it is and where it comes from. ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases. It is a worldwide coding system established by the World Health Organization. The WHO is an arm of the United Nations that deals with international public health … [Read more...] about Good ICD-10 training starts with the overall picture
Coding stroke and its effects with I-9 and I-10
ICD-9-CM and CPT coding update By Therese M. Jorwic, MPH, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P Every year, about 795,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke. About 75% of those are first strokes; the rest are repeat strokes. Most- an estimated 87%- are ischemic, where a blood clot blocks a blood vessel to the brain. The others are hemorrhagic, or bleeding strokes. The severity of a stroke depends … [Read more...] about Coding stroke and its effects with I-9 and I-10
The asthma codes take a new turn with ICD-10
ICD-9-CM and CPT coding update By Therese M. Jorwic, MPH, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P Asthma is a condition so common (it affects 25 million Americans) that offices see it often as either a first-listed or secondary diagnosis. It’s a chronic disease, and the classic symptoms are wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing, especially early and late in the day. With … [Read more...] about The asthma codes take a new turn with ICD-10
Leave no stone unturned; get an ICD-10 vendor timeline – with the cost
ICD-10 success rests to a great extent on the office’s system vendor. Right now is the time to pin that vendor down on what it will and won’t do and make arrangements to cover the blank spots, Medicare says. Also get the cost of every item. And get it all in writing. Here are the points to cover These are the items to verify with the vendor, Medicare says. • Get the … [Read more...] about Leave no stone unturned; get an ICD-10 vendor timeline – with the cost
Alcohol/drug abuse and addiction in I-9 and I-10
ICD-9-CM and CPT coding update By Therese M. Jorwic, MPH, WHIA, CCS, CCS-P Two diagnoses that appear in too many records are alcohol and drug and addiction. There is a difference between abuse and addiction. Abuse is the misuse of a substance; it could lead to physical or psychological dependence. Addiction is dependence; stopping the use will cause withdrawal. Alcohol is … [Read more...] about Alcohol/drug abuse and addiction in I-9 and I-10
E/M transitional care: Q&A on how to code it and get the payments in
Here is a bit of Q&A on the new E/M transitional care codes 99495 and 99496. These codes cover care coordination during the 30 days after discharge from a hospital or skilled nursing facility, and they include communicating with the patient or caregiver, reviewing the medication, and coordinating the care with other providers and with community services. They also require … [Read more...] about E/M transitional care: Q&A on how to code it and get the payments in