The implementation of ICD-10 in 2015 was considered an industrywide success. Coders were trained, HIM departments were prepared, and outsourced coding companies expanded their roles. As we enter the second year of ICD-10, what should HIM directors expect from their coding teams and outsourced vendor partnerships?
Managers should not assume that they can review every guideline, every item in Coding Clinic, or every coding-related issue targeted by the Office of Inspector General or Recovery Auditor.
One area of CPT coding that saw big changes for 2017 is for dialysis circuit coding. The existing codes have all been deleted, and new codes have been created (36901-36909) for reporting these procedures.
Today’s HIM professional needs to understand the various programs and the impact that coding and documentation may have on an organization’s performance. By 2018, 50% of Medicare payments will be tied to value-based alternative payment models.
Most of us are familiar with ICD-10-CM through picking codes from a list in our EHRs or perusing a printed code book. Allow me to suggest that unless we understand the coding rules in the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, we may mistakenly pick the wrong code, leading to a potential false claim.
This week’s Medicare updates include the OIG’s Semiannual Report to Congress, an announcement that the Hospital Appeals Settlement Process is now open, a HCPCS Code Update for Preventive Services, and more!
