This week’s Medicare updates include recommendations on re-opening facilities for non-emergent, non-COVID-19 care, new guidelines for nursing homes on notification of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, a notice about the Accelerated and Advance Payment Programs, and more!
Coders can raise the flag for the risk management department by signaling unexpected patient care occurrences, such as a nicked organ during surgery. Use this sample occurrence report form as a template for your organization.
Hospitals, health systems, and long-term care facilities are being challenged by census workers requesting information about patients and residents to conduct an accurate census. Some have gone as far as stating that they have a right to access hospital electronic health records (EHR).
Q: How can we submit a claim that hits an edit for a noncovered procedure? Can we submit a claim for the covered procedures? Can we appeal if the provider believes the procedure should be covered?
Q: When would you use the ICD-10-CM codes for opioid or marijuana use when no mental, behavioral, or other disorder is connected? I’m specifically thinking of codes F11.90 (opioid use, unspecified, uncomplicated) and F12.90 (cannabis use, unspecified, uncomplicated).
As organizations respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number are turning to telemedicine to safely meet patient demand. “The current crisis is expanding people’s willingness to shift the paradigm both on the provider and patient side,” says Diane Iverson, RN, BSN, BS, ACM, CCM, a Baltimore-area case manager. “Systems are gearing up to expand services rapidly.”
