Medical Coding Pro - Time Your Surgical Collections Right by Referencing Payer Contracts

Published: Tue, 01/26/10


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Time Your Surgical Collections Right by Referencing Payer Contracts - 2010-01-21 12:11:23-05
Find out if you’re legal in collecting patient portion before providing the surgical service. Don’t be too hasty in collecting a patient’s copay and deductible up front. “While in theory, the practice of collecting deductibles up front may sound good, you should check your carrier contracts to be sure you are allowed to do this before requesting [...] Related articles:
  1. Checklist: Collect Surgical Deductibles Up Front to Improve A/RThis 3-step checklist will boost your bottom line. With fewer...
  2. Medical Billers: Test Your Collections Know-How Here This nifty tool tells you if collections cluelessness is...
  3. 10 Carrier Contract Negotiation Tips Carrier contract negotiation is often a long, difficult process....


Read more: http://medicalcodingpro.com/wordpress/610/time-your-surgical-collections-right-by-referencing-payer-contracts/



Ob-Gyn CCI 16.0: Hysterectomy Coding - 2010-01-22 14:09:01-05
Here’s where you can bypass the edits with modifier 59. The Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) version 16.0 didn’t overlook the hysterectomy, vaginal graft, and colpopexy codes — nor should you. To make sense of the deletions, break these additions into mutually exclusive and non-mutually exclusive. Note: In all these cases — except those involving the anesthetic injection [...] Related articles:
  1. Hysterectomy Coding Simplified: Look at Weight, Removal Severing these ligaments clues you into whether ob-gyn removed...
  2. CCI 15.2 Retracts Neurostimulator Edits from 15.1Look for new edits that affect eye exam codes, anesthesia,...
  3. 3 Steps Take the Guesswork Out of Coding Vaginal Cuff Repairs Find out what colporrhaphy code you’ll use for an...


Read more: http://medicalcodingpro.com/wordpress/614/ob-gyn-cci-16-0-hysterectomy-coding/



Ophthalmology Coding Challenge: Flashers & Floaters - 2010-01-24 13:10:16-05
How’s Your EO Coding & Billing? Test Yourself With This Scenario. Question: A patient reports flashes and floaters but the ophthalmologist does not find evidence of retinal pathology on routine ophthalmoscopy. Are we justified in billing for extended ophthalmoscopy (EO)? Answer: If the ophthalmoscopy is a routine part of a patient’s eye exam, do not [...] Related articles:
  1. Ophthalmology Coding: RT/LT or Modifier 50? Prevent Uni-Bi Reporting Errors With This Expert Insight Don’t...
  2. Ophthalmology Coding: GDX, VF, & Temp Plugs — How Many Modifiers?Question: A patient came in for a GDX and visual...
  3. Eye Surgery Coding Challenge: Denials for 15823 & 67904Question: I started receiving denials for 15823 and 67904. To...


Read more: http://medicalcodingpro.com/wordpress/615/ophthalmology-coding-challenge-flashers-floaters/



How Should I Code a Fibrinolytic Agent Instillation Via Chest Tube? - 2010-01-26 14:31:00-05
Different calendar dates matter, but multiple instillations the same day do not. Question: My pulmonologist inserted a chest tube and then instilled a fibrinolytic agent to break up multiloculations to free up an entrapped lung. Usually, I use 32560 for this procedure, which is for pleurodesis, not fibrinolysis. What code should I use for fibrinolytic agent [...] Related articles:
  1. Radiology Coding: CPT 2010 Breathes New Life Into Your Respiratory CodingMaster 32561’s guidelines to prevent a major units gaffe. Flip...
  2. Signs & Symptoms Coding Coach: Chest Pain 786.50-786.59: One of the most common symptoms that cardiovascular...
  3. PFS Treasure Chest: Read Medicare’s MindIt seems like dry reading, but the physician fee schedule...


Read more: http://medicalcodingpro.com/wordpress/618/how-should-i-code-a-fibrinolytic-agent-instillation-via-chest-tube/



Audits: HDI RAC Targets TC, Modifier 26 & More - 2010-01-26 14:42:32-05
Want to know what RAC contractors will be looking for next? Here’s the link. Recovery audit contractors (RACs) are working hard to expand their lists of approved issues, and you should keep a close eye on your services in these areas as well. Health Data Insights (HDI), the RAC contractor for Region D, posted 66 new approved [...] Related articles:
  1. CMS COVERAGE DECISIONS: MACs Can Make Exceptions to LCDsRACs can make exceptions only to approve claims. Coders know local coverage...
  2. RAC Fact Did you know that those new RAC auditors out...
  3. RAC Fact: Watch Out For Medicare’s Once-in-a-Lifetime Services G0389 & the IPPE codes may be potential RAC...


Read more: http://medicalcodingpro.com/wordpress/617/audits-hdi-rac-targets-tc-modifier-26-more/