Arrive at the correct procedure code by breaking down the operative report. Even seasoned coding professionals occasionally find it challenging to assign the appropriate ICD-10-PCS codes from the operative report. Mastering the procedural coding system used in the inpatient hospital setting takes practice. Medical coders reporting inpatient services should start by reading the operative report, […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun covering a portion of the device cost for Barostim Neo, a neuromodulation device for treating chronic heart failure. In late 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it would begin covering a substantial portion of the cost of implantable heart failure […]
NDCs will help you determine when to use 0094A and 91309. If you’ve been waiting for news on Moderna’s booster dose-specific COVID-19 vaccine for adults, check this out: The Food and Drug Association (FDA) revised the emergency use authorization (EUA) to include this booster as of March 29, 2022. Assign 0094A, 91309 for Booster Dose […]
Solidify your understanding of aortic valve disease and how to report this life-changing treatment. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive cardiac procedure to replace a diseased aortic valve in a person’s heart. The most common reason to undergo TAVR is aortic stenosis, which is an abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve opening […]
Spring brings Coding Clinic Guidance. Spring has sprung, and that brings the first American Hospital Association (AHA) Coding Clinic on ICD-10-CM/PCS issue of 2022. There are a wide range of topics and guidance. Now that we are receiving biannual coding updates, we begin April this year with some new codes, and some changes that are […]
Medical Coding Updates and Insights Unveiled Effective April 1, 2022, the HCPCS Level II code set, which is employed to record medical services and provisions, will encompass the integration of 37 novel codes. Furthermore, the second quarter revision encompasses the elimination of five codes and a refinement of the description for one modifier. Lay Terms […]
There are three new codes in the care management section of the CPT codebook, covering principal care management and chronic care management services. Here’s what physicians need to know about them. Principal Care Management Services New CPT codes have been added in 2022 to describe “Principal Care Management Services.” These codes are like chronic care […]
The heart of the principal diagnosis selection is pivotal to accuracy and compliance. Since February is known as “National Heart Month,” a discussion on the heart of inpatient coding is appropriate, that being the “principal diagnosis.” When learning inpatient coding, a large amount of time is spent on understanding the guidelines, conventions, and application of […]
MDM elements during a preventive visit Q: Is it appropriate to count laboratory tests and other tests ordered during a preventive medicine service (99381-99397) visit in medical decision making (MDM) selection? No, because the 2021 revisions to the E/M office or other outpatient MDM do not apply to codes 99381-99397 (preventive services). These codes are […]
As part of its ongoing mission to improve the health of America, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced its National Health Equity Strategy in April 2021 to confront the nation’s crisis in racial health disparities. This strategy is intended to change the trajectory of health disparities and reimagine a more equitable health care […]










