Category: Medical Coding

Expansion of Vaccine Administration and Product Codes

Expansion of Vaccine Administration and Product Codes

On December 1, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced revisions to the ICD-10-PCS codes, while the most recent batch of CPT® codes was unveiled on January 25, 2021. The American Medical Association (AMA) has been consistently updating CPT codes in response to the release of vaccines, while CMS has been progressively […]
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Understand and Implement New Cardiology Coding Practices

Understand and Implement New Cardiology Coding Practices

Make sure your practice is well versed on the new codes and guidelines outlined in the 2021 CPT® code set. Advancements spurred by innovation, new technology, and expansion of digital medicine services within the cardiology specialty have increased access to healthcare and, in turn, have resulted in improved health outcomes for patients across the country. The […]
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AMA Announces New CPT Code for Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine

AMA Announces New CPT Code for Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine

The American Medical Association (AMA) recently added a new CPT code that will be used to report a COVID-19 vaccine candidate under development by Janssen Pharmaceutica, a division of Johnson & Johnson. The new CPT code is: 91303, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (COVID-19) vaccine, DNA, spike protein, adenovirus type 26 (Ad26) vector, preservative free, […]
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2021 ICD-10-CM Coding Guidelines Get a Refresh

2021 ICD-10-CM Coding Guidelines Get a Refresh

Several changes have been recently made to the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting for fiscal year (FY) 2021. The guidelines changes affect code assignment for conditions and symptoms related to COVID-19. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the updates in December 2020. Familiarize yourself with the following new and revised guidance to […]
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New COVID-19-Related ICD-10-CM Codes Take Effect

New COVID-19-Related ICD-10-CM Codes Take Effect

International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) broke from the usual release schedule and implemented the following six new codes related to COVID-19 on Jan. 1 and issued accompanying guidelines. Z20.822 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19 For asymptomatic individuals with actual or suspected exposure to COVID-19, assign code Z20.822. For symptomatic […]
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Physician Fee Schedule Updates May Increase Reimbursement, Time with Patients

Some updates to the evaluation/management codes on the 2021 Physician Fee Schedule will provide greater reimbursement to physicians and allow them to spend more time with patients, CMS and medical societies said. According to CMS, the code sets that it is finalizing will increase the value of certain services. These include: cognitive impairment assessment and care […]
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Top Error Rates Offer Clues to Denials

Top Error Rates Offer Clues to Denials

The Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) program grew out of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General improper payment rate estimates from 1996 through 2002. Due to sample size restrictions, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) assumed responsibility because they had access to more granulated data in 2003. The […]
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6 Questions Ensure E_M Compliance

6 Questions Ensure E/M Compliance

Examine the utilization of Master Data Management (MDM) for coding office visits in 2021 from an auditor’s standpoint. When educating healthcare practitioners on the 2021 documentation guidelines for office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) services (codes 99202–99215), it is advisable to adopt an auditor’s perspective. A comprehensive auditor’s toolkit comprises four essential components: diagnoses, data analysis, […]
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CPT 2021 Update_ New Lab, Category III Codes

CPT® 2021 Code Updates: Second and Third Quarters

The American Medical Association (AMA) has released updates for the second and third quarters of CPT® 2021. These changes, including new, revised, and deleted codes, will be implemented in AAPC’s Codify system as they become effective. Practices should also update their CPT® 2021 code books and electronic health record (EHR) software accordingly. Proprietary Laboratory Analyses […]
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