Help physicians avoid the median coding by auditing for accuracy
Health Care Auditing Strategies, March 1, 2007
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Editor's note: This story was written by Michael G. Calahan, PA, MBA, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-H, BAMC-OP, executive consultant in healthcare with Pennsylvania-based Parente Randolph, LLC.
After the OIG grew more focused on evaluation and management (E/M) services in the mid 1990s-followed by confusing 1995 and 1997 guidelines-many physicians simply opted to brush aside any potential for error and play it safe by engaging in median coding. The rationale is that they will undercode many services and, by default, will not overcode most services. This is an unnecessary and unprofitable coding pattern, and a best practices plan can resolve the problem.
This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login.
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