QUESTION: When a coder in our HIM department reports code 27446 (arthroplasty, knee, condyle and plateau; medial OR lateral compartment), this typically triggers the required device code C1776 (joint device, implantable). However, in one case, the physician only used individual components of the joint device—not the entire joint implant. How should we report this?

When administering a chemotherapeutic agent in which protocol requires the use of two separate IV sites (e.g., whether port/peripheral, peripheral/peripheral, or peripheral/PICC), use an initial code that best describes the primary reason for the encounter. Always report that code regardless of the sequence of the infusions.

Train your coding and clinical staff for ESA billing changes

Why was a national coverage determination (NCD) made for ESAs, when drug and biologicals are usually managed at the local coverage determination (LCD) level? NCDs can occur “when there are safety issues, questions regarding efficacy of a drug, significant cost of a drug to the Medicare system, or a high impact to a number of Medicare beneficiaries,” said Jennifer McPeek, BSN, OCN, nursing program manager at the James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, OH.

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