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APCs Insider
This HTML-based e-mail newsletter provides weekly tips and advice on the new ambulatory payment classifications regulations. Topics include the outpatient code editor (OCE), complex coding issues, beneficiary co-payment discounting, and cross-department APCs tracking.
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Issue 46, November 30, 2012
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Q/A: Codes removed from inpatient-only list
Q: Did CMS remove any CPT® codes from the inpatient-only list as part of the 2013 OPPS...
Issue 37, September 21, 2012
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Trivia
Irish political movement Sinn Féin took its name from a phrase meaning which of the...
Issue 4, January 27, 2012
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Tip: Set rates that reflect intent of new codes
CMS expects hospital charges to reflect the relative resources that are required to provide a... -
Pay-per-view: Code and guideline changes spread throughout surgery subsections
In total, the AMA added 60 new codes throughout the surgery section of the 2012 CPT® Manual, 18...
Issue 52, December 28, 2012
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Saying so long to 2012
The world did not come to an end last Friday, which gives us a chance to look back at 2012 and then... -
Q&A: Reporting stent placement with other procedures
Q: When the AMA created all the new codes for the combination procedures, such as stent placement... -
Tip: Know when to code for post-operative observation
A patient underwent a left inguinal hernia repair Tuesday morning. The physician writes... -
Pay-per-view: Reduce compliance risk by correctly appending modifier -25 for E/M visits
Misusing modifier -25 (significant, separately identifiable E/M service by the same physician on... -
Trivia
The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball dropped for the first time to signal the end of which year?
Issue 51, December 21, 2012
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Don't forget to update your chargemaster
‘Tis the season to make a list and check it twice. The question is, which list are you... -
Q&A: Bypassing NCCI edits
Q: We are applying modifiers to line items on claims to bypass the National Correct Coding... -
Tip: Consider using dual coding to prepare for ICD-10
Dual coding is one way to prepare for the transition to ICD-10. The idea is to have coders using... -
Pay-per-view: CMS issues supervision requirement decisions based on Hospital Outpatient Payment Panel recommendations
The Hospital Outpatient Payment Panel recommended CMS change the supervision requirements for 15... -
Trivia
The town of Santa Claus is located in which US state?
Issue 50, December 14, 2012
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Welcome to the new and improved APCs Insider!
You’ve probably noticed that your enewsletter looks different. But don’t worry... -
Tip: Know when to bill post-operative observation separately
Coding for observation services can be confusing and complicated. The following case study explains... -
Pay-per-view: Reduce compliance risk by correctly appending modifier -25 for E/M visits
Misusing modifier -25 (significant, separately identifiable E/M service by the same physician... -
Trivia
In the popular Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," how many maids a-milking... -
Q&A: Appending modifier -59 for critical care
Q: We have been reporting services, such as chest x-rays and pulse oximetry, on critical care...
Issue 48, December 7, 2012
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Q/A: Difference between bilateral coding and payment
Q: Our physicians perform a bronchoscopy and scope both lungs. Lungs are bilateral... -
Tip: Know stages of chronic kidney disease
Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measures the creatinine level of the blood and how well the... -
Pay-per-view: Consider dual coding to prepare for ICD-10 transition
One of the interesting-and frequently mentioned-topics at the AHIMA National Convention... -
Trivia
What is the most wide-ranging salamander species in North America?
Issue 46, November 30, 2012
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Notice: Your subscription will have a new name in the coming weeks!
Very shortly, APCs Weekly Monitor will be replaced with APCs Insider. In addition to the name... -
Tip: Use the ICD-10 implementation delay to your advantage
If your organization is not where it should be with ICD-10 planning and preparation, you have no... -
Pay-per-view: Unravel complexities of billing self-administered drugs
A Medicare patient is scheduled for outpatient surgery. The patient receives an oral antibiotic not... -
Trivia
How many days does Hanukkah last?
Issue 45, November 16, 2012
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Editor's note
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, APCs Weekly Monitor will not publish Friday, November 23. Look for... -
Q/A: Requirements for a complete order
Q: We have a physician’s group with a very basic electronic medical record. The orders... -
Tip: Review claims with critical care
Each facility should review its current reporting practices for critical care (CPT 99291) and the... -
Pay-per-view: It’s time to reboot your ICD-10 transition plans
HHS announced the new compliance date for ICD-10 in August, ending months of speculation-and... -
Trivia
Which president made Thanksgiving a formal, national holiday with a fixed date of the fourth...
Issue 44, November 9, 2012
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Q/A: Billing for wasted drugs
Q: A patient comes in for a Herceptin® infusion. The pharmacist mixes the infusion and sends it... -
Tip: Note which services are separately reportable with critical care
The CPT® Editorial Panel revised its guidance for critical care CPT codes 99291 (critical... -
Pay-per-view: October I/OCE, OPPS updates include minor changes
CMS made two manual corrections as part of the OPPS update for October 2012 and included a number... -
Trivia
What is the second-most populous city in South America?
Issue 43, November 2, 2012
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Q/A: Necessity of complete orders
Q: During a recent audit, an audit stated the orders for our stress tests were... -
Tip: Correct coding for chronic kidney disease and acute kidney failure
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may also suffer from a sudden loss of the ability of the... -
Pay-per-view: Unravel complexities of billing self-administered drugs
A Medicare patient is scheduled for outpatient surgery. The patient receives an oral antibiotic not... -
Trivia
The Blackbeard Island Wilderness Area is located in which US state?
Issue 42, October 26, 2012
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Q/A: Reporting L code and CPT code for splinting
Q: After a recent audit, an auditor provided us with provided education on the splinting... -
Tip: Note ICD-10-CM specification for rotator cuff injuries
The rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles in the shoulder connecting the upper arm to the... -
Pay-per-view: Ensure accurate reporting and coding of critical care
When the AMA revised the instructions for reporting ancillary services with critical care in 2011... -
Trivia
Who is the antagonist (the bad guy) in the Halloween series of horror movies?
Issue 41, October 19, 2012
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Q/A: Coding for wound care with no-cost skin substitute
Q: Our wound care department receives skin substitutes, such as Apligraf, from our vendor free of... -
Tip: Note increased specificity for injuries to shoulder bones in ICD-10-CM
ICD-10-CM codes for injuries to the bones of the shoulder require seven characters, and coders will... -
Pay-per-view: Simplify chronic kidney disease outpatient coding
The kidneys filter wastes and excrete fluid when the blood is forced through their internal... -
Trivia
Ailurophobia is a fear if which animal?
Issue 40, October 12, 2012
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Q/A: Reporting cardiac rehabilitation and physical therapy together
Q: We are seeing a patient in our cardiac rehabilitation program. She began having back pain... -
Tip: Note increased specificity for shoulder dislocations, subluxation in ICD-10-CM
In ICD-10-CM, coders will report codes in the S43- series (dislocation and sprain of joints... -
Pay-per-view: Ensure accurate reporting and coding of critical care
When the AMA revised the instructions for reporting ancillary services with critical care in 2011... -
Trivia
Billy Crystal, Mandy Patinkin, and Peter Falk all appeared in which of the following movies?
Issue 39, October 5, 2012
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Q/A: Billing CT and CTA
Q: Our ED physicians order both computed tomography (CT) and CT angiography (CTA) exams to insure... -
Tip: Note changes to diabetes coding in ICD-10-CM
ICD-10-CM provides coders with a much greater range of codes to choose from in the E08-E13... -
Pay-per-view: ICD-10 anatomy refresher: Shoulder
The shoulder girdle has the most varied and widest range of motion of any joint in the human body... -
Trivia
How many round-trip voyages did Christopher Columbus make between Spain and the Americas?
Issue 38, September 28, 2012
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Q/A: Code changes for October
Q: Did CMS add any codes as part of the October OPPS update? -
Tip: Look to procedure note for operative report details
The largest section of the OP report is the procedure note. This is where the physician documents... -
Pay-per-view: CMS plans major changes to payment calculations
CMS is proposing two major changes as part of the 2013 OPPS proposed rule, released July 6. One has... -
Trivia
Who was the tallest man ever elected President of the United States?
Issue 37, September 21, 2012
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Q/A: Laparascopic bariatric surgery removed from inpatient-only
Q: In the October OPPS update transmittal, they note that laparascopic bariatric surgery is... -
Tip: Correctly code excisional debridement
Excisional debridement is the sharp removal of tissue at the wound margin or at the wound base... -
Pay-per-view: Compare coding for diabetes in ICD-9-CM, ICD-10-CM
The physician documents diabetes mellitus in the patient's medical record. What is the...
Issue 36, September 14, 2012
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Q/A: Correctly determining billing units for drugs
Q: We are having a heated discussion in our facility regarding reporting HCPCs codes... -
Tip: Use CMS guidelines when creating E/M level
CMS has not created national guidelines for determining an E/M service visit level, instead... -
Pay-per-view: Supervision delay extension for CAHs among proposals
CMS has proposed extending the delay on enforcement of physician supervision rules for... -
Trivia
International Talk Like A Pirate Day will be celebrated on which day in September?
Issue 35, September 7, 2012
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Q/A: New pass-through drugs and biologicals
Q: Is CMS granting pass-through status to any drugs or biologicals as part of the October OPPS... -
Tip: Use modifier -58 instead of modifier -59 when appropriate
Modifier -59 (distinct procedural service) should always be the modifier of last resort. Before... -
Tip: Use modifier -58 instead of modifier -59 when appropriate
Modifier -59 (distinct procedural service) should always be the modifier of last resort. Before... -
Tip: Use modifier -58 instead of modifier -59 when appropriate
Modifier -59 (distinct procedural service) should always be the modifier of last resort. Before... -
Tip: Use modifier -58 instead of modifier -59 when appropriate
Modifier -59 (distinct procedural service) should always be the modifier of last resort. Before... -
Pay-per-view: CMS plans major changes to payment calculations
CMS is proposing two major changes as part of the 2013 OPPS proposed rule, released July 6. One has... -
Trivia
Albertson College is the oldest four-year institution of higher learning in which US state?
Issue 34, August 31, 2012
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Q/A: Billing for fluoroscopy
Q: We continually get requests from our billing office to change the fluoroscopy charges on our... -
Tip: Note new Q codes
CMS added six HCPCS codes to the I/OCE effective July 1. -
Pay-per-view: Simplify the decision to use modifier -59
A surgeon performs a diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy before repairing a patient’s rotator... -
Trivia
Who won season 2 of American Idol?
Issue 33, August 24, 2012
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Q/A: Therapy caps under OPPS
Q: Our outpatient rehabilitation services director is concerned about the therapy caps related to... -
Tip: Be prepared for medically unlikely edits
Medically unlikely edits (MUEs) represent the maximum number of units of a given service that a... -
Pay-per-view: Device-to-procedure edit reinstated, new codes added
HCPCS code C1882 (cardioverter-defibrillator, other than single or dual chamber [implantable]) will... -
Trivia
According to Greek mythology, what was left at the bottom of Pandora’s box after everything...
Issue 32, August 17, 2012
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Q/A: Reporting limits for doses of Provenge
Q: We received a denial on a claim for Provenge® administration saying that the frequency had... -
Tip: Correctly code SI joint injections
Historically, outpatient hospitals reported therapeutic sacroiliac joint (SI) joint injections... -
Pay-per-view: Factor in appropriate resources for ED E/M criteria
Coding for physician services doesn’t always match coding for facility services, which can... -
Trivia
Kool-Aid Days are celebrated each summer in which U.S. state?
Issue 31, August 10, 2012
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Q/A: Charging for venipunctures
Q: I am relatively new to auditing and when I look at my facilities claims I see the venipuncture... -
Tip: Count total area for wound debridement
When coding multiple debridements on the same level, such as three subcutaneous debridements... -
Pay-per-view: Differentiate between types of coding edits
Coders can run into two types of edits that may require them to append modifier -59 (distinct... -
Trivia
How many times has London hosted the Olympic Games, including this year?
Issue 30, August 3, 2012
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Q/A: Payment for critical care and separately reported services
Q: Since the AMA changed the instructions regarding hospital reporting of critical care services... -
Tip: Review indications for surgery in operative report
Coders should review the indications section of the operative report to answer these questions. -
Pay-per-view: Simplify the decision to use modifier -59
A surgeon performs a diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy before repairing a patient’s rotator... -
Trivia
Which U.S. city was the first to host the Olympics?
Issue 29, July 27, 2012
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Q/A: Proposed changes to the inpatient-only list
Q: Did CMS propose any changes to the inpatient-only list of procedures as part of the 2013 OPPS... -
Tip: Look for appropriate documentation for selective wound debridement
The removal of devitalized tissue is called selective debridement or active wound management... -
Pay-per-view: Simplify diagnostic, procedural pain management coding
Pain is an expected component of injuries, illnesses, and surgical procedures. Let's face it... -
Trivia
In 2005, a sculpture of an African elephant was installed outside of which country’s embassy...
Issue 28, July 20, 2012
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Q/A: New HCPCS codes
Q: CMS consistently replaces established HCPCS codes for drugs with new ones. Did CMS... -
Tip: Correctly report concurrent infusions
Unlike subsequent infusions that run after an initial infusion, concurrent infusions run at the... -
Pay-per-view: Coders need to learn to read an operative report
To correctly assign codes for any surgical procedure, coders need to have an operative (OP) report... -
Trivia
Tybalt and Mercutio duel in which play by William Shakespeare?
Issue 27, July 13, 2012
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Q/A: Changes in supervision levels for outpatient therapeutic services
Q: In the calendar year (CY) 2012 final OPPS rule, CMS noted that the APC Panel would be... -
Tip: Know when to separately report adhesion removal
Removal or release of simple adhesions is included in the general surgical package. If the... -
Pay-per-view: Differentiate between types of wound debridement
A physician can debride a wound to remove dead, damaged, or infected tissue so the remaining... -
Trivia
Which of the following is the fear of numbers?
Issue 26, July 6, 2012
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Q/A: New HCPCS code for ocular telescope prosthesis
Q: Is CMS deleting HCPCS code C9732 (insertion of ocular telescope prosthesis including removal of... -
Tip: Correctly select initial infusion service
Typically, coders will only report one initial service per visit, unless the patient has more than... -
Pay-per-view: Simplify diagnostic, procedural pain management coding
Pain is an expected component of injuries, illnesses, and surgical procedures. Let's face it... -
Trivia
In which city was the Declaration of Independence signed?
Issue 25, June 29, 2012
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Q/A: Procedures not on the inpatient-only list
Q: We have payers who say if a procedure is not on Medicare’s Inpatient only list, it... -
Tip: Learn the bones of the skull
The human body contains 206 bones, with more than 20 of them in the cranium. -
Tip: Know the guidelines for reporting ICD-9-CM V codes
According to the ICD-9-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, coders should report V... -
Pay-per-view: Injections and infusions continue to confuse coders
Consider this scenario: A physician orders three hours of hydration as well as a one-hour... -
Pay-per-view: Note changes for skin substitutes, mental health codes
Facilities can’t bill for skin substitutes unless they also bill for a skin substitute... -
Trivia
How tall is the Statue of Liberty from the base to the torch? -
Trivia
In the “Madagascar” movies, what type of animal is Melman?
Issue 24, June 22, 2012
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Q/A: Additional drugs and biological with pass through status
Q: Did CMS approve any new items for pass through status for July?
Issue 23, June 15, 2012
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Q/A: Device edits with CPT® code 33249
Q: We continue to have problems with our claims hanging up in the edits when we report CPT®... -
Tip: Note changes to bilateral status for CPT codes
CMS removed CPT code 36000 (introduction of needle or intracatheter, vein) from the conditionally... -
Tip: Review the hierarchy for injections and infusions
CPT® guidelines include a hierarchy for coding injections and infusions. If coders aren't... -
Pay-per-view: ICD-10 anatomy refresher: Get to know the skull
Most coders know that the human body contains 206 bones, but what they may not realize is that more... -
Pay-per-view: Note changes for skin substitutes, mental health codes
Facilities can't bill for skin substitutes unless they also bill for a skin substitute application... -
Trivia
Which group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986? -
Trivia
Which U.S. state is nicknamed, among other things, the Vermin State?
Issue 22, June 1, 2012
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Q/A: Billing the technical component of pathology services
Q: Our chargemaster coordinator wants to add line items to our chargemaster for pathology services... -
Q/A: ABN for multiple visits for infusion services
Q: Our infusion patients are complaining because we have them sign an advance beneficiary notice of... -
Tip: Note ICD-10-CM documentation requirements for congenital spinal conditions
Congenital anomalies of the spine may be simple (e.g., no spinal deformity) or complex (e.g... -
Pay-per-view Injections and infusions continue to confuse coders
Consider this scenario: A physician orders three hours of hydration as well as a one-hour... -
Trivia
Which two U.S. states never ratified the 18th Amendment (Prohibition)?
Issue 21, May 25, 2012
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Q/A: Volume requirement for reporting hydration services
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE... -
Tip: Coding for osteoporosis and fractures in ICD-10-CM
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE... -
Pay-per-view: Catch up on what’s new with injections and infusions
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Micro... -
Trivia
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE...
Issue 20, May 18, 2012
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Q/A: Coding infusions to correct low potassium levels
Q. Can you help resolve an ongoing debate in our department? Patients come to our ED and... -
Tip: Look for specific fracture sites when assigning ICD-10-CM codes
Coders will need more detailed information to assign ICD-10-CM fractures. Coders will need to know... -
Pay-per-view: Compare ICD-9-CM, ICD-10-CM coding for spinal conditions
Spinal conditions can be congenital, pathologic, or traumatic, and they can affect the vertebrae... -
Trivia
Who was the first woman to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations?
Issue 19, May 11, 2012
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Q/A: Payment for HCPCS code J2354
Q: We don’t understand why our MAC is denying HCPCS code J2354 (injection, octreotide... -
Tip: Distinguish between routine, non-routine nursing supplies
Not everything kept in stock for nursing floors is a routine item. Bulk items, such as alcohol... -
Pay-per-view: Fracture coding in ICD-10-CM requires greater specificity
A 25-year-old woman presents to the ED for an initial visit for treatment of open displaced tibia... -
Trivia
What is the chemical symbol for gold?
Issue 18, May 4, 2012
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Q/A: Bilateral code changes
Q: Did CMS revise the list of bilateral codes in the OPPS April update? -
Tip: Distinguish traumatic, pathologic fractures in ICD-10-CM
Coders will need additional details to code fractures with ICD-10-CM. For example, providers must... -
Pay-per-view: Catch up on what’s new with injections and infusions
Poor documentation and a lack of clear guidance continue to cause coders to struggle with reporting... -
Trivia
Paul David Hewson is better known as which singer?
Issue 17, April 27, 2012
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Q/A: Appropriate reporting of IVP followed by infusion of the same drug
Q: We give a loading dose of a drug via IV push before we start an infusion. May we report this... -
Tip: Note ICD-9-CM, ICD-10-CM similarities
Coders and other HIM professionals generally focus on how ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM... -
Pay-per-view: Determine when to charge inpatient supplies separately
Coders and billers may not completely understand how to charge for inpatient supplies. One... -
Trivia
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE...
Issue 16, April 20, 2012
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Q/A: Payment for items in OPPS Addendum B
Q: Why is our MAC denying payment for certain items that have a payment amount listed in OPPS... -
Tip: Note ICD-10-CM diabetes code changes
ICD-10-CM diabetes mellitus codes are combination codes that include the following information... -
Pay-per-view: ICD-10-CM coding: Start with the structure
The transition to ICD-10-CM is coming, even though it may be delayed until October 1, 2014. Despite... -
Trivia
Who was the only U.S. senator from a Confederate state to remain in Congress after secession?
Issue 15, April 13, 2012
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Q/A: Payment for skin substitutes
Q: We do not always receive payment for skin substitutes that we report. They appear in Addendum... -
Tip: Get to know the ICD-10-CM placeholder
Not every ICD-10-CM code with a seventh character has a sixth character—or even a fifth or... -
News: HHS proposes one-year delay of ICD-10-CM/PCS
HHS released a proposed rule April 9 announcing a one-year delay of the implementation of... -
Trivia
Disney’s Princess Jasmine shares her name with a plant from which family?
Issue 14, April 6, 2012
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Q/A: Billing for HCPCS code C9291
Q: We recently read Transmittal 2814 for the April OPPS update. Our question pertains to HCPCS code...
Issue 13, March 30, 2012
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Q/A: CMS announces new HCPCS codes effective April 1
Q: Did CMS establish any new HCPCS codes in the April update to OPPS? -
Tip: Note codes that require two devices to bypass edit
Codes 0238T (transluminal peripheral atherectomy, including radiological supervision and... -
Pay-per-view: Determine when to charge inpatient supplies separately
Coders and billers may not completely understand how to charge for inpatient supplies. One... -
Trivia
The wild prairie rose is the state flower of which of the United States?
Issue 12, March 23, 2012
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Q/A: Provenge® payment problems persist
Q: We continue to receive no payment for administering the drug Provenge®, CMS had said that... -
Tip: Note new edits in I/OCE
CMS has added two new edits to the Integrated Outpatient Code Editor (I/OCE) as part of the January... -
Tip: Determine what your room rate includes
Before deciding which ancillary bedside services can be billed separately to inpatients, facilities... -
Pay-per-view: Take a trip through the digestive system
The digestive system consists of two parts, the alimentary canal and the accessory organs. The... -
Trivia
Who is the youngest of the literary Brontë sisters? -
Trivia
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE...
Issue 11, March 16, 2012
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Q/A: Assigning modifier -52 for cancelled procedures
Q: Our radiology department has begun billing for cancelled diagnostic procedures. For example, a... -
Tip: Respiratory coding guidelines similar in ICD-9-CM, ICD-10-CM
Coders need to understand the intimate details of the upper and lower respiratory systems to report... -
Pay-per-view: CMS adds new modifier -PD, two edits, additional APCs
Modifier -PD (diagnostic or related nondiagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or... -
Trivia
According to legend, which animal did Saint Patrick drive out of Ireland?
Issue 10, March 9, 2012
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Q/A: Reporting vaccine administration codes
Q: We have been reporting the CPT® code for vaccine administration (90471) when administering... -
Tip: Differentiate integral, non-integral self-administered drugs
In 2002, CMS provided specific guidelines for understanding which self-administered drugs are... -
Pay-per-view: ICD-10 anatomy refresher: Respiratory system
The respiratory system, responsible for inspiration (carrying oxygen into the body) and expiration... -
Trivia
Which of the following mammals lays eggs?
Issue 9, February 24, 2012
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Q/A: Reporting HCPCS codes for drugs
Q. Our chief financial officer wants us to restructure our pharmacy chargemaster to report HCPCS... -
Tip: Determine whether code is time-based when calculating carve-out time
If a patient receives a therapeutic service that requires active monitoring, coders must carve that... -
Pay-per-view: Code and guideline changes appear throughout surgery subsections
In total, the AMA added 60 new codes throughout the surgery section of the 2012 CPT® Manual, 18... -
Trivia
Who received the Oscar for best actor in 1993?
Issue 8, March 2, 2012
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Q/A: Drug administration services that cross midnight
Q: The AMA issued new CPT® drug administration services guidelines for reporting an initial... -
Tip: Note new guidelines for molecular pathology codes
Molecular pathology procedures are laboratory procedures that analyze nucleic acid to detect... -
Pay-per-view: Correctly bill ancillary bedside procedures in addition to room rate
As technology evolves, providers can perform more procedures at the patient's bedside than they... -
Trivia
Who was the first U.S. President born west of the Mississippi River?
Issue 7, February 17, 2012
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Q/A: New composites for 2012
Q. What new composites, if any, did CMS create for 2012? -
Tip: Note integumentary system code changes
The integumentary system subsection of the 2012 CPT® Manual includes nine new codes, 26 deleted... -
Pay-per-view: Defining 'integral' challenging for self-administered drugs
Self-administered drugs present a significant issue for coders, especially when considering how... -
Trivia
What is a leprechaun’s traditional occupation?
Issue 6, February 10, 2012
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Q/A: Coding for telescopic intraocular lens
Q: An ophthalmologist implanted a telescopic intraocular lens (C1840) that is supposed to be... -
Tip: ICD-10-CM simplifies meaning of excludes notes
ICD-9-CM contains one type of excludes note with two possible meanings. Nothing in the ICD-9-CM... -
Pay-per-view: Code and guideline changes spread throughout surgery subsections
In total, the AMA added 60 new codes throughout the surgery section of the 2012 CPT® Manual, 18... -
Trivia
Mesa Verde National Park is located in which U.S. state?
Issue 5, February 3, 2012
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Q/A: New device pass-through categories
Q: Will CMS ever approve any new device pass-through categories? -
Tip: Note physician supervision changes
CMS finalized two significant changes to the physician supervision requirements as part of the 2012... -
Pay-per-view: Note major updates to pathology and laboratory section
Coders can find the largest number of new codes in the pathology and laboratory section of the 2012... -
Trivia
In the 115 years for which records are available, how many times has Punxsutawney Phil predicted an...
Issue 4, January 27, 2012
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Q/A: Reporting negative pressure therapy
Q: The new guidelines for the integumentary system section state that CPT® codes... -
Trivia
The oldest known valentine still in existence today was sent in which year?
Issue 3, January 20, 2012
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Q/A: Reporting molecular pathology codes
Q: Addendum B of the APC updates for 2012 lists the new molecular pathology codes as status... -
Tip: Corrrectly code image-guided lumbar decompression
Percutaneous image-guided, minimally invasive lumbar decompression witha specially designed toolkit... -
CMS finalizes numerous provider-friendly OPPS changes for CY 2012
Fortunately for providers, CMS decided not to cap outpatient payment rates for cardiac... -
Trivia
Which U.S. state’s motto is Sic semper tyrannis (Thus always to tyrants)?
Issue 2, January 13, 2012
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Q/A: Correct use of modifier -FB and -FC
Q: Our billing office is concerned about reports that the OIG is auditing for appropriate use of... -
Tip: Take note of inpatient-only list revisions
CMS removed 10 codes from the inpatient-only list as part of the 2012 OPPS Final Rule. For CY 2012... -
Pay-per-view: Reevaluate charge setting in light of 2012 OPPS final rule
Hospitals received a timely reminder about the importance of properly setting charges in CMS' 2012... -
Trivia
What is fear of Friday the 13th called?
Issue 1, January 6, 2012
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Q/A: National Correct Coding Initiative edits
Q: What advice can you offer providers with respect to 2012 OPPS and National Correct Coding... -
Tip: Understand the three-day rule
The three-day rule bundles certain outpatient preadmission services into the inpatient MS-DRG... -
Pay-per-view: CMS finalizes numerous provider-friendly OPPS changes for CY 2012
Fortunately for providers, CMS decided not to cap outpatient payment rates for cardiac... -
Trivia
In Greek mythology, who is the god of fire?
