** The coding information and guidance are valid at the time of publishing. Learners are encouraged to research subsequent official guidance in the areas associated with the topic as they can change rapidly.
Solving the Inpatient Conundrum of Coding for Acute Kidney Diseases
Publication: HCPro
As with many diagnoses in the inpatient setting, acute kidney disorders can be confusing for coders to report due to multiple abbreviations and varying clinical criteria. Although the ICD-10-CM codes for the genitourinary system may seem straightforward, they don’t always line up precisely with the provider’s documentation in the medical record. | Read More.
Navigating Telehealth Billing Requirements
Publication: MGMA Connection
Medicare Part B covers a limited range of tele-health services, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides guidelines for reporting these services using specific terminology. Understanding these terms is critical for both providers and originating sites to ensure eligibility, service delivery and proper reimbursement. | Read More.
Feeling the Burn: Confessions of a Formerly Burned Out Coder
Publication: ICD10 Monitor
On any given day, if you walked into my home office, you might think you were in a spa. The walls are painted a soothing aqua color (at least, I think it’s soothing), a scent diffuser releases a pleasant tea tree oil scent (good for the voice on those days when I present webinars), and Asian meditation music plays softly on an endless loop. At second glance, you would see an enormous desk cluttered with two large computer monitors, code books, copies of articles I’ve printed with the intent to read, and a planner opened to the current week with color-coded notes regarding weekly
meetings, to-do lists, and deadlines. It might seem like a stark paradox, but I like to call it balance. And it’s taken years to achieve. | Read More.
Talking with Your Younger Self with Kristi Pollard
Publication: NEC Podcast
Kristi is a senior consultant for Haugen Consulting Group where she is responsible for the development of live and web-based coding training materials, presentation of live trainings and webinars, and conducting coding audits. Kristi has an extensive background in coding education and consulting and is a national speaker on topics related to medical coding and code-based reimbursement. | Read More.
Advice for Coding Medical Necessity on Outpatient Claims
Publication: RAC Monitor
There’s the textbook answer on how we should be coding, and then there’s the reality that not all payers adhere to the coding guidelines, and they don’t all use the fields available on the UB-04. So when the textbook answer doesn’t pay claims, what’s the proper course of action? | Read More.
7 Steps to Achieve Compliance Via Internal Audits
Publication: MGMA Connection
In today’s regulatory environment, it is not if, but when your prac-tice will receive a notice from a payer, either asking for medical records or proposing a planned visit. Ideally, a proactive compli-ance plan provides the means to avoid an external audit. With internal audits in place, physician practices can anticipate positive outcomes that preclude penalties and paybacks. By doing so, your practice will be prepared to meet the challenge. | Read More.
Top Audit Finding: Discrepancies in Secondary Diagnosis Assignment on Outpatient and Pro-Fee Claims
Publication: RACMonitor
There is no need to worry about coding for HCCs or risk adjustment. Just follow the coding guidelines. | Read More.
Haugen Academy Core Knowledge
Publication: Haugen Academy Core Knowledge
Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medigap are among the largest payers for health care services in the United States. New Medicare cards are coming! Are you ready? Read More.
Power Down – Best Practices for Managing and Decommissioning Legacy Systems
Publication: Journal of AHIMA
A SUCCESSFUL DECOMMISSIONING project depends upon collaboration, leadership, and retention practices based on an enterprise approach to information governance and management. For organizations that have not established retention policies, best practices may emerge along with lessons learned during the conversion to new systems. Proactive planning, however, is best. This article chronicles the journey of Denver Health and the complexities the organization faced when decommissioning legacy systems, and offers best practices for others to follow. | Read More.
Cardiovascular and Vascular Interventional Radiology Specialization Improves Coding Performance
Publication: ICD10 Monitor
While you may have dedicated CPT coders for interventional cardiology and vascular interventional radiology for outpatient coding, you may not have considered the importance of doing the same for inpatient ICD-10-PCS coding. | Read More.
