Author: Hundal, Ripandeep K

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2016

Wounds are injuries that break the skin or other body tissues. They include cuts, scrapes, scratches, and punctured skin. Wounds are typically due to accidental injury but may also result from surgery, stitches, or chronic disease processes.1


Wound care involves evaluation,....

Author: Clack, Crystal

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2016

On October 30, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized changes to the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year (CY) 2016. The OPPS payment rates and policies impact approximately 4,000....

Author: Diop, Karen

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2016

We studied. We practiced. We prepared. We had extensions—first a year, then two. More time to practice. Then, at long last, October 1, 2015 arrived, bringing with it the much-anticipated new code sets ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS. Despite much hand wringing and nay saying, the implementation....

Author: Land, Daniel

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2016

On October 1, 2015 the updates to the ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting went into effect. There were no changes to the ICD-10-CM Guidelines at that time. Fifty new ICD-10-PCS codes were added, which brings the total to 71,974 PCS codes for FY 2016. Thir....

Author: Clack, Crystal

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2016

When the first edition of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) was released in 1966, there were only 3,554 codes. In 2016, CPT, published by the American Medical Association (AMA), is celebrating its 50th birthday with 10,000 CPT codes. This year’s CPT updates include 140 codes added,....

Author: Hefti, Erik ; Blanco, Javier G

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2016

The “personalized medicine” paradigm is at the forefront of discussions about the future of healthcare, and a wealth of new data concerning how human genetic variation contributes to drug response has the potential to change the practice of medicine. The promise of treating pat....

Author: Clack, Crystal

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2015

Every medical practice should have preventive measures in place to avoid costly coding and billing audits, errors, and subsequent delays in payment. Incorrectly coded claims, missing charges on a patient encounter, and other mistakes can take a substantial bite out of both practice and ph....

Author: Diop, Karen

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2015

Change has become a constant in healthcare. With the introduction of electronic health record (EHR) systems, core measures, the “meaningful use” EHR Incentive Program, value-based purchasing, and the ICD-10-CM/PCS code sets, the healthcare industry has been bombarded by wave after wave in....

Author: Burgess, Sheila

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2015

The dawn of October also welcomes the official go-live date for ICD-10-CM/PCS—meaning there is absolutely no time left to waste in preparing for the additional documentation requirements necessary for successful ICD-10 implementation. Over the past several years, the healthcare industry h....

Author: Harris, Shelly; Kelly, Jeannie

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2015

As the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) Probe and Educate Initiative draws to a close and the 2016 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) proposed rules are released for comment, questions remain for the healthcare industry regarding expectations for selecting pati....