Author: Comfort, Angie

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: March 2013

As 2012 drew to a close, US healthcare facilities began the daunting task of reviewing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) update to ensure their chargemaster and systems were up-to-date with the 2013 changes. Th....

Author: Deakle, Mary S; DeVault, Kathryn

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: March 2013

Several changes to the prospective payment system went into effect at the start of 2013, including coding changes affecting the M1024 Rule.


Reimbursement for home healthcare agencies (HHA) was converted to a prospective payment system by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid....

Author: Rihanek, Theresa

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2013

Updates have been released for the 2013 ICD-10-CM code set, approved by the ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee, as well as the 2013 ICD-10-CM/PCS updates maintained by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). There were minimal changes to the draft code sets in li....

Author: Pilato, Jeff

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2013

While the transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS has the potential to put revenue at risk, adding staff to the revenue cycle is rarely an option in today’s cost-cutting environment. There are no extra hands to review charges, double-check bills, or safeguard claims. To mitigate risk, preventive....

Author: Miller, Jackie

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: January 2013

The CPT code set has undergone extensive revisions for 2013, with codes, guidelines, and modifiers being revamped and updated. HIM coding professionals should download and review the CPT 2013 errata on the AMA website before starting to use the new codes. This download can be accessed at w....

Author: Ruhl, Jennifer L; Zumar, Wendy

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: January 2013

When ICD-10-CM is officially implemented, its code set will not only be used for primary care purposes but also as an invaluable secondary data source used by many types of healthcare registries in the US. A registry can be defined as “an organized system that uses observational stud....

Author: Rose, Angela Dinh

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: November 2012

In August 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its much-anticipated final ruling on the implementation deadline for the ICD-10-CM/PCS classification system-October 1, 2014.1 The transition to this highly awaited coding system will require appropriate planning,....

Author: Endicott, Melanie

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: November 2012

Injection and infusion coding is a challenging area, thanks to vast instructional notes, hierarchy rules, and payer-specific policies.


Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) defines the terms “injection” and “infusion” as:


Injection—delivers a dosage in one “shot,” r....

Author: Kostick, Karen M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2012

The use of many distinct standardized clinical vocabulary terminologies and classifications is integral to the development of a nationwide health IT infrastructure that allows for electronic use and exchange of health information. SNOMED CT is one of the key clinical terminologies designated f....

Author: Batres, Janie

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2012

With emerging technologies like electronic health record systems (EHRs) and computer-assisted coding (CAC) gaining traction in the healthcare industry, coding professionals are being presented with more challenges and opportunities than ever before. The shift from paper-based records to electr....