Suzanne

Test your Rehab Coding and Billing Knowledge

This quiz will tell you where you fall. Want to stay refined on your coding and billing skills to make certain stellar reimbursement and compliance? Give this quiz a try and then turn to page 21 for the answers - where the experts chime in with their tw... Read >

Urology challenge: Keep in mind all the factors for Post-Op Procedure Coding

The answer depends on the urologist's interpretation. Problem: A patient went through a robotic prostatectomy for prostate cancer on Jan. 1. After that the patient started experiencing voiding problems in February. At that time my physician performed a ... Read >

Find out Disconnect Dates Proper Place for Cardio Coders

Tip for cardio coders: You should be well aware of the hook-up date and disconnect day. Question: Which date of service (DOS) should I opt for 30-day cardiac event monitoring? Answer: For your Part B administrator for Washington, Noridian Medicare, yo... Read >

Coding Compliance: OIG eyes transforaminal epidural injections

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) Work Plan for 2010 includes a detailed look at Medicare payments for transforaminal epidural injections. The Work Plan states, "We will audit Medicare claims to find the appropriateness of Medicare Part B payments for... Read >

The ultrasound coding question: OB or Not OB

Melanie Witt, RN, CPC, COBGC, MA, an ob-gyn coding expert based in Guadalupita, N.M. and co-presenter of the "Ob-Gyn Op Notes" session at the 2009 Ob-Gyn Coding & Reimbursement Conference in Orlando, gives us her suggestions: Step 1: Itemize the procedur... Read >

Ob-gyn coding: Do away with the pressure of a 3D US coding

Situation: The ob-gyn carried out an OB ultrasound (US) on a patient. If the ob-gyn used 3D, can I bill 76376 in addition to the ultrasound? Solution: Yes. You can report 76805 (Ultrasound, pregnant uterus, real time with image documentation, fetal and... Read >

Choose the correct ICD-9, ICD-10 code for postmenopausal abnormalities

Avoid your reimbursement denial by taking these postmenopausal abnormality scenario challenges. Case 1: Your ob-gyn sees a post menopausal patient with an inflamed vagina because the tissues are thinning and shrinking. The ob-gyn notices decreased vagin... Read >

EM end-result guides you on which ICD code to go for Ob-gyn coding

Situation: A patient came for an initial OB visit. Some other clinic confirmed her pregnancy, but she has never received prenatal care. She received her usual initial OB service (i.e. lab orders), Pap smear, and chlamydia trachomatis (CT)/neisseria gonorr... Read >

Hysterectomy Coding: Ob-Gyn CCI 16.0

The Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) version 16.0 didn't overlook the hysterectomy, colpopexy codes and vaginal graftâ€" nor should you. Break these additions into mutually exclusive and non-mutually exclusive to make sense of the deletions. Important: In... Read >