‘Patients over Paperwork’ or bait and switch?
Coding expert Bill Dacey reacts to CMS’s 2019 proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule that would collapse office Evaluation and Management code levels-and payment rates.
Coding for repacking wound care and diabetic shock
Coding expert Bill Dacey explores coding for ongoing wound care and unexpected, extended care for a diabetic patient.
Establishing ‘contact’ under transitional care management codes
Is a phone message sufficient to use the TCM coding series? Plus, guidance on advanced care planning codes.
Communicating problem status in the assessment and plan
This month's coding questions tackle the issue of problem “status,” TCM codes, and "quality" coding.
Coding Medicare Annual Wellness Visits Along with a 99397
Coding expert explains why we don't typically see a 99397 and an AWV, and why Medicare discourages this from happening.
Coding for Vitals: Is It Necessary?
In this month's coding column, our expert answers whether or not you need to include vitals when coding a patient encounter.
Payer Demands on a New Code are Unknown
In this month's coding column, expert Bill Dacey says requirements around the new code 93793 are unknown.
Coding for Annual Wellness Visits
This month's coding questions look at coding for transition of care for a nursing facility patient and on Annual Wellness visits.
Medical Coding in a Consulting Capacity
This month's coding questions look at the difference between a 99243 vs 99244 in a consulting capacity.
Coding Questions: Billing a Physical During a Follow-up
This month's coding questions include what to do with the ROS section of the EHR and whether or not to bill a physical during a follow-up.
Coding Questions: Definition of Direct Contact
Coding expert Bill Dacey answers questions on the correct definition of 'contact' and the 'mid-point rule' during a medical visit.
2018 Coding Updates: Vaccines, Consult Codes
Coding expert Bill Dacey has some of the most recent updates to the coding manual. What do you have to know for 2018?
Coding Questions on TCM Services, Code 99358
Coding expert Bill Dacey answers your latest coding questions, including an inquiry on how to bill for TCM services.
Coding for Elderly Patients and Interactive Complexity
This month's coding questions tackle depression screens on elderly patients and coding for interactive complexity.
Incident-to Coding: Physician vs. Non-physician Provider
In this month's coding column, we also feature answers to prolonged services codes and orthopedic ICD-10 codes.
ICD-10 Coding Questions Answered
For this month's coding column, we get a few ICD-10 specific questions on BMI and well child visits.
Coding for Telemedicine Visits
This month's coding column: What do physicians have to know about coding for telemedicine visits?
Coding for a Patient That's Not Present
This month's coding column: An elderly patient's grown daughter comes in for an office visit without the patient, is there a code for that?
The Most Significant Update to the 2017 CPT Manual
This month's coding column is on the biggest change to the 2017 CPT manual and billing related to depression and alcohol misuse screening.
Who Can Bill Advanced Care Planning Codes?
This month's coding column is about whether or not one or more physicians of different specialties can bill the advanced care planning codes.
Coding E&M for Preventive Services
This month's coding column looks at whether or not you can count addressing routine chronic conditions without a change in plan of care as E&M.
Coding Questions: Collecting Copays from Annual Exams
What are the rules when it comes to completing chart notes after the time of service? Can doctors charge a copay for an annual exam?
Understanding Global Billing in a Group Practice
This month's coding questions tackle whether physicians in the same group practice in the same specialty have to bill as a single doctor.
Can an Attending Physician Attest to an NP Consult?
In the world of coding, here's why an attending physician is not really allowed to attest to an NP consult. Also, what are comparative billing reports?
Coding for Distraught Psychiatric Patients
Can you code when a patient is so distraught an appropriate history cannot be obtained, nor can a mental status exam be performed?
Vaccine Coding for Patients 19 and Older
How to institute vaccine administration codes for patients who are older than 19 years of age. Also, guidance on follow-up codes in electronic billing.
Medicare Consult Denials; Coding for Unusual Services
Our coding expert discusses what to do when Medicare denies a consult code; preparation for Medicare chart audits; and coding for unusual services.
Coding for Advanced Care Planning
Answers from our coding expert on questions regarding advance care planning; pessary cleaning; and identifying inclusive codes.
Changes to Incident-To Billing; Time-Based Coding
Answers from our coding expert on questions regarding incident-to billing; time-based coding; and specificity in ICD-10.
Spelling Out Medical Necessity; Duplicative Coding
Answers from our coding expert on questions regarding medical necessity; using the ROS for history of presenting illness; and duplicative coding.