Medical Billing Blog: Section - Medical Coding
Archive of all Articles in the Medical Coding Section
This is the archive containing links to all articles written in the Medical Coding section of our blog.
Click any of the article links below to read the entire article or browse another section to the right to read articles on another subject.
When to Use Modifier 91
When to use Modifier 91? Modifier 91 is used for the reporting of repeat laboratory tests or of studies that are performed on the same patient on the same day. You will only add Modifier 91 when additional tests results are to be subsequently obtained to the initial administration or the performance of the tests done on the same day. When Not to Use Modifier 91 Modifier 91 is not used when laboratory studies or tests are rerun as a result of equipment or specimen malfunction or error. It is also not used when a test is repeated to confirm the results that the initial test reported. In addition, based …
New Orthopedic Coder Position at OMG
We are hiring again. Outsource Management Group, LLC, is seeking an experienced orthopedic coder to work in our office and closely with our numerous orthopedic clients. This position is to be full-time with all benefits, however, a part-time position is possible for a candidate that fits perfectly, but is unable to be full-time. This position is to be filled in our office at the address below, if you are unable to work in our office in Bloomington, Indiana, please do not submit a resume for this position. Acceptable candidates possess either 1 or more of the following: 1. Currently holds a coding certification through AHIMA or AAPC 2. Has 2-3 …
Is Your Small Practice Ready for ICD-10?
It’s 193 days to ICD-10 and to be honest, that’s not much time! It’s time to get your practice ready to use ICD-10, but where do you begin? There’s no question it can be overwhelming! Here’s the steps we recommend to any Providers that ask. Let’s get started. Put One Person in Charge First things first, you need to assign the task of overseeing ICD-10 to someone on your staff. It doesn’t matter whether that person is the biller, a coder, the office manager, or someone else. Their goal is to lead the process, ensure things are on task and on target, and to oversee the details. Develop a …
7 Benefits of Outsourcing Your Medical Billing with ICD-10
It can be difficult deciding whether to outsource your medical billing or not. With ICD-10 coming in October, There are many benefits of outsourcing your revenue cycle functions. Let’s take a look at 7 of those benefits. #1 Economy of Scale A billing service will distribute their expenses through their complete client base, which provide an economy of scale. They are able to operate with lowers costs than what a single practice can and those savings are passed on to their clients, making them very competitive. A billing service is able to afford to hire top-notch staff so you are able to pay less and get more. #2 …
EHR Meaningful Use and Stage 2 Guidelines
January has brought upon the EHR (electronic health records) Stage 2 incentive programs start for physician and medical practices. However, there is a great deal of concern that those doctors who can meet Stage 1 requirements will not be able to meet the Stage 2, because their EHRs are not up to standard and neither are the vendors that they deal with. There are 2200 products and almost 1400 EHR certifications for Stage 1, but only 75 products and 21 EHR certifications for stage 2. Around 90 percent of the vendors are expected to not be ready for stage 2. Stage 2 is the second step of meaningful use for …
Is ICD-10 Going to Provoke a Level of Healthcare Insanity?
Is ICD-10 going to provoke a level of healthcare insanity? The opinions of a coder. ICD-10 or International Classification of Diseases is designed to create a system where there is compatibility throughout the nation relating to data collection, processing and classification of disease, as well as presenting mortality statistics. The ICD-9 has been revised and as a result, we now have the ICD-10, a whopping three volumes of alphanumeric categories. Some chapters have been changed and rearranged and some conditions have been regrouped from ICD-9. In fact, there is almost double the number of categories from ICD-9 to ICD-10. ICD-10 opponents say that ICD-10 has gone too far, that it …
ICD-10 for Substance Abuse & Mental Health Providers
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has published a new fact sheet designed to help mental health and substance abuse service providers make the transition to the new International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition (ICD-10) code sets. ICD-10 will affect all diagnosis and inpatient procedure coding for everyone involved in mental health and substance abuse healthcare under HIPAA. However the change to ICD-10 does not affect CPT coding for outpatient procedures. All services provided for either substance use or mental disorders are subject to HIPAA standards; therefore, all mental health and substance abuse providers must shift to ICD-10 once it becomes effective on October 1st. SAMHSA’s new …
