Rely on Online Sources to Stay On Top of Updates
Question: I use physical coding books, but have had a few mishaps where a code was updated at some point during the year and I didn’t realize until after I got a denial. How do I stay on top of these updates? AAPC Forum Participant Answer: Obviously there’s no way to send updates to a printed book, and ebooks, though very handy (Have you used the search function?) are also updated annually. Coding programs like AAPC’s Codify incorporate updates more frequently. You can find updates for outpatient prospective payment systems (PPS) at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website. You can find the most recent HCPCS updates here. The AMA releases annual updates to the CPT® codes and guidelines in September or October, and they go into effect the following January 1. The World Health Organization (WHO) releases updates to ICD-10 diagnosis codes in late spring or summer and they go into effect the following October 1. You can sign up for email updates from CMS regarding ICD-10 changes here. One of the easiest ways to stay abreast of code changes is to sign up for email updates with your respective Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). You’ll get other updates pertinent to your region as well. Rachel Dorrell, MA, MS, CPC-A, CPPM, Development Editor, AAPC
