Home Health & Hospice Week

Pointer: You don't necessarily have to hire a credentialed coder.Hospices that haven't been complying with regulatory requirements to list all related diagnoses on the claim need to get up to speed on the topic pronto -- preferably before the diagnoses start impacting payment. Follow this advice from coding expert Lisa Selman-Holman with Selman-Holman & Associates and CoDR -- Coding Done Right in Denton, Texas to bone up on your hospice coding requirements:1. Designate your coder. Whether you use an already-qualified coder or find someone who is willing to learn the skill, you need to designate a person responsible for coding in your organization.2. Seek out education. Your coder can start learning the basics by reading the ICD-9-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, which are available from the Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/icd9/icd9cm_guidelines_2011.pdf. Then she should take some classes on the topic.Don't expect much help from Medicare on this issue. [...]