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Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert

CODING HOW-TO:
Audit Proof Your Hypertension Coding with 3 Experts' Tips
Answer three questions before listing 401.9 as primary. If you've been listing hypertensi... Read more
CODING 101:
Double-Check Documentation or Risk GERD, Low Vision Downcoding
Case mix diagnoses bring claim scrutiny. Auditors are looking closely at claims with gast... Read more
OASIS News:
Get the Final 2010 Home Health Service Rates Now
Make sure you have the latest -- and most accurate -- version of software and i... Read more
EDUCATION:
Sharpen Your Wound Coding With This Educational Offering
Did you know that inaccurate wound coding is one of the most common reasons for RHHI den... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Complications Trump V Codes
Question: Our patient had a laceration on his right thigh from a trauma. He had the wound... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Code Cause with Poor Vision
Question: The physician wrote on the order for our new patient "poor vision secondary to ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Look to Aftercare for Hip Replacement
Question: Our new patient had a total hip replacement. We are providing medication monito... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Mind Your Sequencing with Late Effects
Question: Our patient had a fractured tibiafibula fracture six months ago. He had an open... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Use Multiple Codes for Multiple Fractures
Question: Our new patient comes to us after a car accident. She went from the hospital to... Read more
YOU BE THE CODER:
Tackle this Osteomyelitis Coding Scenario
Question: Our new patient is diabetic. He developed osteomyelitis which resulted in the a... Read more
OASIS NEWS:
Find the Difference in the Details With OASIS C
Watch your V code usage, CMS warns. Say goodbye to the old familiar OASIS items M0230, M0... Read more
EDUCATION:
GET READY FOR OASIS C WITH THIS EDUCATIONAL OFFERING
GET READY FOR OASIS C WITH THIS EDUCATIONAL OFFERING Get vital information on the tran... Read more
CODING 101:
KNOW THE EXCEPTIONS TO CODE LATE EFFECTS WITH EASE
Late effect of CVA turns guidelines upside down. When coding for late effects, sequencing... Read more
CLIP AND SAVE:
ACE LATE EFFECTS SEQUENCING WITH THIS HANDY CHART
Combination codes for stroke late effects won't always cover all the details. Proper sequ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Complications Nix Status Codes
Question: Our new patient has an infection on his left above-knee amputation stump that i... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Look to Aftercare for Hip Replacement Revision
Question: Our patient underwent a revision of  er failed hip replacement due to mech... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Get Credit for Kidney Care
Question: Our patient was originally admitted for post-op aftercare following kidney tran... Read more
YOU BE THE CODER:
GATHER DETAILS FOR COPD CASE MIX POINTS
Question: Your 82-year-old patient lives alone and has a history of falls. He was admitte... Read more
ICD-9 2010:
ADD 6 NEW CARCINOMA CODES TO YOUR DIAGNOSIS REPERTOIRE
Some skin cancers will no longer earn NRS points. It's that time of year again -- ar... Read more
CLIP AND SAVE:
Stay On Top of the 2010 ICD-9 Changes With This Checklist
Hint: This year's biggest change is process-related. Each year, the Centers for Medicare ... Read more
CODING HOW-TO:
DISPEL THESE 2 V57.X MYTHS
Don't get caught upcoding when therapy focuses on proximate cause. When you're coding for... Read more
INSERVICE EDUCATION:
DIG INTO THE DETAILS WITH THE 2010 ICD-9 CODES
Plan today for immediate staff training. Every year, you tackle hundreds of ICD-9-CM c... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Look to 414.8 for History of MI
Question: Our new patient has coronary artery disease (CAD), ischemic cardiomyopathy, and... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Back Up Co-Morbidity Coding With OASIS Documentation
Question: I am pulling my hair out over the comorbidity documentation/secondary coding. I... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Does Debridement Change Pressure Ulcer Coding?
Question: Is a debrided ulcer considered a nonhealing chronic wound or is it a nonhealing... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Give Details for Robot-Assisted Surgery
Question: What's the correct way to code a robot-assisted coronary artery bypass graft (C... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Breathe Easier With This Belching Code
Question: Is there an ICD-9 code I can use to report belching? -- Arkansas Subscribe... Read more
YOU BE THE CODER:
HOW WOULD YOU CODE FOR A HISTORY OF PRESSURE ULCERS?
Question: Should we use V67.x (Follow-up examination following surgery) rather than a con... Read more
CODING HOW-TO:
MASTER CODING FOR COMPLICATED SURGICAL WOUNDS
Watch V code use with complications. Your patient's surgical wound may be complicated, bu... Read more
CODING 101:
Ask These 4 Questions to Nail Diabetes Coding
Diabetic manifestations don't always require two codes. Knowing how to code correctly for... Read more
CODING NEWS:
KEEP FALL CODE FROM TRIPPING UP CLAIMS
Use 'Remarks' to add helpful details. If you submit claims with diagnosis code V15.88, yo... Read more
CLIP AND SAVE:
KEEP YOUR DIAGNOSES IN ORDER WITH THIS SEQUENCING CHECKLIST
Secondary doesn't mean second in diagnosis coding. The Centers for Medicare & Medicai... Read more
INSERVICE EDUCATION:
IT'S NOT TOO LATE -- PREPARE NOW FOR THE 2010 ICD-9 CODES
Plan today for immediate staff training. Every year, you tackle hundreds of ICD-9-CM c... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Watch Hypertension Assumptions
Question: When we are coding for patients with hypertension (HTN), congestive heart failu... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Keep Track of Onset and Exacerbation Dates
Question: I am confused about documenting onset and exacerbation dates in the plan of car... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Look to Aftercare Post Mastectomy
Question: Our new patient is recovering from a mastectomy for breast cancer in the left b... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Use Three Codes for Infected Ulcer
Question: Our patient has a Stage 3 pressure ulcer on her right ankle. It's infected with... Read more
YOU BE THE CODER:
GET SPECIFIC WITH MRSA
Question: Our patient has an implanted port infected with Staphylococcus aureus resistant... Read more
CASE STUDY :
REAP REWARDS WITH EXPERT SEQUENCING STRATEGIES
Open the lines of communication with your clinicians to improve diagnosis coding accuracy... Read more
CODING HOW-TO:
DROP THESE DIABETES CODING BAD HABITS
Learn the five fourth digits for 250.xx you should avoid. Coding for diabetes becomes mor... Read more
MORE BAD DIABETES CODING HABITS
Diabetes complicates care for the patients who have the condition, and selecting the right... Read more
INSERVICE EDUCATION:
PREPARE NOW FOR THE 2010 ICD-9 CODES
Plan today for immediate staff training. Every year, you tackle hundreds of ICD-9-CM c... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Don't Over-Code for Fractures
Question: How would you code the following scenario to capture both fracture diagnoses? O... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Keep Resolved Conditions in Their Place
Question: I am new to home health coding and my clinicians seem to indicate a condition e... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Know When To List Generalized Weakness
Question: How would you code a patient who was hospitalized due to atrial fibrillation an... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Get to the Bottom of Diabetic Ulcer Question
Question: Our Type II diabetic patient also has atherosclerosis of the left leg and a foo... Read more
YOU BE THE CODER:
SEQUENCING MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
Question: Our patient was admitted for observation and teaching after surgery for colon c... Read more
ICD-9 2010 :
Look for 141 New ICD-9 Codes Effective Oct.1
Some new codes offer a peek at what's to come with ICD-10. There are fewer proposed new I... Read more
CODING 101 :
Take a Closer Look at the New ICD-9 Codes Home Health will use Starting In October
Looking for new case mix codes? They could be just around the corner. If you've felt like... Read more
ICD-10 First Steps:
CMS Offers ICD-9 to ICD-10 Crosswalks
Home health coders take a wait-and-see approach to preparation. While there's still plent... Read more
CASE STUDY :
Avoid Medical Review: Watch for these OASIS/Coding Discrepencies
Software can help, but it's the human touch that keeps coding in line. A streamlined codi... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Don't Assume With Hypertension
Question: When a hypertension diagnosis does not specify benign or malignant, should we l... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Know When to List Acute Fracture Codes
Question: I have been taught that fracture codes are for acute care only and cannot be us... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Get the Bottom Line on Pancreatectomy-Induced Secondary Diabetes
Question: We currently have a patient on insulin following a Whipple procedure due to pan... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
You Can List V Codes as Primary Diagnoses
Question: I am a new coder, and I could use some advice. I am getting conflicting answers... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Use Two Codes for Mouth Ulcerations Due to Radiation
Question: What is the correct diagnosis code for mouth ulcerations secondary to radiation... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Get Ready for OASIS C
Question: It seems like OASIS C will have a big impact on our agency's assessment practic... Read more
YOU BE THE CODER :
Try Your Hand at this Attachment D Scenario
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provided several coding example scenarios... Read more
CODING HOW-TO :
SPOT BLINDNESS AND LOW-VISION CODES TO SECURE CASE MIX POINTS
Don't turn a blind eye to available case mix points. Under the current Home Health Prospe... Read more
CODING 101:
WATCH FOR 369.XX OPPORTUNITIES
Look sharp and you could add more than $350 in reimbursement. While some agencies may be ... Read more
ATTACHMENT D :
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT ATTACHMENT D
Know where to turn when CMS gives contradictory advice. The Centers for Medicare &... Read more
EDUCATION :
GET READY FOR OASIS C WITH THIS EDUCATIONAL OFFERING
Get vital information on the transition to OASIS C from the comfort of your own office: ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Get Cancer Details Before Coding
Question: Our patient had surgery to remove liver tumors. He will be receiving radiation ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Find Room for Additional Diagnoses
Question: If you have more than six diagnoses for a patient, where on the OASIS or 485 sh... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Know What Makes a Diagnosis Code-able
Question: Our coder tells us that we must have a medication for each diagnosis a patient ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Get Ready for ICD-10
Question: Now that the transition date for ICD-10 is set, how should we start preparing? ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Follow the Guidelines for Coding Co-Morbidities
Question: I've read in your publication that certain co-morbidities should always be list... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Check Documentation for Diabetic Manifestations
Question: When coding for a patient who has diabetes, coronary artery disease, and neurop... Read more
YOU BE THE CODER :
USE CARE IN CANCER PATIENT CODING
Question: The patient is a left-handed woman who had a mastectomy for breast cancer on he... Read more
CODING 101:
LOOK FOR THESE SPECIFICS TO NAIL THE RIGHT DEMENTIA DX
Never report 294.1 alone. If the physician only documents that your patient has dementia ... Read more
CODING NEWS:
ATTACHMENT D CONCERNS LINGER
Sequencing, risk adjustment not harmed by new guidance, says CMS. Still hoping for furthe... Read more
CLIP AND SAVE:
PIN DOWN NONROUTINE SUPPLIES
Keep track of NRS points with this easy-to-reference guide. Assessing clinicians have a l... Read more
CODING HOW-TO:
CLOSE THE BOOK ON OPEN WOUNDS WITH FRACTURES
V codes don't always provide all the details. When a patient has an open fracture, you ca... Read more
ICD-10:
IT'S OFFICIAL -- ICD-10 IS ON ITS WAY
Dial in to learn more during CMS conference call. After years of stops and starts, it's t... Read more
EDUCATION:
AVOID COMPLIANCE PITFALLS AND DENIALS WITH THESE EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS
Get vital information on these topics from the comfort of your own office: Your Bigges... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Set Significant Changes Straight
Question: I'm having some trouble reconciling coding for a significant change in conditio... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Look to 438.x Codes For CVA Late Effects
Question: We are providing physical, occupational, and speech therapies to a patient who ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Nix V Codes With Complications
Question: Our new patient has an abdominal surgical wound that dehisced internally and be... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Choose Cirrhosis Dx
Question: Our new patient's medical record reads, "Cirrhosis likely secondary to alcohol ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Look to Aftercare for Joint Revision
Question: Our patient had a revision of her total knee replacement five days ago due to l... Read more
YOU BE THE CODER:
KEEP CANCER CODES IN CHECK
Question: Our patient has ataxia following surgery to remove a benign neoplasm of the bra... Read more
CODING 101:
SECURE CASE MIX POINTS IN 5 STEPS
Don't overlook co-morbidities. Case mix points are still important in making certain your... Read more
CODING NEWS:
CUT THROUGH ATTACHMENT D CONFUSION WITH CMS CORRECTIONS
Plus: ICD-10 not coming quite so soon. Still scratching your head over the coding guidanc... Read more
CODING QUIZ:
INTERPRET YOUR DIAGNOSES NOTES WITH MORE CODING SAVVY
Stick with UTI, drop diabetes code. Be careful that your sepsis and Charcot foot knowledg... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Therapy or Aftercare for a Broken Ankle?
Question: We are recertifying a patient for physical therapy (PT) only. He has a broken a... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Update Your Coccyx Ulcer Coding
Question: Is a pressure ulcer on the coccyx coded as 707.03 (Pressure ulcer; lower back) ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Many Factors Determine Diabetes Reimbursement
Question: Recently we admitted our first insulin-dependent diabetic and were surprised to... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Know When to Reverse Stage Ulcers
Question: Can you change the stage of healing stage I & II pressure ulcers on OASIS? ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Skilled Nursing Care Must Be Intermittent
Question: I have a question about "Does Nursing Nix V57.X?" which ran in your November 20... Read more
YOU BE THE CODER:
TACKLE THIS ULCER CODING CHALLENGE
Question: According to the podiatrist who performed the procedures, our client was hospit... Read more
OASIS:
New M0246 Instructions Confounds Coders -- Get the Bottom Line Here
Only list diagnoses included in the plan of care. The recent release of the Centers for M... Read more
Case Study:
Nail Down When to Code Symptoms Vs. the Disease
Watch for surprises from new Attachment D If your agency is providing multiple aspects of... Read more
Coding Quiz :
Test Your Hypertension Dx Coding to See if You're Assuming Too Much
Tip: Physician documentation is key. If you incorrectly dig into hypertension ICD-9 codes... Read more
Reader Questions:
OASIS and ICD-9 Guidance Don't Always Agree
Question: Your November issue includes the following: "Coding vs. OASIS: An ulcer covered... Read more
Reader Questions:
Code Most Acute Condition First
Question: One of our patients came to us from the hospital with a pacemaker and total hip... Read more
Reader Questions:
Watch Your Sequencing with V57.X
Question: I've just re-located to a home care setting from a hospital outpatient therapy ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Look to V57.1 for Therapy-Only
Question: We are caring for an elderly patient following her hospitalization for pneumoni... Read more
You Be The Coder:
Code This Ulcer
Question: How do you code a pressure ulcer of the toe? Is it 707.09 (other site) or 707.0... Read more
Coding How-To:
Prevent These Therapy Coding Mistakes and Gain Case Mix Points
Misuse of dressing codes could cost you big. Listing a V57.x (Care involving use of rehab... Read more
Coding 101:
Master These Basics Before You Assign your Next Code
Do you know which diagnoses you should code every time? It might seem obvious, but even b... Read more
Case Study:
Cut Through Confusing Multiple Diagnoses with Basic Coding Steps
Decoding this tricky op note can be a whiz with the right tools. Knowing how to select th... Read more
ICD-9 Update:
Blast These Errors From Your 2009 ICD-9 Manual
Don't get tripped-up by mysterious fifth-digit requirements. To err is human, and the AMA... Read more
Inservice Education:
Review These PPS Changes As You Prepare For The New Year
Plan now for immediate staff training. The 2008 PPS changes made accurate home care co... Read more
Reader Questions:
Choose The Right V Code for Knee Replacement Patient
Reader questions were answered by Lisa Selman-Holman, JD, BSN, RN, HCS-D, COS-C, consulta... Read more
Reader Questions:
Know When to List Abnormality of Gait
Question: When providing aftercare for a patient who is recovering from hip replacement s... Read more
You Be The Coder; List Specifics for Infected Knee Prosthesis
Question: Our patient was admitted for aftercare following surgery to remove an infection... Read more
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