Advanced Search

Internal Medicine Coding Alert

Correct Diagnosis Codes Are Key to Adequate Reimbursement for Tests and Lab Orders
Has this happened in your practice?A patient who has been experiencing mild chest pain mak... Read more
Consultation Codes vs. Emergency Service Codes:
How to Get Paid When Your Patient is Seen in the ED but Not Admitted
As primary care physicians, internists are called to see their patients in a variety of se... Read more
What Your IM Practice Should Know about Compliance Plans
More and more oftenat conferences, seminars, and on the Internetinternal medicine practice... Read more
Design Tracking Form to Ensure Accurate Charge Capture for Hospital Services
Its a problem in almost all internal medicine practices: losing money from services provid... Read more
Legislative Update:
Proposal to Charge Physician 'User Fees' for Medicare Fails to Pass Congress
Internal medicine practices can breathe a little easier now that proposed legislation that... Read more
Get Paid for 'Clearance for Surgery' Exams by Using Consultation Codes
Its a common situation in internal medicine, a specialist, such as a cardiologist, is sche... Read more
Outlook for 1999:
CPT Unchanged, Lab Tests in Spotlight
The big news for internal medicine in the 1999 edition of CPT has more to do with what has... Read more
Reader Questions:
Post-Sigmoidoscopy Monitoring
Question: A Medicare patient with diagnosis 562.10 (diverticulosis of colon, without menti... Read more
Use the Prolonged Services Codes Instead of -21 Modifier to Boost Reimbursement
As primary care providers, internists must often spend more time on patient care than migh... Read more
Use Correct Coding to Maximize Reimbursement for Pap-Smear Collection
Many practices erroneously bill laboratory codes instead of correct E/M codes Coding ... Read more
Be Prepared to Track New CCI "Secret Codes" and Ward Off Payment Denials
Internal medicine practices may find themselves on the receiving end of some unexpected cl... Read more
Carrier Telephone Review Lines Speed Appeals and Payments
Appealing denied or downcoded claims is one of an internal medicine practices biggest head... Read more
Reader Questions:
Correct Coding for Epinepherine Injection
Question: An established patient of ours came in the office following a bee sting, to whic... Read more
Payers Speak Out:
Avoid These Top IM Coding and Billing Mistakes
Is your internal medicine practice using the most up-to-date versions of CPT and ICD-9? Do... Read more
Receive Highter Reimbursement for Diabetes Education with or without New HCFA Codes
Internal medicine practices with a large diabetic-patient population have been eagerly awa... Read more
Expanded Coverage of Bone Mass Measurements Increases Reimbursement for Osteoporosis Screening
New HCPCS codes covering the bone mass measurements absorptionmetry and computed tomograph... Read more
Get Paid for Both a Procedure and Office Visit on the Same Day
Editors Note: In upcoming issues, Internal Medicine Coding Alert will keep you up-to-date ... Read more
New ICD-9 Codes Take Effect October 1
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the American Hospital Association hav... Read more
Optimize Inpatient and Observation Payup with New Same-Day Admit and Discharge Codes
Some internal medicine practices may see higher reimbursement for observation and inpatien... Read more
HCFA Lifts Restriction:
Payments for Some Colerectal Screenings and E/M Services on the Same Day Now Possible
Internal medicine practices can now receive separate Medicare payments for fecal occult-bl... Read more
Increase Care Plan Oversight Revenue with Accurate Coding
As primary health care providers, internists not only see and treat patients, but are ofte... Read more
Accurately Code E/M Services to Avoid Audits
Internal medicine providers who think that the Health Care Financing Administrations (HCFA... Read more
Reader Questions:
Prothrombin Level Check
Question: Our practice has several patients on Coumadin who must have their prothrombin le... Read more
Available Years:  1998