Orthopedic Coding Alert
Eliminate Undercoding or Pay the Price
Communication is key to avoiding both overcoding and undercoding If you undercode, you aren't being overpaid, so payers won't care, right? Wrong. Consistent undercoding can get you in trouble the same as consistent overcoding, says Susan Ward, CPC, CPC-H, approved PMCC instructor, AAPC National Advisory Board member, and coding and billing manager for Travis Holcombe, MD. If an auditor sees that you-re consistently undercoding, she's going to wonder why, Ward says. The auditor will delve deeper into your charts to see, for example, whether you-re using the wrong code to increase your chances of getting paid for a particular procedure or to avoid a frequency cap. The consequences: If a Medicare auditor finds you consistently undercoding, the contractor will likely make your practice carve out some time for documentation and coding education. You may also face fines and penalties.
Orthopedic Coding Alert
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Eliminate Undercoding or Pay the Price
Communication is key to avoiding both overcoding and undercoding If you undercode, you aren't being [...] - Advanced Lesson:
Do the Math to Encourage Clean Claims, Documentation
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