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Primary Care Coding Alert

Mythbuster:
Bust The Bubble on These 4 Misconceptions That Might Falter IPPE Claims
Hint: Don’t forget to report additional preventive services separately. When rep... Read more
Medicare Immunizations:
Ensure Tetanus Vaccine Coding Success With This Expert Advice
Hint: Report appropriate diagnosis codes to avoid denials. When your clinician adminis... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Watch For One-to-One Crossover For Actinic Keratosis With L57.0
Hint: Use same diagnosis code for solar or senile keratosis. When your clinician diagn... Read more
Reader Question:
Know if White Coat Hypertension is a Valid Diagnosis
Question: Our physician recently diagnosed a patient with “white coat hyperte... Read more
Reader Question:
Append Apt Modifier For Repeat Procedures During Global Period
Question: In the last issue of the “Family Practice Coding Alert,” ther... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Avoid Coding Confusion For Multiple Injections
Question: We report injection administration with 96372. However, if two injections... Read more
Modifier Update:
Cue Into More Specific Alternatives to Modifier 59 in 2015
Hint: Modifier 59 is not totally outdated, but CMS will prefer use of new substitutes. If... Read more
Preventive Services:
Be Informed of 3 Common Errors to Avoid Preventive Care Coding Bloopers
Report your well-patient services properly to collect accurate reimbursement. As a fam... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Concise Your Options For Vascular Dementia Reporting in ICD-10
Hint: All associated behavioral problems come under one code choice. Don’t be ve... Read more
Reader Question:
Rely on Intent to Report Right Skin Lesion Removal Code
Question: If our FP removes a skin lesion by shaving it and we send the removed tis... Read more
Reader Question:
Planning on Reporting ED E/M Codes For Emergencies? Think Again
Question: If our FP saw a patient in his office for an emergency, can I report emer... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Reporting Repeat Procedures Depends on Global Days Defined
Question: Our physician recently performed an I&D procedure on a carbuncle. We ... Read more
CPT® 2015 Update:
Get Ready to Inject Your 2015 Vaccine Claims With New, Revised CPT® Codes
Check out new additions to arthrocentesis procedures that involve guidance. If you hav... Read more
Sports Physicals:
Choose From 3 Options to Get School Physical Reimbursement Rolling
Look towards combining a sport physical with an annual well-care visit. If your FP reg... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Watch For One-to-One Matches For Noninfectious Gastroenteritis
Hint: Look for causative factor in the documentation to zero in on right ICD-10 code. ... Read more
Reader Question:
Comprehend if Tetanus Administrations Are Covered Services
Question: Does Medicare cover Tetanus when it is administered to a patient without ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Don't Always Report Arthrocentesis Aspiration & Injection Separately
Question: If our FP is performing an arthrocentesis procedure and injects a steroid... Read more
CPT® Coding Strategies:
Cue Into Successful Laceration Reporting With This Expert Advice
Don’t forget to check CCI for multiple laceration repair reporting. When reporti... Read more
Coding Quiz:
Test Your Skin Lesion Removal Reporting Skills With This Quiz
Check on when you can or cannot report an E/M service. Reporting a lesion removal that... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Rejoice With Straightforward Crossover For Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Hint: You cannot use the same code when the diagnosis is mixed anxiety disorder. When ... Read more
Coding Quiz Answers:
Check Your Skin Lesion Removal Reporting Know-How
Read our experts’ opinions on coding these scenarios. Reporting skin lesion remo... Read more
Reader Question:
Avoid Confusion Over Reporting Infant Assessment
Question:  In our FP’s office, a newborn is seen as a quick assessment within... Read more
Reader Question:
Get Reimbursed For Repeat Laceration Repair
Question: Our FP recently performed laceration repair on a patient. The laceration was o... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Base Hyperkeratotic Lesion Removal on Number, Not Location
Question: If our FP removed a callus from one foot and four more such lesions from ... Read more
CCI 20.2 Update:
Pay Heed to CCI When Reporting Multiple Skin Lesion Destruction Codes
CCI also adds new bundles for reporting two E/M services together. Hold your horses if... Read more
Prolonged Services:
Squeeze Extra Pay Out of E/M Services With Prolonged Services Codes
Document accurate E/M time to get maximum deserved reimbursement. Whenever your clinic... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Enjoy Simple Crossover For Single Episodic Major Depressive Disorder
Hint: Use different code sets when the diagnosis is recurrent episodes of MDD. When yo... Read more
Reader Question:
Avoid Coding Confusion For Single Lesion Removal Using Different Techniques
Question: Our FP recently performed removal of a plantar wart approximately 5mm in diame... Read more
Reader Question:
Don't Always Reach Out to E/M While Reporting 96372
Question: Our FP recently diagnosed a patient with symptoms of nausea and headache ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Report Critical Care Codes Based on Criticality, Not Location
Question: Please do let me know if we can use critical care codes 99291-99292 in a ... Read more
CPT® Coding Strategies:
Enjoy Reporting Success With Injection Coding Using These 3 Simple Steps
Don’t forget to identify scenarios that can be reported with separate E/M codes. ... Read more
Physician Signatures:
Avoid Faltering on Signature Rules & Exceptions With These 3 Useful Tips
Analyze CMS’s requirements or you risk the wrong use of signatures. If you are n... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Enjoy Simplified Reporting of Sleep Apnea With G47.30
Hint: Report other associated sleep conditions with additional ICD-10 codes. When your... Read more
Reader Question:
Factor in Method to Determine Reimbursement Using RVUs
Question: Using the RVUs provided for a particular code, how do I arrive at the app... Read more
Reader Question:
Avoid Reaching Out to E/M Codes With Every Flu Vaccination Service
Question: If I am billing out a flu vaccination for a Medicare patient, what codes ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Choose Well Child Visit Codes Based on Age and Patient Status
Question: I can’t seem to find the code for a healthy/well child, first initi... Read more
Outpatient E/M:
Become Proficient With 99211 Regulations or Risk Losing $20 Per Encounter
Turn thorough documentation into successful claims. If you are automatically reaching ... Read more
HCPCS Coding Strategies:
Carve Your Path to Success When Reporting G0442, G0443 Each Year
Watch CCI when reporting other assessment or E/M codes in the same session. When your ... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Upgrade to Better Specificity for Child Health Exams With Z00.121 and Z00.129
Splitting V20.2 in two allows with and without abnormal findings. When ICD-9 is replac... Read more
Reader Question:
Be Clear on Documentation For Preventive Medicine Services
Question: The CPT® description of initial and periodic comprehensive preventive... Read more
Reader Question:
Avoid Reporting E/M Service Codes as a Norm
Question: A patient came into the office to see our FP to receive a knee injection.... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Refer to Global Period For Status Post Abortion Visits
Question: One of our physicians recently saw a patient who had had an abortion. Wha... Read more
CCI 20.1 Update:
Don't Overlook CCI When Reporting Allergy Immunotherapy and E/M Codes
You will also face new edits when reporting allergy testing codes with E/M services. I... Read more
News You Can Use:
Congress Votes to Halt Your Pay Cuts and Delay ICD-10
Physician associations still plan to pursue a permanent SGR formula revision.  Th... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Get Set For More Specific Reporting Options For Influenza With J10 and J11
Hint: Use manifestations in documentation to arrive at the apt diagnosis code. When yo... Read more
Bone Up on Influenza Types
You need to know the different types of influenza viruses, as the identification of the ... Read more
Reader Question:
Understand The Appropriate Use of Modifiers For Multiple Units of 20610
Question: One of our physicians administered Kenalog into right knee, left knee &am... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Exercise Caution When Reporting E/M Service With AWV Codes
Question: Our FP recently performed an evaluation and management service during an ... Read more
CPT® Coding Strategies:
Ace Your Destruction Coding By Looking at Type of Skin Lesions
Hint: Not all CPT® codes for destruction are add-on codes. When your FP performs d... Read more
ICD-10:
Enjoy a Smooth Transition on Your WayFrom ICD-9-CM to ICD-10
Get up-to-date expert tips from NGS to guide you. Entering into the new realm of submi... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Brace Yourself For a Straight Forward Crosswalk For Major Depressive Disorder
Hint: Identify psychotic symptoms in severe type of MDD. When your FP’s diagnosi... Read more
Reader Question:
Base Diabetes Education Reporting on Provider and Number of Patients
Question:  We have a RN who wants to provide a diabetic education class in a group ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Avoid Denial of E/M With Flu Vaccine Administration
Question: I have been reporting flu vaccine with E/M visits and other in-office pro... Read more
CPT® Coding Strategies:
Get to The Nitty-Gritty of Nail Care Coding With This Expert Advice
Don’t forget to use modifiers and appropriate diagnosis codes to prevent denial. ... Read more
Part B Payment:
Get Set to Watch For a Permanent Fix to Medicare Payment System
Congress gets busy contemplating means to eliminate SGR. In addition to the good news ... Read more
Part B Payment:
Avoid Faltering on Medicare Payment Collections With This In-Depth Analysis
Keep yourself up-to-date about what regulations will impact your bottom line in 2014. ... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Brace Yourself For More Than One Option For Reporting Acute Laryngitis in ICD-10
Don’t forget to take into account the number of conditions the code will represent... Read more
Reader Question:
Count Brief History as Part of Vaccine Administration Codes
Question: Our physician recently saw a 27-year-old patient who presented to our fam... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Watch Number of Injections When Reporting Allergy Shots
Question: If our physician provided allergy shots, what is the correct way to report the... Read more
CCI 20.0 Update:
Check CCI 20.0 Before Reporting TCM or Influenza Vaccine Codes
CCI also concentrates on newly introduced interprofessional consultation codes. While ... Read more
History How-To:
Prompt Your FP to Provide Accurate History With These 5 Important Tips
Beware of counting elements in more than one place. When your FP is recording a patien... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
Identify Type to Report ADHD More Specifically With F90
Combined type can now be separately reported from predominantly hyperactive types. If ... Read more
Gear Up on ADD/ADHD Types
Since the type of ADD/ADHD plays a vital role in selecting an accurate diagnosis using I... Read more
Reader Question:
Identify Location of Administration When Reporting 20550
Question: When reporting CPT® 20550, should I report the code with bilateral modifie... Read more
Reader Question:
Differentiate Two E/M Services With Appropriate Modifiers
Question: If a patient is seen twice by two different physicians on the same date of ser... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Don't Forget to Report Additional Services Separately With AWV
Question: For codes G0402, G0438, & G0439 when a female patient comes in for any one... Read more
CPT® Coding Strategies:
Ensure Vaccine Administration Reporting Success With This Expert Advice
Hint: Use modifier when reporting significant and separately identifiable E/M service. ... Read more
Compliance:
Eradicate 2 Common Errors From Your E/M Coding
Hint: Look for clues in documentation to catch appropriate office or inpatient E/M code.... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
J01.0 Expands To Provide Better Specificity For Acute Maxillary Sinusitis
Hint: Follow similar list of inclusions and exclusions for both ICD-9 & ICD-10. Wh... Read more
Reader Question:
Furnish Entire Address, Not Generic Location in Block 32 of CMS-1500
Question: If you are billing home visits, 99341-99350, the place of service is 12. My qu... Read more
Reader Question:
Realize When to Use Modifiers For Unbundled CPT® Codes
Question: If I cannot find two codes paired together in the CCI edits, how do I know whi... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Reporting 15851 For Suture Removal Without Anesthesia? Think Again
Question: Our FP recently performed suture removal in the office for an established pati... Read more
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