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Primary Care Coding Alert

Have Questions About New BHI codes? We Have Answers
Our experts walk you through everything you need to know in this handy FAQ. In the previo... Read more
Procedure Coding:
Ace Pulmonary Testing Coding With This Expert Advice
Take these suggestions, report PFTs with precision. With 50 codes to choose from in the P... Read more
Case Study Corner:
Document This Scenario to Improve Your HPV Counseling, Immunization Skills
Take these 4 easy steps for flawless STI reporting. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a commo... Read more
Reader Question:
Time to Check Your Infusion Coding Knowledge with This Scenario
Question: Our nonphysician practioner (NPP) performed an infusion lasting 107 minutes... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Document Different Treatments for CT Injection Necessity
Question: Three months ago, our provider saw a patient complaining of wrist pain, a b... Read more
News You Can Use:
Get Your First Look at the CPT® Revisions for 2018
Find out which codes will affect your practice beginning Jan. 1. The American Medical Ass... Read more
ICD-10 Coding:
Ask These Questions, Breathe a Sigh of Respiratory Coding Relief
Know symptoms, identify conditions and location with this simple guide. Respiratory condi... Read more
Mythbusters:
Bust These Myths and Make Hypertension Coding Less Complex
Let these three scenarios elevate your understanding of high blood pressure dx. It's no b... Read more
Reader Question:
Use This Modifier with Caution for Preventive Services
Question: A patient with hyperlipidemia and type 2 diabetes came to our office for an... Read more
Reader Question:
Don't Destroy Your Claim by Using This Destruction Procedure Code
Question: Our provider recently removed five common warts from a patient's hand, and ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Follow These Steps for Clear CLIA-Waived Test Reporting
Question: Our practice recently received a certificate of waiver from the Centers for... Read more
Procedure Coding:
Don't Squeeze These Codes for Trigger Point Injections
Follow these dos and don'ts for accurate TPI documentation. They have many causes: sports... Read more
ICD-10 Coding:
No Dx? No Problem! Abdominal Pain Coding in Four Easy Steps
Substantiate symptoms and signs of stomach suffering with this guide. A patient presents ... Read more
Clip And Save:
Turn to These Words to Take the Hurt out of Migraine Coding
Expert coders provide relief with this handy glossary. The American Migraine Foundation r... Read more
Reader Question:
Resolve this End of Condition Coding Conundrum
Question: A patient we have been treating for a severe case of eczema came back to ou... Read more
Reader Question:
Submit This NPI for Full NPP Reimbursement
Question: Our nurse practitioner (NP) is often called upon to provide services to our pati... Read more
Reader Question:
Know if You Can Claim Repeat I&D Within Global
Question: Our physician recently performed an incision and drainage (I&D) of a co... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Consider Age a Factor when Coding Early-, Late-Onset Alzheimer's
Question: If our provider diagnoses a patient with Alzheimer's disease, can I use the... Read more
ICD-10-CM Coding:
Get to the Heart of These New ICD-10-CM Codes
Prepare for three big changes in cardiovascular diagnosis coding. According to the Americ... Read more
ICD-10-CM Coding:
Prep for New ICD-10-CM Abuse in Remission Codes
New remission Dx poised to take effect Oct. 1. Major revisions are in store for Chapter 5... Read more
Procedure Coding:
Learn the Ins and Outs of Arthrocentesis, Steroid Administration
These hints take the pain out of coding common osteoarthritis procedures You’ve pro... Read more
Reader Question:
Use these Modifiers to Code Same Procedures, Different Physicians
Question: A patient recently came in to our practice for three separate electrocardio... Read more
Reader Question:
Report Encounter, Drug Type, and More for Long-Term Drug Therapy
Question: We have a patient who is recovering from a stroke, and we are monitoring hi... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Code Tobacco, DNR Counseling Sessions with E/M Services in this Scenario
Question: Can we bill an evaluation and management (E/M) service such as 99213 with c... Read more
ICD-10-CM Coding:
Get Ready to Use These New Codes for Type 2 DKA
ICD-10-CM changes reflect a rise in reported cases. The annual revisions to ICD-10-CM are... Read more
CPT® Coding:
Use These 5 Hints for Accurate CCM Coding
Experienced coders weigh in with some valuable tips In last month’s issue, we discu... Read more
Reader Question:
Find Global Days with This 5-Step Method
Question: What is the best way to quickly find the global periods for various procedu... Read more
Reader Question:
Breathe Easy with the Answer to This Inhalation Coding Question
Question: Our physician provided two inhalation treatments to the same patient on the... Read more
Reader Question:
Understand These Codes for Screening Success
Question: A patient came into our office exhibiting signs and symptoms of alcohol mis... Read more
Reader Question:
Avoid Infusion Confusion with These Codes
Question: A patient came to our office for an initial med push of ondansetron hydroch... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Understand Global for Modifier Success
Question: Our physician recently excised a benign lesion from a patient. The same pat... Read more
CPT® Coding:
Know These New Cognition, Collaboration, Risk Assessment Codes
Pro coders shed light on health and behavior services. The 2017 revisions to CPT® and... Read more
Coding Quiz:
Find Relief from Seasonal Allergy Coding
Take this quiz and avoid the summertime blues. Now that allergy season is in full swing, ... Read more
E/M Coding:
Master These 2 Codes, Simplify Chronic Care Management
Know what makes complex chronic care management … complex. If your practice is see... Read more
Coding Quiz Answers:
Check Your Responses to Seasonal Allergy Coding Quiz
Our experts’ advice is nothing to sneeze at. Once you’ve answered the quiz qu... Read more
Reader Question:
Solve this Problem-Focused E/M Scenario
Question: A patient came in for a physical exam. While there, one of our physicians a... Read more
Reader Question:
Quit These HCPCS Codes for Smoking Cessation Coding Success
Question: CMS deleted HCPCS codes G0436 (Smoking and tobacco cessation counseling vis... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Hear This Answer and Code Correctly for Counseling
Question: A 16-year-old female patient recently came into our office for a routine fl... Read more
E/M Coding:
Look Back to Move Forward: History Documentation Made Simple
Rule a patient’s PFSH in or out to define E/M levels. If you find it challenging to... Read more
E/M Coding:
Use These PFSH Pro Tips For E/M Service Success
Stay on track with EHR/EMR systems. You’ve seen how important it is to understand t... Read more
Procedure Coding:
Take These Tips, Learn the Ins and Outs of FBRs
Report 69200/69205 for ear procedures. Coders will often face encounter forms that involv... Read more
Supply Coding:
Supplies in Demand: Use HCPCS Level II Codes Whenever Possible
Boost reimbursement, increase bottom line with this advice. When it comes to billing for ... Read more
Reader Question:
Report Z Code for These Screenings
Question: A patient presented to our practice after he failed a school hearing test, ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Use the Correct Postprocedural Code After a Respiratory System Procedure
Question: A patient came to the office with a post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage. Should w... Read more
Family Practice:
Master Strapping And Splinting Claims With These 3 Pointers
Hint: Don’t forget to report material supply separately, if permitted by the payer. ... Read more
Mythbuster:
Bust These 3 Myths That Might Derail Skin Lesion Destruction Claims
Hint: Watch for opportunities to report additional E/M code. Do you know what matters whe... Read more
CPT® Coding:
Don't Let Telehealth Claims Slide: Learn New POS Code
Continue use of modifiers to let payers know service is through telehealth. When your FP ... Read more
Reader Question:
Delve Into 'Intention' When Reporting Insulin OD Diagnosis
Question: Our clinician recently diagnosed a patient with ‘complications arisin... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Report 69209 for Incomplete Removals? Use a Modifier
Question: Our clinician recently detected impacted cerumen in a patient with complain... Read more
MACRA:
Analyze the Benefits and Pitfalls of Early MIPS Adoption in Your Practice
CMS presents ‘pick your pace’ options for 2017. If you have been thinking abo... Read more
E/M Coding:
Get a Grip on TCM Reporting With These 4 Useful Pointers
Hint: You no longer have to wait a month to report TCM codes. When your clinician provide... Read more
CPT® Coding:
Differentiate Nail Debridement from Biopsy with Ease
Know whether both procedures can be reported together. Debriding the nail and excising it... Read more
Reader Question:
Look Towards More Specific J Code For Definitive Dx of Wheezing
Question: I am new to coding. Our clinician recently came up with the diagnosis of &l... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Additional Aerosol Treatments Deserves Separate Pay? Find Out
Question: If our physician performed nebulizer treatment to help control wheezing sym... Read more
E/M Coding:
Correctly Identify Incident-to and Split Visits Or Lose Out on Deserved Pay
Hint: Both Incident-to and split visits are applicable only to Medicare patients. When yo... Read more
Review The Basics of Incident-to and Split/Shared E/M Visits
When your clinician and your NPP perform parts of an E/M service for a patient, you will n... Read more
CPT® Coding:
Perfect Skin Lesion Excision Reporting With This Four-Step Guide
Hint: Look for chances to report wound closure separately. When your clinician performs e... Read more
Compliance:
Know Ins and Outs of Stark Law to Avoid Referral Bloopers
Receiving kickbacks can get you kicked out of practice. Caution: When your physician make... Read more
Reader Question:
Check Number of Sites For Appropriate Kenalog Reporting
Question: If our clinician administers Kenalog into multiple sites using ultrasound g... Read more
Reader Question:
Report Cast Application Only When Physician is Directly Involved
Question: Our physician recently saw a patient who reported to our practice with comp... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Assign 'Feeding Difficulties' Code For Choking
Question: Our FP evaluated a newborn baby whose mother said that the child would ofte... Read more
E/M Coding:
Learn How to Garner Added Revenue for Injections with E/M Encounters
Hint: Append appropriate modifier to the E/M code. When your FP evaluates a patient fo... Read more
Coding Quiz:
Ace Cerumen Removal Reporting by Solving This Quiz
Look for opportunities to report E/M with cerumen removal. When your clinician perform... Read more
ICD-10 Coding:
Glide Through Reporting Feeding Difficulties in Infants with These 4 Tips
Hint: Reserve use of newborn codes for infants not over 28 days old. When your FP diag... Read more
Quiz Answers:
Check Your Responses to Cerumen Removal Coding Quiz
Hint: Don’t forget to check CCI for multiple procedures. Scenario 1: Simple Ceru... Read more
Reader Question:
Does Repeat Pap Smear Warrant Well Woman Code? Find Out
Question: Our FP recently performed a repeat Pap smear for a woman as her Pap smear... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Go With G0168 For Dermabond Repair For Medicare Patients
Question: Our FP recently performed simple repair of a laceration of the scalp for ... Read more
E/M Coding:
Use This 3 Step Method to Get Spot On Level of MDM
Hint: Assign points to each of the categories to arrive at the final level. When you a... Read more
Physicals:
Get Paid For School Physicals Each Time Using These 3 Choices
Hint: Check with payer before reporting annual wellness or E/M related codes. If your ... Read more
Mythbuster:
Bust These 3 Myths to Unlock Routine Nail Care Reporting Success
Hint: Check beforehand with the payer if the diagnosis is covered. When your clinician... Read more
Reader Question:
Reporting Trimming and Debridement of Nails Together? Think Again
Question: If our FP performed trimming and debridement of nails for a patient suffe... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Routinely Reporting E/M with Cerumen Removal? Not So Fast
Question: If your FP performs removal of cerumen, can an E/M code be reported for t... Read more
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