MAJOR MALE PELVIC PROCEDURES WITH CC/MCC DRG Code 707

Hospital transfers, underreported falls, and sparing use of telehealth are highlights. You can expect to see more enforcement from one federal watchdog agency, if Congress is swayed by its claims. The HHS Office of Inspector General’s Fall 2023 Semiannual Report [...]

You saw how three ophthalmologists would fare under the proposed E/M payment changes —now check out what the impact would be to three optometrists whose data we sampled. Using the current E/M payment levels and comparing them to the proposed [...]

Question: Mr. Michael, 55, was admitted to the hospital with acute atrial fibrillation. During his hospital stay, he happened to develop a decubitus ulcer on the buttock What DRG can we assign to this patient, given that the decubitus ulcer was [...]

Find stage, location, and side in one code for pressure ulcer. The codes for pressure ulcers are one of the great improvements you’ll find as you make the transition to ICD-10. The new code set will combine the stage and [...]

Hint: Missing this could make your code choice invalid. Are you on track to begin using ICD-10 codes come Oct. 1, 2015? The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) made no mention of delaying ICD-10, thus disappointing many providers [...]

Tip: The new codes contain expanded detail and far more specificity. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), which was signed into law on April 16, made no mention of ICD-10, effectively ensuring that your facility must begin using [...]

How coding of aftercare and ‘late effects’ will change drastically. Ready or not, here comes ICD-10 — your facility must begin using ICD-10 codes on Oct. 1, 2015, or you’ll suffer denied claims and rejected MDS records. Here’s what you [...]

Question: An established elderly patient reports to the dermatologist for inspection of sores on her back. The dermatologist diagnoses a stage I pressure ulcer on her lower back. How should I report this diagnosis? Indiana Subscriber Answer: You should submit a pair [...]

Question: I am coding for a patient who is diabetic w/ osteomyelitis w/ chronic ulcer 5th ray. How should I sequence the diagnosis codes? What should I code for the resection of both the eroded metatarsal bone and base of the [...]

Pinpoint the correct diagnosis codes to get out of ambiguous situations. You are walking a tightrope when coding for routine nail care because the slightest of slips may be the difference between reporting success and an audit call. Our tips [...]