Question: Our physician saw and treated a patient for a scaphoid fracture. The patient, however, fell again and presented with re-fracture of the scaphoid within the previous fracture’s 90-day global period. How should we report this? Alabama Subscriber Answer: Because this [...]
Question: Our new patient has returned home after suffering several falls and sustaining bilateral subdural hematomas for which she had an evacuation. She has vertigo, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension. We will be providing skilled nursing and physical therapy. How should [...]
New CMS directive says claims with E codes as primary diagnoses unprocessable.If you're submitting paper claims to Medicare with E codes in the primary diagnosis slot, don't expect a favorable response from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The [...]
Whether you bill electronically or on paper, you'll get an instant denial if your primary dx is an 'E' code. Most practices know that they'll face immediate denials if they report an 'E' code as the primary diagnosis on their [...]
Beware: Never use E codes as primary code. Accidents happen, and your physicians probably see the evidence in patients of all ages. Round out your diagnosis coding for accidental injuries by adding 'E codes' to your ICD-9 roster, and you [...]
Tip: Never list E codes as primary diagnoses. Accidents happen, and your physicians probably see the evidence in patients of all ages. Round out your diagnosis coding for accidental injuries by adding 'E codes' to your ICD-9 roster, and you [...]
Double check notes before falling for easy answers.The neurologist wrote "frequent falls" on a patient's chart, so now you're faced with choosing the best diagnosis code. Answer these three questions to narrow the options.Question 1: Is This a New Problem? [...]
Question: A new patient presents to our office with a 2.0 cm cut on her chin from falling on the side of her bed. The wound is closing well on its own, and the physician cannot pull it apart enough [...]
Hint: Steri strips won't allow you to qualify for the 12001 series -- look to the E/M codes instead. Question: A new patient presented to our office with a 2.0 cm cut on her chin from falling on the side of [...]
You-ll also need to determine open/closed before coding the treatment You could land on the wrong fracture care code or double dip on the follow-up aftercare unless you-ve got a grip on these essential treatment coding conventions. 1. Check if [...]
