Hi All....
I am reaching out to all my fellow coders!
I am considering a position with a company who assesses APG readiness for clients. They have identified the following "risks" as it relates to coding for a client and have asked for my opinion. I am networking and researching with my colleauges to come up with the correct information., as this is an area I will require training in.This is the scenerio they gave me. As a proficient coder for professional services I know my answer, but under the APG system Im sure it is different. Thank you.
Alicia Shickle, CPC, CAPPM
Brief background: The client provides high quality services in support of birth, foster, and adoptive families who are caring for children with special medical needs at home. Their innovative services ensure that the physical, social, educational, recreational, healthcare, and mental health needs of medically fragile children are met. By supporting families, they prevent the institutionalization of children, precludes lengthy stays in foster care, and facilitates the timely discharge of children from hospitals where they may have lived well beyond medical need. Many of their clients have chronic medical conditions in addition to a history of mental health illness. We've assess their APG readiness and found the below risks as it relates to coding. Can you please review and advise of the coding decision making in response to the below questions? If you feel we need to discuss in more detail before you can respond please feel free to send me and e-mail and we'll coordinate. Thank you.
What guidelines should the client follow in coding chronic vs. acute diagnoses (i.e. patient scheduled for a preventive visit with history of cerebral palsy))
What determines how the diagnosis codes should be ordered?
What role does the time spent on each condition during the visit play in what diagnosis codes are included and their order?
What factors other than time spent influence the coding?
I am reaching out to all my fellow coders!
I am considering a position with a company who assesses APG readiness for clients. They have identified the following "risks" as it relates to coding for a client and have asked for my opinion. I am networking and researching with my colleauges to come up with the correct information., as this is an area I will require training in.This is the scenerio they gave me. As a proficient coder for professional services I know my answer, but under the APG system Im sure it is different. Thank you.
Alicia Shickle, CPC, CAPPM
Brief background: The client provides high quality services in support of birth, foster, and adoptive families who are caring for children with special medical needs at home. Their innovative services ensure that the physical, social, educational, recreational, healthcare, and mental health needs of medically fragile children are met. By supporting families, they prevent the institutionalization of children, precludes lengthy stays in foster care, and facilitates the timely discharge of children from hospitals where they may have lived well beyond medical need. Many of their clients have chronic medical conditions in addition to a history of mental health illness. We've assess their APG readiness and found the below risks as it relates to coding. Can you please review and advise of the coding decision making in response to the below questions? If you feel we need to discuss in more detail before you can respond please feel free to send me and e-mail and we'll coordinate. Thank you.
What guidelines should the client follow in coding chronic vs. acute diagnoses (i.e. patient scheduled for a preventive visit with history of cerebral palsy))
What determines how the diagnosis codes should be ordered?
What role does the time spent on each condition during the visit play in what diagnosis codes are included and their order?
What factors other than time spent influence the coding?