What books do I need to code effectively?

CPT^®, HCPCS Level II, and ICD-10 coding books are used in physicians’ offices, facilities, and payer organizations to perform accurate coding.

The CPT^®, and HCPCS Level II code books are universal for both physicians and hospital organizations. The ICD-10 book you use (CM or PCS) is chosen based on the type of organization where you work or plan to work.

Professionals working for a physician office or free-standing or facility-affiliated outpatient facility will only need the ICD-10-CM code book to document diagnoses. Inpatient facilities need both the ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS books. The CM is used to document diagnoses that will be used to determine the patient’s diagnostic related grouping (DRG); the PCS book is used to document procedures performed in hospitals.

Many professionals add the Procedural Coding Expert book to their set of core books. This book contains the official AMA CPT^® codes and descriptions, CMS’ rules and guidelines, Relative Value Units (RVUs), HCC codes, and other valuable features, but excludes the AMA’s rules and guidelines. The Procedural Coding Expert book is a great supplement to your AMA CPT^® book.