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Trouble viewing? See it online! Wednesday, October 10, 2018
 

CE Articles
Clear up confusion: Review CPT coding for radiation oncology evaluations, treatment planning, and simulations

Before radiation therapy can be administered, several steps must be taken prepare the patient for treatment. Review CPT coding and documentation for the first two steps in the process: the initial consultation and preparation for radiation treatment.

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Decipher documentation, code for tubo-ovarian abscess diagnoses and surgical interventions
Patients determined to have a tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) require immediate and aggressive surgical therapy. Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC, reviews clinical documentation and ICD-10-CM coding for TOAs as well as CPT coding for surgical interventions used to treat them.
Ensure accurate reporting of modifier -25 at your facility
Modifier -25 is frequently a target of payer and Office of Inspector General audits. Susan E. Garrison, CHCA, CPC, CPC-H, reviews CMS and NCCI guidance for reporting modifier -25.
Healthcare News: Study highlights the inadequacy of CPT codes to describe pediatric abdominal surgeries
A retrospective study recently published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery found that 59% of reviewed cases across four institutions contained discrepancies between operative dictation and CPT coding for pediatric abdominal surgeries.
Q&A: CPT code assignment for a trochleoplasty
Q: Which procedure code would you use for a surgical correction of the femoral trochlea (i.e., trochleoplasty)?
 

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Platinum members can access an excerpt on the query process for medical necessity and compliance fromThe Complete Guide to Medical Necessity: JustCoding’s Training and Education Toolkit. If you are not a Platinum member and you want to upgrade your account, please call customer service at 800-650-6787.

Free quiz

Test your knowledge with this week’s free quiz, which features CPT codes for vascular diagnostic radiology.

Mini poll

What has been the most common reason for coding denials at your facility in 2018?

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SelectCoder Tip of the Week

Do not confuse hypertensive chronic kidney disease with renovascular hypertension, a condition in which the kidney dysfunction causes the hypertension. When this is the case, the hypertension is secondary to the renal dysfunction and is reported using ICD-10-CM code I15.0 (renovascular hypertension). The two conditions may be coded in either order. An additional code for the underlying condition should also be assigned.

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Platinum members can view the latest stories from Briefings on APCs and Briefings on Coding Compliance Strategies. 
 

Product Spotlight

Navigating Complex ED Coding and Billing Scenarios

The emergency department (ED) is a fast-paced environment that presents unique coding and billing challenges. During this 90-minute webinar presented on Thursday, October 25, Nena Scott, MSEd, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CCDS, and Felisa M. Tennant, MIS, RHIA, CCS, CHPS, will also review coding and reporting guidance for services commonly performed in the ED and billed by facilities. 

For more information or to order, call 800-650-6787 or visit the HCPro Healthcare Marketplace.

 
 

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Sarah Gould
Editor
JustCoding News: Outpatient
editor@justcoding.com


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JustCoding's Member Spotlight

This month we are pleased to introduce Roger Hettinger, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, COC, CPC, CPCO, CPB, CPMA, CRC, CEDC, CGSC, CHONC, CIMC, CUC, CGIC, CHC, CRCR, Senior Revenue Cycle Advisor for Axea Solutions, Inc. in Cumming, Georgia.

How did you get into this line of work? I started coding in 2000 and have worked in healthcare since 1994. Before I started coding, I worked in various areas of the healthcare business office doing functions such as entering charges, posting insurance payments, appeals, collections, and customer service. 

What is your favorite area of coding? My favorite area of coding has been emergency medicine. The coding is never boring or mundane, and there's a wide variety of diagnosis and CPT codes that can be reported.

Continue reading the member spotlight here.
 

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