Posts Tagged ‘Health care’

AAPC member Holly J. Cassano, CPC discusses the importance of conducting a baseline audit once you have established a compliance plan. She shares a number of reasons for proactively performing audits.

Radiology is a large specialty that spans diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, brachytherapy, and radiation therapy; with CPT® codes found from the 10,000 section all the way through to the 90,000 sections. Terry Leone, CPC, CPC-P, CIRCC, CPC-I and president of the AAPC National Advisory Board discusses diagnostic radiology and associated imaging.

Full Article

In this month’s Southern California Physician magazine AAPC member Hidy Borden LPN, CPC, CPC-I discusses how to overturn reimbursement denials or avoid them in the first place. This article is not available online, but can be found on page 10 of the February issue.

AAPC member Angela “Annie” Boynton RHIT, CPC, CCS, CPC-H, CCS-P, CPC-P, CPC-I shares insights on the road ahead with ICD-10 and the lack of preparation by many healthcare professionals. It is as if health care has forgotten how important disease classification is to the bottom line.

Full Article

Brad Ericson, MPC, CPC, COSC shared his perspective on the need for good medical coders to possess a basic understanding of medical terminology and human anatomy. This fundamental background is key to selecting the correct diagnostic and procedural codes based on a physician’s notes written in medical language.

Full Article

Health insurer WellPoint Inc. recently announced its intent to increase rates for certain California Anthem Blue Cross members by an average of approximately 30 percent. Read more »

Medical coding is a very detail-oriented process; however, certain surgical specialties require more documentation for procedures than others. Quita Edwards, CPC of C.A.S.E. Contracting Services discusses three suggestions for avoiding mistakes in pain management coding.

Full Article

G. J. Verhovshek, MA, CPC covered the medical coding changes for 2010. The article focused on the release of CPT® 2010 and how it brings with it approximately 30 code revisions, additions, and deletions relevant to radiology, along with new Radiology Guidelines defining a special report.

Full Article

Holly J. Cassano, CPC discussed the potential fraud and abuse that could occur in medical coding practices. In addition she highlights the AAPC’s Code of Ethics that that states “Professional and personal behavior of AAPC members must be exemplary. Members shall use only legal and ethical means in all professional dealings and shall refuse to cooperate with, or condone by silence, the actions of those who engage in fraudulent, deceptive, or illegal acts.”

Full Article

For the Record magazine polled several people and organizations considered “in the know” to put together a general overview of the state of the healthcare industry in 2009. The magazine spoke with AAPC President Reed Pew and Vice President Rhonda Buckholtz, and got their take on hot topics such as the Obama Administration, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and other happenings in the industry over the past 12 months.

Full Article