Coders: Watch Out for Claim-Denying Computer Glitches

Don’t wait for your MAC to alert you to an error — be on the lookout for them.
If you’ve been losing reimbursement to computer hiccups at your carrier, you’re not alone. Earlier this year, thousands of Medicare recipients in one state were wrongly told their benefits were being cut by $300 — but the state decided not to notify those affected with a letter. Instead, the state only told […]

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OB or Not OB: That’s the Ultrasound Coding Question

Question: For an ultrasound, the radiologist documented measurements of the uterus, endometrial complex, and ovaries. She noted no evidence of intrauterine pregnancy, no free fluid in the cul-de-sac, physiologic follicle formation, and positive Doppler flow in the ovaries. The patient had syncope but no confirmed pregnancy. Should I report an obstetric or nonobstetric ultrasound?
Answer: Because the patient […]

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ASC Coding Education: Knee Diagnoses & Procedures

Choose this ICD-9 code if you see ‘jumper’s knee’ in the orthopedic surgeon’s note.
Here’s a handy introduction to common ICD-9 codes related to the knee, along with examples of CPT codes for procedures physicians perform to treat knee diagnoses.
Chondromalacia Patella
Chondromalacia patella (717.7) is also known as “patellofemoral syndrome” or “runner’s knee.” This condition results when […]

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