Author: Huff, Garry L.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: November 2003

Diabetes mellitus represents a group of disorders that are characterized by hyperglycemia. The clinical and ICD-9-CM classification of diabetes mellitus have evolved as understanding of insulin physiology has expanded. This article will explain diabetes mellitus and its ICD-9-CM classification....

Author: Zeisset, Ann M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: November 2003

New ICD-9-CM codes and DRG changes for fiscal year 2004 were released in the August 1, 2003, Federal Register. These changes went into effect October 1, 2003, with discharges occurring on or after that date. There were 104 new diagnosis codes and 10 new procedure codes. Due to code expansions,....

Author: Hull, Susan

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: January 2004

Changes for CPT 2004 affect all chapters, and it’s important to stay up to speed. This article presents a summary of CPT changes for 2004. Because a number of the procedures may be unfamiliar to some coding professionals, AHIMA has provided online links to descriptive articles on these s....

Author: Huff-Allen, Angela; Wills-Dubose, Sarah

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: January 2004

Millions of people are afflicted with chronic sinusitis annually. Most patients can be effectively treated with antibiotics, but for those who cannot, surgery is often recommended.
Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is one of the fastest growing procedures performed in the field of otolaryng....

Author: Kostick, Karen M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2004

V codes, described in the ICD-9-CM chapter “Supplementary Classification of Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services,” are often misunderstood in reporting healthcare services. These codes are designed for occasions when circumstances other than a disease....

Author: Stanfill, Mary H

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2004

The physician section of the 2004 OIG work plan includes a focus on appropriate use of modifiers used to bypass National Correct Coding Initiative edits and modifier 25 (Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the procedur....

Author: Zeisset, Ann M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: March 2004

Transvenous intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a relatively new procedure used to treat complications of severe liver disease such as bleeding esophageal varices. This extensive procedure is typically performed by interventional radiologists and involves the placement of a stent in the....

Author: Scichilone, Rita A

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: March 2004

Some people might believe that selecting the right clinical code number is roughly equivalent to the process of finding a phone number to order a pizza.
You can use a book with an index, or its electronic equivalent, to locate the numbers required, then push some buttons and the “s....

Author: Grocela, Joseph; Stanfill, Mary H

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: April 2004

Fewer than five years ago, ICD-9-CM contained just one code for classifying hyperplasia of the prostate. Today, there are nine ICD-9-CM codes in category 600, Hyperplasia of prostate. What is hyperplasia, and why have so many changes been made to this code category in recent years?

....

Author: Hull, Susan

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: April 2004

The coding of vascular access procedures has been problematic for some time. New codes were added to CPT as new techniques developed, but the organization of the subsection was vague and the coding of some types of devices unclear. With CPT 2004, an entire new subsection, Central Venous Acces....