Author: Scichilone, Rita A

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2007

Coding professionals who work for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) should be aware of payment changes effective in 2007 and 2008. The changes seek to coordinate ASC payments with hospital outpatient departments at a rate intended to maintain neutrality between site-of-service choices for patie....

Author: Albaum-Feinstein, Andrea L.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: May 2000

Because coding for professional services in mental health settings requires an understanding of numerous and complex treatment options and settings, a periodic review of Physicians Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) is essential. For many mental healthcare patients, a psychiatrist pr....

Author: Endicott, Melanie; Fletcher, Kathi

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2013

A history of attempts to classify mental illness dates back to the 1840 US census, when the government included an entry to record the frequency of “insanity” in a family. This early record was strictly statistical in nature. In 1948—following World War II—the World....

Author: Huey, Kim

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: May 2013

Though it may seem contrary to popular opinion, electronic health record (EHR) products will make providers' coders more necessary and valuable than ever. Physicians who trust only EHR and computer-assisted coding software to choose the codes they bill, without any training or oversight, a....

Author: Zeisset, Ann M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: April 2000

Implementing the processes for CPT modifier usage in the outpatient hospital setting has been a topic on everyone's "to do" list since HCFA announced the change. There are many variables in executing this change, such as updating or changing computer systems, training staff, and developing chan....

Author: Burgess, Sheila

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2015

The dawn of October also welcomes the official go-live date for ICD-10-CM/PCS—meaning there is absolutely no time left to waste in preparing for the additional documentation requirements necessary for successful ICD-10 implementation. Over the past several years, the healthcare industry h....

Author: Giannangelo, Kathy

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2004

Coding professionals in acute care hospitals know that ICD-9-CM code modifications are implemented every October 1. This year, however, changes taking place will have far-reaching effects. The reason? The diagnosis portion of ICD-9-CM named under HIPAA has become the standard code set for repo....

Author: Martin, Ginny

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: April 2008

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) surprised the coding world last year when it changed its 22-year-old reimbursement system to the severity-adjusted MS-DRG system. HIM departments anticipated the system would have a significant impact on operations—increasing demands f....

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: Cooper, Mary; Ahern, Kitty; Dietz, Linda S.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2000

This article has been abstracted from the AHIMA Nov. 4, 1999 audio seminar "National Correct Coding Initiative" conducted by the authors. For a copy of the complete 90-minute seminar tape, contact AHIMA at (312) 233-1100.
Since 1996, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has us....