Coding and billing accuracy has never been more critical to your practice’s financial survival. From the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), which requires medical practices to submit specific data to meet value-based payment requirements, to the rise of high deductible health plans (HDHPs), more patients than ever before are paying out of pocket for certain services.
Defend Your Turf as a Coder!
As a medical coder and biller, you are the first line of defense for your medical practice as it takes on the monumental payment challenges of value-based programs and HDHPs. Don’t let declining patient numbers and revenue shortfalls infect your practice in 2018!
Accurately coded claims were the focus of this year’s Coding Updates Virtual Boot Camp at ProfEdOnDemand, where an extensive panel of coding and compliance experts addressed the myriad code changes and payment issues that will matter most in 2018 in 10 top specialties. The preconference events also provided critical education on hot 2018 topics that your practice can’t afford to miss.
Here are some of the highlights of a successful boot camp that is still available via recordings of the audio conference sessions.
Cardiology
In her four-part teaching track that included a succinct, practical overview of the relevant CPT© and ICD-10 changes for 2018 for cardiology, expert speaker Terry Fletcher provided direct advice on what you need to do to ensure your E/M coding is audit-ready.
She also addressed what you need to know to accurately report your cath lab services, and what’s important for 2018 for your pacemaker and valve replacements.
Gastroenterology
Having to adjust your GI coding to fit annual CPT©, HCPCS, and ICD-10 changes is a given. But without good instruction, you’ll be driving into 2018 without a reliable GPS. In this 6-track GI-intensive session, national expert Jill Young advised participants on the code changes that will directly affect GI reporting this year.
Via direction on how best to recoup your pay for endoscopies and your E/M services and adjust your colonoscopy coding to meet payer directives, Young set everyone straight on the toughest questions in the field. And she addressed how to proactively prepare for audits.
Ob-Gyn
Starting 2018 off right requires a clear understanding of the code adjustments you’ll need to make for your practice’s ob-gyn claims. Having someone clear out the clutter and focus on what’s most important is like feng shui for the brain, and Lori-Lynne A. Webb did just that with the CPT© and ICD-10 ob-gyn coding changes you need to know. Advising participants on how to accurately report E/M services in the coming year, unraveling the mysteries of the ob global package, delving into what auditors will be looking for in the coming year were all part of Webb’s excellent sessions.
Ophthalmology
There are always things you wished you’d known at the beginning of the year that can make all the difference in your claims accuracy and improve your overall reimbursement results. Take action early and put 2018 ophthalmology coding and billing updates in your plan now with expert ophthalmology consultant Jeffrey Restuccio.
Addressing key CPT© and ICD-10 changes and compliance issues that are relevant for eye care in 2018, Restuccio took on everything from Medicare updates and medical necessity for office visits to auditing for ophthalmology practices and MIPS/MACRA navigation.
Orthopedics
Start the new year off on the right foot with access to expert orthopedic coding guidance on what’s most important for your 2018 claims. Orthopedic coding experts Margie Scalley Vaught and Lynn Anderanin walked through the 2018 changes in the CPT© code set, reviewed NCCI guideline adjustments, provided updates on ICD-10, and alerted coders to what the OIG Work Plan includes.
Also included is a focused look at what’s new for shoulder coding and spinal coding, how to report DME supplies, and a thorough review of the podiatry changes that will affect reporting. “I always find important information when these two speakers put on a webinar or live seminar,” said the CEO of an orthopedic and sports medicine practice who attended.
“Margie is very informative and knowledgeable,” added an attendee. “Great speaker.” Other participants lauded the E/M session and the shoulder section of the presentation by Vaught.
Otolaryngology
If you know you’re up to date on 2018 code changes and understand what’s needed to correctly report your otolaryngology services in the coming year, you’ll have confidence in accurate coding and can rest easy for the rest of the year.
Coding maven Barbara J. Cobuzzi helped attendees learn about the CPT© and ICD-10 adjustments they need to make and explained the key audit areas to be particularly careful about this year in her sessions on otolaryngology coding changes for 2018. “Barbara Cobuzzi is full of information and we always learn from her many years of experience,” said a practice administrator from an oto clinic in New York. “It’s always beneficial to listen to a different perspective and from someone who has so many years of experience.”
Pain Management
With opioids and medication concerns taking over the headlines these days, it’s more important than ever to stay up on 2018 coding changes for pain management.
Coding and billing executive Amy Turner talked about the CPT© 2018 changes and ICD-10 updates that matter most to your pain management coding in her four sessions on supporting medical necessity for claims, nerve block coding, audit areas, and advanced procedural coding for intrathecal pumps, spinal cord stimulation, kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty.
“The explanation of implants was very clear which will make auditing them a lot easier,” noted one participant in Turner’s sessions.
Pathology
When a specimen is found to be benign, that’s good news for the patient. Participants in the sessions on path/lab CPT© and ICD-10 changes for 2018 learned the best way to produce “benign” coding claims in 2018 that are error-free, fully-reimbursable, and good news for path/lab practices. “Everything was beneficial,” said a coder who participated in what was a “very good conference.”
With expertly delivered info that was focused on practical application rather than on generic lists, Ellen Garver and Peggy Slagle guided participants through key issues for pathology practices and labs, including lab and pathology regulatory updates, surgical pathology and clinical lab auditing, coding for surgical pathology, and cytopathology and molecular diagnostics.
Pediatrics
Veteran pediatric coding experts Donelle Holle and Jennifer Godreau put conference-goers on the path to recovering all their deserved payments this year in their sessions on 2018 pediatric coding and reimbursement issues.
From what’s most relevant for pediatrics in the CPT© 2018 changes and ICD-10 updates to instruction on refining E/M coding and protecting your payments with the best protocols, the pediatrics sessions were hailed as “very informative” and were not to be missed.
Urology
Some of the best teachers in urology coding, Dr. Michael A. Ferragamo, Jr. and Dr. Jonathan M. Rubenstein, delved into the intricacies of 2018 urology coding changes in four sessions during the boot camp. From what’s new in CPT© 2018 and ICD-10 for urology and how to apply this information to what you need to know to report accurate claims for your urodynamics services this year, they provided information you can’t afford to miss.
They also addressed laparoscopies and how to code them, what to do about consult coding in 2018, and how to prepare for a possible audit. The “overall experience was great,” said a director of audit and compliance who attended. “These benefited me by obtaining CEUs that pertained to my CUC certification.”
