National Correct Coding Initiative – NCCI Updates National Correct Coding Initiative is developed by CMS to promote correct coding techniques in order to eliminate incorrect coding leading to inappropriate payment. NCCI edits are pairs of CPT or HCPCS codes that normally should not be billed by the same physician for the same patient on the…
General Equivalence Mappings – GEMs is a tool to be used like a bi-directional translation dictionary that was developed by National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), AHIMA, the American Hospital Association, and 3M Health Information Systems to assist with the conversion of International Classification of Diseases, 9th…
Influenza – An acute febrile highly contagious viral disease caused by RNA viruses that affects birds and mammals. Yearly vaccination would be the best way to prevent seasonal FLU. CDC’s National Immunization Program (NIP) recommends the high risk persons to get immunized against Influenza if a person is in any of the following category: 1. Children…
CMS has posted the annual ICD-9-CM update that will be effective for dates of service on or after October 1, 2009. To access the new, revised and discontinued ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes on the CMS please click the link http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD9ProviderDiagnosticCodes/07_summarytables.asp#TopOfPage
CDC has created 313 newly added codes, 23 deleted codes and 45 revised codes that would be effective from the date of service October 1 2009. Some interesting changes in the new ICD – 9 – CM includes A new ICD for H1N1 Flu (ICD 488.1) has been added in response to the recent Flu…
Coding information pertaining to the Swine Flu (H1N1) virus vaccination and its administration has been published on the AMA website. Please follow the link to know more
HCPCS level 3 codes came in to existence not before the year 2003. HCPCS level III codes are considered only as local codes and are not nationally accepted. These codes represent an item or service which is not included in the HCPCS level I and level II codes. Normally these codes would starts with an…
Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Category II codes contains a set of supplemental tracking codes for performance measurement and in turn decrease the need for record abstraction and chart review to minimize administrative burden on physicians, other health care professionals, hospitals and entities seeking to measure the quality of patient care. These codes do not serve…
What is Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis usually known as hardening of the arteries, atherosclerosis refers to the conditions that result from the deposition of fatty deposits along the inner walls of arteries. These deposits, along with resulting inflammatory action by the immune system, lead to narrowing and eventual blockage of the affected artery. This blockage interrupts the…
ICD – International Classification of diseases currently has its 10 th edition followed all over the world, but ICD-9-CM International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification proved to be greater impact on the US healthcare industry since ICD-9-CM has been followed in US for many years from 1979 to till date and the US…
