Immunizations with counseling are one of most incorrectly billed services.  The code 90460 reads "first or only component of each vaccine or toxoid administered".  Example of correct billing:  90710 is for a MMRV.  The proper way to bill this wo...Read more.

Have you heard the news of how to remove the A for those of you with your apprentice?  Make sure you read Reed's letter in the January issue of the Coding Edge.  Those people with the CPC-A now have another option for removal of their "A".  This is the informa...Read more.

The question I am asked often is "Why can't we find out what questions we missed on any certification examination with AAPC"?  Well first of all I understand your frustration with not knowing which questions you answered incorrectly.  The reason...Read more.

Have heard about ACO's?  Do you know what they are?  ACO's stand for Accountable Care Organizations and they are part of the new health law that is proposed by Obama administration.  ACO's will be a network of doctors and hospitals that share responsibility fo...Read more.

Medicare has recently published safety ratings for hospitals.  This is a very interesting website to visit.  Medicare is paying less to those hospitals with high risks of surgical complications, infections and other things. It will also give you information on medi...Read more.

Columbine Health Plan are now being investigated for doctoring patients bills for Chiropractors and changing codes and procedures that never happened.  They are now being investigated by Colorado Attorney Generals Office.  The particular instance they show on 9News...Read more.

I am leaving next week for Regional AAPC Conference in Nashville, TN.  I will give you a overview of the conference next week.  If you are attending, please make sure you look me up.  I will be working the Grand ol Opry Ticket booth for those AAPC members that...Read more.

Do you remember Charla Nash of Connecticut that was mauled by a chimpanzee?  Well she received a new face transplant.  I you get a chance to see her new life click on the link below and see what medical technology can do. The last picture of the slide show is a lit...Read more.

I am committed to helping those coders with a CPC-A.  You are caught in the middle of no experience and getting a job.  The one thing that I feel employers don't understand is the committment you made to get this certification.  The employer doesn't need to te...Read more.

Career Coders is now offering a new Medical Terminology and Anatomy class.  This is a self paced classed with taped videos that is instructed by Kate Tierney.  This class is not only for new coders and billers but also to help prepare you for ICD-10.  If you d...Read more.

I had some very sad news today.  Wanda Eberhard died on July 4, 2011 in Loveland, Colorado.  Wanda was an employee of mine with Big Thompson Medical Group when I was the Director of the Urgent Care Clinic.  Several years ago she studied for the CPC exam and su...Read more.

I had an appointment with a specialist today and we were discussing Medicare and Medicaid write-offs.  The amount the physicians are required to write-off and not bill the patient for is wrong.  Medicare reimbursement continues to decline and our cost of living con...Read more.

Have you attended our Loveland/Ft. Collins AAPC Chapter Meeting?  Our chapter is growing leaps and bounds.  We started this chapter in 2005 with four officers and now we have between 30-40 people attending our meetings.  Last month we had a doctor speak about ...Read more.

I have had many questions about the CPMA credential. Who should take it, what are the qualifications and what is the CPMA examination? The CPMA is the accronym for Certified Professional Medical Auditor. It is a credential through AAPC and taught by NAMAS (National Allia...Read more.

I have many people ask me why they should become a certified coder and which organization is the best? The national exam is not for everyone. My analogy is some people want to be an accountant and others want to be a CPA and others want to move forward in their career. Ev...Read more.

I am asked by potiental students or people trying to get into this field about the job market and are there jobs out there? The answer is yes and no. It is a challenging economy right now no matter what field or career. Are there jobs out there in this field, yes there is...Read more.

I had an interesting phone call from a patient today.  I file some claims for a local physician because they don't accept assignment and some patients want their claims filed for them. This patient called because they had a hormonal implant placed.  The doctor use...Read more.

There has been some confusion on when you can or cannot charge for a ear lavage and what qualifies for an ear lavage. These are the questions that are frequently asked. If the nurse performs an ear lavage can you charge 69210?      No you cannot and th...Read more.

I just got back from the AAPC Long Beach conference and it was awesome.  Seen a couple of my chapter members and I was glad to see us represented.  The speakers were fabulous.  I believe the conference gets better and better every year. I am also excited to a...Read more.

Did you know that OIG has a Most Wanted List?  Their Most Wanted list is compiled of 170 fugitives but displays the worst of the worst of the top ten.  These 170 fugitives are responsible for $124 million dollars worth of fraud. Here is the link to view this infor...Read more.

I have an article posted in this months AAPC Coding Edge called "Eliminate the Interview Jitters".   I want to expand a little more about the interview process. We never know what an employer is looking for in a new employee.  Some want experienced coders and...Read more.

Have you read the AAPC Code of Ethics?  As medical billers and coders we have standards that we are expected to uphold and to accurately represent the credentials we have earned.  It is also our responsibility to report any activity that is perceived as a violatio...Read more.

Have you attended a AAPC National Convention?  If you haven't, you don't know what you are missing.  I have been attending for quite a few years now (way before I was a part of the National Advisory Board) and I look forward to it every year.  Last year m...Read more.

I hear many grunts and groans over ICD-10, why is it happening, why change what is working, blah, blah, blah.  Well I can tell you from experience that it is easy.  If you can look up an ICD-9 code, you will do the exact same thing for ICD-10.  These are the d...Read more.

I know there are CPC-A's out there that are trying to get a job.  What I tell everyone is Don't Give Up.  It is a difficult economy and it has influenced everyone.  As I have spoke in the past about my husband being laid-off (any he is not in the medical field...Read more.

Do you ever wonder what is safe anymore?  Now they are saying Bath Salts contain potent chemicals, including mephedron, which is a stimulant. No wonder I love sitting in the tub and feel so relaxed.  A hot bath with Bath Salts made me relax and feel like I was...Read more.

What is "Medical Necessity"?  Well Medicare defines medical necessity as “services or items reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of a malformed body member" ...Read more.

What do you think of Electronic Medical Records?  I have pro and con thoughts with EMR.  In my opinion it is not a perfect system yet.  Will it ever be a perfect system?  I don't know, much of it depends on how the system is set up and how it is used. I ...Read more.

The cost of insurance has me in an uproar.  I have heard the complaints of people unemployed or those uninsured but now I am in the same boat and can understand how they feel.  My husband has been laid off since September of 2010.  He can't even get a respons...Read more.

Those of us who are auditors have been concerned with two areas of documentation.  Canned statements that make are on every medical record and coding trends.  These are things the OIG is looking at in 2011.  Below is the OIG Workplan information. Coding of Ev...Read more.

Immunization code 90465 – 90468 have been deleted New immunization codes for 201190460 - Immunization administration through 18 years of age via any route of administration, with counseling by physician or other qualified health care professional; first vaccine/toxoi...Read more.

Three new codes for Subsequent Observation after initial admit to observation 99224 through 99226.  The rationale behind these codes is because office copays were being applied for the previous subsequent observation visits of 99212-99215. These codes require the revie...Read more.