Documentation Guidelines - Articles

Minor Procedures Get a Major Sting in the 2021 CERT Report
May 3rd, 2022 - Aimee L. Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT
The 2021 Comprehensive Error Rate Testing report provides important lessons on exactly what errors are being found during chart reviews and how provider organizations can be proactive in their approach to quality documentation that not only supports the services provided to the patient but allows the providers to work in an environment of knowing what must be documented to support what they submit to the payer.

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Are You Keeping up with the Official ICD-10-CM Guideline Changes for COVID-19?
October 25th, 2021 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) has made it interesting and challenging for organizations to keep an eye on the evolving changes to the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting. Have you been keeping up with these changes?
Cross-A-Code Instructions in Find-A-Code
November 18th, 2020 - Raquel Shumway
Cross-A-Codeis a toll found in Find-A-Code which helps you to locate codes in other code sets that help you when submitting a claim.
OIG Report Highlights Need to Understand Guidelines
July 28th, 2020 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
A new OIG report once again highlights the necessity for organizations to fully understand requirements for reporting services and having proper documentation. The types of problems addressed in this report are ongoing issues for multiple types of services and specialties and for many different payers.
Where is the CCI Edit with Modifier 25 on E/M?
May 20th, 2020 - Christine Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
If you are not seeing a CCI edit when reporting an E/M code with a certain procedure, it may be that there is no edit. CMS does not have a CCI edit for every CPT code, however, there are still general coding rules that must be followed.  The use of Modifier 25 is one example ...
ICD-10-CM - Supplement information for E-Cigarette/Vaping Reporting
May 5th, 2020 - Christine Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
The CDC has released additional information and coding guidance for reporting encounters related to the 2019 health care encounters and deaths related to e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI).  The update offers coding scenarios for general guidance, poisoning and toxicity, substance abuse and signs and symptoms.  ICD-10-CM Official Coding Guidelines - ...
Special COVID Laboratory Specimen Coding Information
April 21st, 2020 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
With all the new laboratory test codes that have been added due to the current public health emergency (PHE), there are a few additional guidelines CMS has released about collecting samples to perform the testing. Please keep in mind that these guidelines are by CMS and may or may not apply to other commercial payer policies.
Dismal OIG Report on Telemedicine
April 20th, 2020 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
Providers need to understand the rules for reporting telemedicine services. A recent OIG report shows that this is not the case. What problems are being found in documentation claims? As providers are expanding their telehealth offerings, now is the time to understand the potential pitfalls since disallowed amounts will be taken back.
Changes to Portable X-Ray Requirements
November 19th, 2019 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
On September 30, 2019, CMS published a final rule which made changes to portable x-ray services requirements as found in the law.
The New ICD-10-CM Code Updates Are Here — Are You Ready?
October 1st, 2019 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT, Director of Content
Chapter 1: Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (A00-B99) A small revision in the description changed[STEC] to (STEC) for B96.21, B96.22, B96.23. Remember, in the instructional guidelines, ( ) parentheses enclose supplementary words not included in the description (or not) and [ ] brackets enclose synonyms, alternative wording, or explanatory phrases. Chapter 2: ...
Q/A: What if my Patient Refuses to Fill out the Outcome Assessment Questionnaire?
August 6th, 2019 - ChiroCode
Question: What if my Medicare patient refuses to fill out the outcome assessment questionnaire? Answer: Inform the patient that Medicare requires that you demonstrate functional improvement in order for them to determine if the care is medically necessary. In other words, they may have to pay for the care out of pocket if ...
Q/A: What do I Need to Document for Periodic Adjustments on a Medicare Patient?
July 22nd, 2019 - Evan Gwilliam DC MBA BS CPC NCICS CCPC CCCPC CPC-I MCS-P CPMA
Question: What type of documentation is required for a Medicare patient with degenerative joint disease who get adjusted once or twice a month for occasional flare-ups of the D. J. D. region? The noted adjustments give good relief of the patient's symptoms. Answer: There is no question that these adjustments would be considered ...
The Importance of Medical Necessity
July 9th, 2019 - Marge McQuade, CMSCS, CHCI, CPOM
ICD-10-CM codes represent the first line of defense when it comes to medical necessity. Correctly chosen diagnosis codes support the reason for the visit as well as the level of the E/M services provided. The issue of medical necessity is one of definitions and communication. What is obvious to the ...
2018 Medicare Improper Payment Report Shows Slight Improvement but There's Still Work to be Done
June 27th, 2019 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
The Medicare Improper Payment Report for 2018 is not a measurement of fraud. Rather, it is an estimate of the claims paid by Medicare which did not meet Medicare coverage, coding, and billing rules. The estimated Medicare FFS payment accuracy rate (claims paid correctly) from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017, was 91.9 percent. ...
What Medical Necessity Tools Does Find-A-Code Offer?
June 13th, 2019 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT, Director of Content
Find-A-Code is a great resource for individuals working in all aspects of healthcare, from providers and ancillary staff to the attorneys and payers who assess and critique the documentation supporting the services performed. When recently asked what tools Find-A-Code has to help support medical necessity, our response was, "We provide many resources ...
How to Code Ophthalmologic Services Accurately
June 6th, 2019 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT, Director of Content
Have you ever tried to quickly recall the elements required to support a comprehensive ophthalmologic exam versus an intermediate one? Make coding decisions quickly by creating a cheat sheet containing vital information that allows you to quickly select the right code. According to Article A19881 which was published in 2004 and ...
Noting "Noncontributory" for Past Medical, Family, Social History - Is It Acceptable?
May 29th, 2019 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT, Director of Content
Is "noncontributory" really an unacceptable word to describe a patient whose family history doesn't have any bearing on the condition being evaluated and treated today?
Q/A: If Orthopedic Tests are Negative, do You List Them in Your Treatment Notes?
May 6th, 2019 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
Question: If orthopedic tests are negative, do you need to still list them in your treatment notes? Answer: Yes. Any tests which are performed by a healthcare provider, regardless of the result, should be documented in the patient record. This record is the only way that a reviewer or another provider ...
What is Medical Necessity and How Does Documentation Support It?
April 23rd, 2019 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CMHP, CST, MA, MT
We recently fielded the question, “What is medical necessity and how do I know if it's been met?" The AMA defines medical necessity as: It is important to understand that while the AMA provides general guidance on what they consider medically necessary services, these particular coding guidelines are generic and may be ...
Auditing Chiropractic Services
April 22nd, 2019 - By Evan M. Gwilliam, DC MBA BS CPC CCPC CPC-I QCC MCS-P CPMA CMHP AAPC Fellow Clinical Director, PayDC Chiropractic EHR Software President, Gwilliam Consulting LLC drgwil@gmail.com
Chiropractic is unique from other types of health care and auditors need to be aware of the nuances of this field. Chiropractic has become the focus of more and more audits as doctors seem to struggle to create records that properly support the care provided to the patient throughout the entire episode.
The Impact of Medical Necessity on High Level E/M Services
March 21st, 2019 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CST, MA, MT, Director of Content
I was recently asked the question, "Does 99233 require documentation of a past medical, family, and/or social history (PFSH)?" The quick answer is, "it depends." Code 99233 has the following minimal component requirement: Subsequent inpatient E/M encounters can meet the code level requirement either by component scoring & medical necessity or time & medical necessity. ...
Revised ABN Requirements Still Fuzzy
March 18th, 2019 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
Although it has been quite some time since ChiroCode published an article about the revised instructions for non-participating providers who use the ABN, there are still some outstanding questions about this change. So far, Medicare has not provided additional guidance about this question despite requests by us for clarification. Medicare now requires non-participating providers to include the ...
Understanding NCCI Edits
February 20th, 2019 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CMHP, CST, MA, MT
Medicare creates and maintains the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits and NCCI Policy Manual, which identify code pair edits. When performed on the same patient, on the same day, and by the same provider, the secondary code is considered an integral part of the primary code, and payment for ...
BC Advantage Now Offering Q-Pro CEUs!
February 5th, 2019 - Find-A-Code
We are excited to announce BC Advantage is now offering Q-Pro CEUs! It is now even easier to get your QPro CEUs and stay current with BC Advantage: offering news, CEUs, webinars and more. BC Advantage is the largest independent resource provider in the industry for Medical Coders, Medical Billers,...
Medical Necessity vs. Documentation for Inpatient Services
January 25th, 2019 - NAMAS
Auditing the documentation of inpatient and observation E/M services can often be challenging. Many of the notes we are provided for review include so much information that the note feels like a short novel instead of documentation for one date of service. This over-documentation can make it difficult to see ...
How to Report Co-Surgeons Using Modifier 62
January 23rd, 2019 - Aimee Wilcox, CPMA, CCS-P, CMHP, CST, MA, MT
Modifier 62 is appended to surgical claims to report the need for the skills of two surgeons (co-surgeons) to perform a procedure, with each surgeon performing a distinct part of the same procedure, during the same surgical session. An easy way to explain this is to visualize a patient requiring cervical fusion where ...
Truncated ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
January 22nd, 2019 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
Adherence to ICD-10-CM official guideline's are required under HIPAA and adopted for all healthcare settings. We have made it easy to access guidelines and made them available on the code information page, either on the page you are viewing or view more information by selecting the ICD-10-CM Chapter Section/Guidelines and ...
Home Oxygen Therapy
January 22nd, 2019 - Raquel Shumway
Home Oxygen Therapy Guidelines
Keeping Up to Date
December 7th, 2018 - NAMAS
Keeping up to date on coding and documentation changes, is critical for medical coders, billers, auditors, and compliance personnel. Every year American Medical Association (AMA) creates, revises, and deletes CPT codes on January 1st. Same thing occurs with the ICD-10 codes in October. For CPT codes, the intention of the...
Auditing looking between the lines
November 30th, 2018 - BC Advantage
When given the task of auditing a group of charts, most often the scope of the audit is well defined. For me, there are times when my natural inquisitive nature turns on and I find my noticing the "timing" of parts of documentation. These are things that you would not...
Billing 99211 Its not a freebie
November 9th, 2018 - BC Advantage
It seems like a simple code to bill, but CPT 99211 (established patient office visit) is by no means a freebie when it comes to documentation and compliance. This lowest level office visit code is sometimes called a "nurse visit" because CPT does not require that a physician be present...
Muscle Testing and Range of Motion Information
November 8th, 2018 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
Be sure to understand the unique code requirements for Muscle and Range of Motion Testing.
Medi-Cal Coverage Criteria for Hospital Beds and Accessories
November 7th, 2018 - Raquel Shumway
Medi-Cal coverage of child and adult hospital beds and accessaries. What is covered and what documentation is required.
Documentation Requirements for Allergy Testing 10/29/2018
October 30th, 2018 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
Per CMS, First Coast Service Options LCD 33261: Medical record documentation (e.g., history & physical, office/progress notes, procedure report, test results) must include the following information, and be available upon request: A complete medical and immunologic history and appropriate physical exam obtained by face-to-face contact with the patient. The medical necessity for performing ...
We've Always Done It This Way and Other Challenges in Education
October 19th, 2018 - BC Advantage
As coders, auditors, and compliance professionals, we are the provider's advocates in closing the gap between what is medically necessary and what is required for documentation. Sometimes that places us in the role where we need to save our clinicians from themselves, and the patterns they have fallen into...
Q/A: What Diagnosis Codes Should I Use for TMJ Headache Massage for Coverage?
October 16th, 2018 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
Question: We have been receiving several DDS referrals to our massage therapists who do intra-oral work. The only problem is that the referral from the DDS lists code R51 for headaches as the only DX code. Since most plans don't cover massage therapy for headaches alone, are there any codes that can distinguish the headaches as ...
Chiropractic OIG Audit Recommendations - Lessons Learned
September 28th, 2018 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
The OIG recently concluded an audit on a chiropractic office located in Florida and had some significant findings. They recommended the following: Refund to the Federal Government the portion of the estimated $169,737 overpayment for claims for chiropractic services that did not comply with Medicare requirements and are within the 4-year ...
Join QPro Today and Get Certified
September 12th, 2018 - Find a Code
Join QPro Today and Get Certified! To have a credential in the medical profession shows you have met a minimum standard for professional and ethical standards. Often employers prefer to hire staff that will be involved with any type of patient information such as coding, to show proof they have met certain ...
Importance of Depression Screenings
August 16th, 2018 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
Why would a chiropractor be concerned about depression screenings when you aren’t trained to be a mental health provider? The answer lies in patient outcomes. Many quality care organizations recommend depression screenings for patients with a chronic condition. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, “People with other chronic ...
Attention Providers - Please Make Time to Read this Letter
July 17th, 2018 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
In an effort to show CMS is committed to changing the rules to accommodate their providers CMS released a letter to Doctors of Medicare Beneficiaries. The letter offers encouragement and a promise to reduce the burden of unnecessary rules and requirements. The letter states “President Trump has made it clear that ...
Documentation: Face to Face for Home Health Certification
July 9th, 2018 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
As a physician, you are responsible for providing appropriate, accurate supporting documentation of your face-to-face encounters (FTF) with your patients regarding home health care. Analysis of the recent errors identified by the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) Review Contractor shows a continuing increase in denials related to documentation for the FTF. The ...
WHO Said ICD-11 is Coming Soon
June 26th, 2018 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
Sooner or later ICD-11 will be released, and it sounds like it will be sooner than later. WHO released the news on June 18, 2018. The World Health Organization stated “ICD-11 will be presented at the World Health Assembly in May 2019 for adoption by Member States, and will come ...
Home Oxygen Therapy -- CMN for Oxygen
June 14th, 2018 - Raquel Shumway
The Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN) for Oxygen is a required form that helps to document the medical necessity for oxygen therapy. It also documents other coverage criteria for the oxygen use. For payment on a home oxygen claim, the information in the supplier’s records or the patient’s medical record must be substantiated with the information in the CMN.
Brooklyn Chiropractor OIG Report - Lessons Learned
April 23rd, 2018 - Wyn Staheli, ChiroCode Director of Research & Dr. Evan Gwilliam, Clinical Director PayDC Software
In August of 2017, a Brooklyn chiropractor was ordered to repay $672,805 to Medicare because the reviewer found that 100% of the claims reviewed (from 2011-2012) did not meet medical necessity requirements. The chiropractor enlisted help from two reputable experts who disputed the findings of Medicare’s Professional Reviewer (MPR). However, the OIG maintained that the findings of the original auditor were valid. Since none of us have ½ million in cash just laying around, it is essential to learn, understand, and make changes where appropriate to help audit-proof patient documentation. Read here to learn more.
Documentation for Evaluation and Management (E/M) Services
March 26th, 2018 - Nicole, QCC
According to WPS, when billing or coding for E/M services you should follow a few guidelines. Documentation must support the level of service billed and the medical necessity for the level billed. Below are additional tips for services which commonly incur CERT error findings for insufficient documentation. Critical Care Visits Clear indication of patient ...
Q/A: Why is Code 99080 Being Denied when Billed with an E/M Service?
March 21st, 2018 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
In order to understand and answer the question, "Why code 99080 is being denied when billed with an E/M Service, it is important to first review the requriements of selecting the appropriate level of Evaluation and Management service and how that relates to reporting a 99080 special report service. Continue reading for better understanding.
When is 97112 Neuromuscular Re-education Billable?
March 13th, 2018 - Dr. Evan Gwilliam, VP for PayDC
Q: I just received a note from an attorney regarding a patient who was rear ended about 40 mph and ended up with neuropathy in her upper and lower extremities. We treated her for about 3 months after previous care failed to give much relief. I used flexion distraction and deep muscle stimulation to break up adhesions from the injury and used the 97112 code of neuromuscular re-education. The insurance company said that code was not warranted for her spinal sprain diagnosis and denied all of the services. Do you know how I could justify it? It greatly improved her condition with each visit and the patient said we provided the greatest relief she received.
Documentation for Urological Supplies
March 9th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on required documentation for urological supplies.
Documentation for Surgical Dressings
March 9th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on required documentation for surgical dressings.
Documentation for Ordering Oxygen Supplies and Equipment
March 9th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on required documentation for Ordering Oxygen Supplies and Equipment.
Documentation for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
March 9th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on required documentation for negative pressure wound therapy.
Documentation for Enteral Nutrition
March 9th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on required documentation for enteral nutrition. ...
Documentation for Skilled Nursing Facilities
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on required documentation for Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF).
Delivering Bacterial Culture Lab Orders
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on delivering orders for bacterial culture laboratory tests...
Coverage for Power Tilt/Recline Seating Systems for Wheelchairs
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides coverage guidance for Power Tilt and/or Recline Seating Systems...
Documentation Tips for Ostomy Supplies
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on essential documentation elements required to prevent denials for ostomy supplies....
Preventing Denials for Lower Limb Prosthesis
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on denials for lower leg prostheses and how to prevent them: For the 2017 report period, most of the improper payments for lower leg prostheses were due to insufficient documentation. For Medicare to cover a lower limb prosthesis claim, the medical record must support the beneficiary’s ...
Preventing Denials for Therapeutic CGMs and Related Supplies
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network, provides coverage guidance on therapeutic CGMs and Related Supplies
Documentation and Orders for Laboratory Tests
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on required documentation for ordering laboratory tests.
Documentation and Orders for Respiratory Assistive Device
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on required documentation for a respiratory assistive device and ordering guidelines.
Documentation for Home Health Services (Part A non DRG)
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medical Learning Network provides coverage guidance, which should be documented, for home health services.
Documentation for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities
March 8th, 2018 - Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Learning Network provides guidance on required documentation for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRF).
Q and A: Coding Mixed Cardiogenic and Septic Shock
February 1st, 2018 - BC Advantage
Q: If the attending documented, "likely mixed cardiogenic and septic shock," can I assign codes R57.0 and R65.21? A: Refer to the documentation within the code book. If you open the book to the R57 code grouping (Shock not elsewhere classified) listed below there is an Excludes1 note. Remember,...
Insufficient Documentation Errors
January 29th, 2018 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
According to CMS ICN 909160, claims are determined to have insufficient documentation errors when the medical documentation  submitted is inadequate to support payment for the services billed, meaning the reviewer could not conclude that some of the allowed services were actually provided, were provided at the level billed, and/or were medically necessary. Claims ...
GeneSight Psychotropic Testing and Documentation
January 9th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation, there is limited coverage for the GeneSight® Psychotropic (AssureRx Health, Inc, Mason, OH) gene panel. GeneSight® testing may only be ordered by licensed psychiatrists or neuropsychiatrists contemplating an alteration in neuropsychiatric medication for patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) (in accordance with DSM IV/V criteria) who are suffering with refractory moderate to ...
Coverage and/or Medical Necessity for the Use of Hyaluronan or Derivitive
January 9th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to Palmetto GBA, Medicare will cover the cost of the injection and the injected hyaluronate polymer for patients who meet the following clinical criteria: Knee pain associated with radiographic evidence of osteophytes in the knee joint, sclerosis in bone adjacent to the knee, or joint space narrowing. Morning stiffness of less than 30 minutes in duration or crepitus on motion of the ...
Antiresorptive Osteonecrosis of the Jaws
January 9th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
Osteonecrosis is a serious bone disease caused when the bone is starved of its normal blood supply. Because bone is living tissue, without a good supply of oxygenated blood, it becomes weakened and then dies. Scientists have not been able to identify the exact cause of osteonecrosis of the jaws, but they have ...
PT and OT Reevaluation Coding
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to CGS Administrators, the reevaluation is focused on evaluation of progress toward current goals and making a professional judgment about continued care, modifying goals and/or treatment, or terminating services. Reevaluation provides additional objective information not included in other documentation, such as treatment or progress notes.Reevaluations are distinct from therapy ...
Reimbursement for Therapy Students
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to CGS Administrators, qualified professionals may serve as clinical instructors for therapy students within their scope of practice. Physical therapist assistants and occupational therapy assistants may only serve as clinical instructors for physical therapist assistant students and occupational therapy assistant students, respectively, when performed under the direction and supervision ...
Skilled Therapy, When it's Appropriate and Billable
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to CGS Administrators, "A service is not considered a skilled therapy service merely because it is furnished by a therapist or by a therapist/therapy assistant under the direct or general supervision, as applicable, of a therapist. If a service can be self-administered or safely and effectively furnished by an unskilled person, ...
Ultrasound Therapy
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to CGS Administrators, therapeutic ultrasound is a deep heating modality that produces a sound wave of 0.8 to 3.0 MHz. In the human body ultrasound has several pronounced effects on biologic tissues. It is attenuated by certain tissues and reflected by bone. Thus, tissues lying immediately next to bone may receive ...
Proper Usage of Electrical Stimulation
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to CGS Administrators, most non-wound care electrical stimulation treatment provided in therapy should be billed as G0283 as it is often provided in a supervised manner (after skilled application by the qualified professional/auxiliary personnel) without constant, direct contact required throughout the treatment. 97032 is a constant attendance electrical stimulation modality ...
Modifiers 54-55, split surgical and postoperative care
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
54 -Surgical care only; Surgeon is performing only the preoperative and intra-operative care 55 - Postoperative management only; Physician, other than surgeon, assumes all or part of postoperative care Modifiers should be placed on the surgical code Used on 10 day and 90 day surgical procedures Both the surgeon and the physician providing the postoperative ...
Initial Evaluation Codes for PT's and OT's
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to CGS Administrators, for initial evaluations, PTs shall use code 97161-97163 and OTs shall use code 97164-97167. Physicians and other qualified non-physician providers should use the evaluation and management codes 99201-99350 for evaluations.Consider the following points when billing for an evaluation. These evaluation codes are untimed, billable as one unit. Do ...
Hydrotherapy Guidelines
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to CGS Administrators, hydrotherapy involves the patient’s immersion in a tank of agitated water in order to relieve muscle spasm, improve circulation, or cleanse wounds, ulcers, or exfoliative skin conditions.Qualified professional/auxiliary personnel one-on-one supervision of the patient is required. If the level of care does not require the skills of ...
General Physical Therapy Modality Guidelines
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to CGS Administrators, CPT codes 97012, 97016, 97018, 97022, 97024, 97026, and 97028 require supervision by the qualified professional/auxiliary personnel of the patient during the intervention. CPT codes 97032, 97033, 97034, 97035, 97036, and 97039 require direct (one-on-one) contact with the patient by the provider (constant attendance). Coverage for these codes ...
Diathermy eg Microwave Use and Documentation
January 4th, 2018 - Find-A-Code
According to CGS Administrators, the objective of these treatments is to cause vasodilation and relieve pain from muscle spasm. Because heating is accomplished without physical contact between the modality and the skin, it can be used even if skin is abraded, as long as there is no significant edema.Diathermy achieves ...
Lung Cancer Screening Counseling and Shared Decision Making Visit, and Annual Screening for Lung Cancer with LDCT
December 20th, 2017 - Find-A-Code
Effective February 5, 2015, a CMS National Coverage Determination (NCD) added lung cancer screening counseling and shared decision making visit, and for certain beneficiaries, annual screening for lung cancer with Low Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT), as an additional screening service benefit under the Medicare program if all eligibility criteria described ...
Auditing the Use of a Scribe
December 1st, 2017 - Shannon DeConda, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CEMA, CPMA, CRTT
A scribe is someone that can act as a walking transcriptionist on behalf of a medical provider......
Does an Informed Consent Really Matter?
November 27th, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, QCC, CMCS, CPC, CMRS
Yes, it does matter! A lack of informed consent could possibly be considered any of the following, misconduct, crime, medical malpractice, negligence or battery. The concept of using an informed consent began around 1972, in 1992; the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that informed consent laws are...
Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (ESA)
November 27th, 2017 - Wyn Staheli, Director of Research
Coverage ESA is typically covered for the following condition(s): Treatment of anemia associated with chronic renal failure (whether or not that patient is on dialysis) Treatment of significant anemia in patients with non-myeloid malignancies where anemia is due to the effect of concomitantly administered chemotherapy Treatment of anemia due to AZT and/or other Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTI) used in treatment of HIV/AIDS Treatment of selected ...
Inpatient critical care: When is it ok to question the medical necessity?
November 24th, 2017 - Stephanie Allard, CPC, CEMA, RHIT
While critical care may be easily identifiable within documentation it is not always clear if it is medically necessary.....
CMS Proposes to Revise Evaluation & Management Guidelines
October 26th, 2017 - BC Advantage
According to the recently released 2018 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule, published in the Federal Register, dated July 21, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) acknowledges that the current Evaluation and Management (E/M) documentation guidelines create an administrative burden and increased audit risk for providers. In response, ...
PFSH Documentation: Q and A
October 20th, 2017 - Shannon DeConda, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CEMA, CPMA, CRTT
When coding an E/M visit in the emergency department, would you count all PFSH listed even if they don't pertain to the indication as to why the patient arrived?
Acronyms and Abbreviations: When You Fall into the Grey Area
October 6th, 2017 - Omega Renne, CPC, CPMA, CPCO, CEMC, CIMC
We've all been there... you are coding or auditing, and then a note comes up that is not like the ones you've reviewed before. The language is unclear, the acronym(s) could mean so many different things, and it's hard to get a straight answer about whether or not it's supported higher or lower....
Copy and Paste: The Real Rules Prevail
September 15th, 2017 - Shannon DeConda, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CMSCS, CPMA, CEMA
Have you looked for published guidance on cloning/copying and pasting from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)? There is one published resource that provides rudimentary guidance.....
2017 Physical Therapy Evaluation & Management Codes
September 1st, 2017 - Kathy Price, RHIT, CPC, CCS-P, CPMA
As you know, 2017 brought us new evaluation and management codes for physical and occupational therapy....
If It’s Not a Consultation, What Is It?
August 16th, 2017 - Omega Renne, CPC, CPCO, CPMA, CEMC, CIMC
You thought you had a consultation supported in your documentation, and now you find out that you cannot bill the consultation codes (99241-99245, 99251- 99255). So, what are the top reasons for a consultation not to be supported? If the payer does not support these codes If the documentation does not support ...
Injury, Poisoning, and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88)
August 11th, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
There is important information that must be included when documenting injuries and external cause codes in ICD-10-CM. There are expanded sections on poisonings and toxins making it more convenient to code, as ICD-10-CM is very specific. When using a code from Chapter 19 (Injury, Poisoning and Certain other Consequences of External ...
Requirements for Physicians Orders for DME/HCPCS
August 1st, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
Effective July 1, 2013, certain DME/HCPCS codes require a valid detailed written order prior to delivery. There are very specific rules and requirements requiring medical necessity and orders/prescriptions. It is also required to keep a copy in the patients chart. If billing CMS and commercial payers payers, the DME prescribed may be denied ...
NGS Medicare Releases New Audit Tool
June 30th, 2017 - Liz Wilson, RHIT, CCS, CDIP, CPC, CRC, CEMC
Evaluation and Management (E/M) codes are defined by the AMA Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) codebook and while they are the most commonly utilized CPT codes, their code descriptions have not changed in years.
The Big Myth: “If it Isn’t Written, it Wasn’t Done” Documentation is NOT a Requirement for Most Medicare Claims
June 30th, 2017 - David Glaser, JD
This tip may contradict everything you've heard before. However, if you consider it with an open mind, you will see that it is an accurate characterization of the law, and it is also consistent with common sense. The phrase "If it isn't written, it wasn't done" is repeated so commonly ...
Diagnosing, Documenting, and Coding for Radiculopathy
June 30th, 2017 - Evan Gwilliam, DC, MBA, BS, CPC, CCPC, CPC-I, CPMA, NCICS, MCS-P, QCC, CMHP
Radiculopathy can be an unpleasant condition, but diagnosing, documenting and coding for it does not have to be. It just takes a little research. The brain communicates with the body via the spinal cord which is protected by the bones of the spinal column, called vertebrae. Nerve roots exit in ...
Focus on Clinical Documentation to Improve Coding and Audit Results
June 29th, 2017 - Betty Stump, MHS, RHIT, CPC, CCS-P, CPMA, CDIP
Auditors spend their day surrounded by the end product of the health care process. Those CPT, HCPCS and ICD-10-CM codes generated as a result of services provided to the patient. Our work is focused on determining if those codes have been correctly assigned based on the content of the medical ...
Ultraviolet Therapy
June 14th, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
Treatment of this type is generally used for patients requiring the application of a drying heat. For example, this treatment would be considered reasonable and necessary for the treatment of severe psoriasis where there is limited range of motion. Only 1 unit of CPT code 97028 is covered per date of service. Supportive Documentation ...
Documentation for Physical Therapist
June 13th, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
Medical review decisions are based on the information submitted in the medical record. Therefore, it is critical that the medical record information submitted is accurate and complete to allow medical review to make a fair payment decision. The medical record information submitted should: Paint a picture of the patient’s impairments and ...
Insufficient Documentation Errors
March 2nd, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
When the medical documentation submitted is inadequate to support payment for the services billed, it may be determined that the claim contained insufficient documentation. If the claims reviewer is unable to conclude the services, some or all, were actually provided, they may determine the claim is unprocessable or incomplete. There are ...
Documentation: Face to Face for Home Health Certification
February 27th, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
As a physician, you are responsible for providing appropriate, accurate supporting documentation of your face-to-face encounters (FTF) with your patients regarding home health care. Analysis of the recent errors identified by the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) Review Contractor shows a continuing increase in denials related to documentation for the FTF. ...
Insufficient Documentation Errors
February 15th, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
Claims are determined to have insufficient documentation errors when the medical documentation submitted is inadequate to support payment for the services billed - meaning the reviewer could not conclude that some of the allowed services were actually provided, were provided at the level billed, and/or were medically necessary. Claims are also ...
Pre-Existing or Gestational?
January 20th, 2017 - Chris Woolstenhulme, CPC, CMRS
It is important to make a clear distinction between pre-existing conditions and conditions brought on by the pregnancy (gestational) or pregnancy related conditions. Condition Detail: Was the condition pre-existing (i.e., present before pregnancy)? Trimester: When did the pregnancy-related condition develop? Casual Relationship: Establish the relationship between the pregnancy and the complication (e.g., preeclampsia). Code examples: O99.011 Anemia ...
History of Present Illness
August 5th, 2016 - Omega Renne, CPC, CPCO, CPMA, CEMC, CIMC
Per Medicare's 1995 and 1997 documentation guidelines, "HPI is a chronological description of the development of the patient's present illness from the first sign and/or symptom or from the previous encounter to the present." The History of Present Illness (HPI) is the story that explains the progress of the condition ...
Family history--what counts
December 29th, 2015 - Codapedia Editor
The Documentation Guidelines describe family history as: a review of medical events in the patient's family, including diseases which may be hereditary or place the patient at risk This family history is a review of the illness's, health status, and cause of death of close members of the patient's...
Not Documented, Not Done: Medicare Myth or Rule?
December 29th, 2015 - Codapedia Staff
After years of unchallenged recitation, the coding community has virtually canonized the phrase “not documented—not done” into coding scripture. But there are good reasons to question whether the now-famous epigram reflects an actual rule or whether it has simply taken on a life of...
99213 Established patient visit
October 15th, 2015 - Betsy Nicoletti
There are sample audited notes in resource section. 99213 is an established patient visit which requires 2 of 3 of the following components: An expanded, problem focused history, which is 1-3 HPI elements and 1 system in ROS reviewed An expanded, problem focused exam, which is 6 bullets from...
Documentation Guidelines
July 27th, 2015 - Codapedia Editor
Clinicians are still allowed to use either the 1995 or the 1997 Documentation Guidelines, whichever set is more beneficial to the clinician. Payers are required to use whichever set is more beneficial to the clinician. Some organizations have a policy stating they will only use one or the other, but that is not required by CMS or any other government payer. In fact, it is permissible to switch back and forth between the two sets of Guidelines from one note to the next.
What counts as social history?
July 27th, 2015 - Codapedia Editor
The Documentation Guidelines say social history is: an age appropriate review of past and current activities. As auditors, we interpret this to include: smoking, alcohol and drug use living arrangements employment history school history support system, if relevant In...
Medical Necessity is not Medical Decision Making
June 1st, 2015 - Codapedia Editor
I can count on two consistent issues in coding audits. Doctors report that their patients are, in general, sicker than patients in other practices. Coders report that their physicians are, in general, worse documenters than physicians in other practices and select codes that are too high based on...
99212--established patient visit
June 1st, 2015 - Betsy Nicoletti
Established patient visits all require 2 out of 3 of history, exam, medical decision making 99212: History required is problem focused: 1-3 HPI elements Exam required is problem focused: 1 body area/organ system examined from the 1995 exam, or one bullet from the multi-specialty exam or any...
Review of Systems
January 30th, 2015 - Codapedia Editor
Sometimes one symptom can be used in more than one system. For example, dizziness. Although we typically think of this as a neurological symptom, sometimes cardiologists ask about dizziness and relate it to the cardiovascular system. In the citations section of this entry, there are references...
Consult Documentation Guidelines
September 3rd, 2014 - Jeannie Cagle, BSN, RN, CPC
By Jeannie Cagle, BSN, RN, CPC For those practices that bill consultation codes, the guidelines can be confusing. Yet, it is worth taking the time to learn the rules to get the additional reimbursement paid for consultation codes over new patient codes. Remember the following: · ...
Cloned documentation on OIG radar screen in 2014
May 23rd, 2014 - Scott Kraft
One of the areas where the OIG has its sights set in 2014 is on physician documentation. The OIG plans to review documentation of E/M services looking for what it describes as “documentation vulnerabilities.” Put more specifically, the OIG reports that Medicare Administrative...
EMRs - Coding and Compliance Concerns
April 24th, 2013 - Allison Singer, CPC
Introduction The past year has been an exciting time for healthcare professionals, bringing more changes, opportunities and challenges than ever before. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which is a portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act...
Modifier -24
June 21st, 2009 - Crystal Reeves, CPC, CMPE
Modifier 24 is used to indicate that an Evaluation and Management service was provided by the surgeon to a patient within the global period of a major or minor surgery. The claim must be accompanied by documentation that supports that the service is not related to the postoperative care for the...
ROS Checklist
April 22nd, 2009 - Rikki Runyon
Review of Systems CHECKLIST: -General- ? Weight loss or gain ? Fatigue ? Fever or chills ? Weakness ? Trouble sleeping ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Skin- ? Rashes ...
E/M service with no exam
April 13th, 2009 - Codapedia Editor
Does an E/M service require an exam? It depends on the category of service. Established patients and subsequent hospital visits require two out of three of the key components, history, exam and medical decision making. Any two components at the level of documentation required determines the level...
Using Modifer -59
March 31st, 2009 - Crystal Reeves
By Crystal Reeves, CPC, CMPE, Principal Modifier -59 is probably one of the most misunderstood, misused, and most-feared of all CPT® modifiers. Some practices avoid using it all together because they don’t want to be guilty of unbundling. Some practices do not use it because they are not...
Do headings matter in an E/M note
March 30th, 2009 - Codapedia Editor
When documenting the history components in an Evaluation and Management service, the clinician is not required to use the headings that the Documentation Guidelines define. That is, the history section does not need to be labeled: History of the Present Illness, Review of Systems, and past medical,...
Is time the trump card in selecting an E/M service?
March 29th, 2009 - Codapedia Editor
Is time a trump card in selecting an Evaluation and Management service? Sometimes. Isn't that too frequently the answer in coding? If the visit meets the criteria for using time ot select the code, and if time is a descriptor in the CPT® definition, then yes. The criteria are: ...
Is medical decision making a trump card in E/M services?
March 29th, 2009 - Codapedia Editor
Physicians who treat patients with very serious illnesses sometimes think that they can select the highest level of service in any category based on the high acuity of the patient. After all, isn't a patient with a brain cancer really sick? Shouldn't that patient always be charged a high level...
Can consults be billed based on time?
March 12th, 2009 - Codapedia Editor
Yes, both inpatient and outpatient consults may be coded based on time, when the conditions for using time are met. CPT® tells us that a physician or NPP may use time to select a code when counseing "dominates" the visit. CMS confirms these rules in their Documentation Guidelines....

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