Medical Coding Simplified

Vascular system anatomy and terminology to make reporting these procedures less challenging. A thorough understanding of the anatomy and medical terminology of the vascular system is required to accurately code arterial vessel procedures. Here’s a quick run-through of clinical information and coding guidance to show you how order affects coding. Order Matters Please refer to Appendix L of the CPT® code book for the vascular families. The aorta is the major artery. Each main vessel branching off the aorta is a first order vessel (e.g., left common carotid). First order vessels have several vessels branching off them, designated as second order vessels (e.g., right subclavian and axillary). Second order vessels have several vessels branching off them, designated as third order vessels (e.g., right internal carotid). Third order vessels have several smaller vessels branching off them, designated as beyond the third order (e.g., left deep palmar arch). Catheterization Can Ei...

Chemicals, such as lye or acid, can cause corrosion upon contact with a person's skin. As a professional coding specialist, you may need to code the diagnosis of a burn or corrosion. A chemical burn occurs when living tissue is exposed to a corrosive substance such as a strong acid or base. Chemical burns follow standard burn classification and may cause extensive tissue damage. Burns from a heat source are classified by depth (first, second, third, unspecified), extent, and agent. For multiple burns, sequence the highest degree burn first. Multiple burns of the same three-character category are coded to the highest degree. Non-healing burns are coded as acute burns. The extent of injury is best described using the percentage of the total body surface area (%TBSA) that is affected by a burn. The measurement of burn surface area is important during the initial management of people with burns for estimating fluid requirements and determining need for transfer to a burns service T...

This will go into effect in the  year 2021... The AMA CPT Editorial Panel has approved revised guidelines for new and established office or outpatient visit codes 99202-99215 that would eliminate history and examination as key components to select the E/M service level. Additional E/M documentation changes include the deletion of level one new outpatient visit code 99201, and revisions to codes for prolonged services with or without patient contact. Below are the major changes w.e.f Jan 1, 2021 I. Accepted deletion of code 99201 II. Revision of codes 99202-99215 as follows:  (A) removing history and examination as key components for selecting the level of E/M service, but adding the requirement that a medically appropriate history and/or examination must be performed in order to report codes 99202-99215;  (B) making the basis for code selection either the level of medical decision making (MDM) performed or the total time spent performing the service on the d...

Wishing all the gentle ladies world wide a very Happy Women's Day!! "All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become" ......Buddha So keep your mind focused on your goals in life. Allow no distractions. We can achieve anything we dream of but only if we work towards it with full concentration. Take small baby steps daily towards your goal. Break up a big task into small chunks and plan to put in a few hours daily. One fine day, you would have completed the task. Never be daunted by the size of a challenging project. Remember no one tasted success in one day. Behind the success of any person, there is tons of hard work and perseverance. Lets vow to achieve our dreams and wishes!!!