Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCO – Page 9

Audiology Technician Billing

June 4, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

Medicare stipulates precise requirements for billing audiology technicians’ services. As outlined in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Transmittal 84 in February 2008, these requirements are distinct from those governing audiolog… For more, read here: AAPC Blog

Coding 3 or 4 Sinuses Using FESS Codes

May 22, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

A lot of people have been asking questions about how to code FESS surgeries with the new combination codes when three or four sinuses are operated on. Sinus and FESS We have been expecting an AMA CPT® Assistant article with guidance this year, but no … For more, read here: AAPC Blog

Denials Management for the Medical Coder

May 14, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

Managing denials is more difficult in 2018 than it was in 2005, 2000, or 1998. Not because practices are necessarily receiving more denials from payers but because unlike the early to mid-2000s and 1990s, we are now posting payments via auto remit pro… For more, read here: AAPC Blog

Advocacy to Change 31241’s Pay to Outpatient

May 3, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

Advocates are seeking to convince the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to pay for outpatient care of patients receiving 31241 Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with ligation of sphenopalatine artery. The new code for 2018 was assigned… For more, read here: AAPC Blog

Coverage Expands as Six Health Systems Combine

April 17, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

Borrowing a page from the plan announced by Amazon, JP Morgan Chase, and Berkshire Hathaway, six healthcare systems in New Jersey are joining their work forces to expand coverage to 50,000 employees and dependents under a single self-insured health … For more, read here: AAPC Blog

Blue Cross of Mich. Reverses Decision

April 12, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Michigan is delaying their planned non-coverage of hyaluronic acid injections for knees, slated for April 1. BCBS Pulls Up BCBS giving themselves time to study if hyaluronic acid has the true medical benefit that it c… For more, read here: AAPC Blog

OIG: Many Outpatient PT Claims Fail to Comply

April 5, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) did a study of physical therapy claims and documentation for Medicare patients and issued a report this month in March. Their findings are of great concern for the PT and rehabilitation specialty. The OIG reviewed… For more, read here: AAPC Blog

E/M Update Opinions Shared at Listening Session

April 5, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

A representative from the Hospital and Ambulatory Policy Group at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) held a listening session regarding proposed updates to the documentation guidelines for evaluation and management (E/M) services o… For more, read here: AAPC Blog

Medical Coding Tissue Transfer or Rearrangement

March 26, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

I often see incorrect medical coding for “flaps”, which were adjacent tissue transfers, 14000-14350. Coders do not always understand that you can only code for the closure of the primary and secondary defect, but not for each flap that is created. Sur… For more, read here: AAPC Blog

Post-Operative Complications in the Global Period

March 1, 2018August 28, 2018Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCONo Comments

Is the caring for, and treatment of post-operative complications in the global period coded and billable? To answer this question, You first must know who the third-party payer is because different payers have different rules. What’s the Globa… For more, read here: AAPC Blog