Billers and Coders Digest
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Tuesday February 5, 2014 | Edition 1.80

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A monthly update on Billing and Coding Information
Countdown to the ICD-10 deadline begins!- Training for Billers & Coders crucial now…
We are now less than one year away from the ICD -10 transition which will be crucial for medical billing and coding professionals. While October 2014 seems a little to early in future, it is not too late to start learning about ICD-10 and preparing for the transition.

Industry Facts State:
78% providers have begun ICD-10 CM training for coding staff
64% providers have begun ICD-10 PCS training for coding staff
68% practices have begun document improvement education training for medical staff
76% providers plan to provide dual code training to their billers prior to October 1, 2014
The transition to the International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision, Clinical Management coding system is more than a compliance exercise — it is a transformational event. Read More

MBC helps billers and coders prepare for ICD-10 transition!
At MBC, we share ICD-10 related updates & build base for latest coding updates. In our program, you can hope to achieve the desired information on:
  1. Transition tips from ICD-9 to ICD-10.
  2. Problem solving webinars
  3. Weekly updates of ICD implementation
  4. FAQ documents of ICD-10
  5. Coding Practices forum with other experts and participants
Read More
Billers & Coders to help with ICD-10 conversion at hospitals
The implementation of ICD-10 coding means facing the challenges of an unknown entity. When it comes to ICD-10 transition at hospitals, majority of employees across diverse functional areas – physicians, coders, nurse case managers, IT staff, financial services, billing staff, and administrators, to name a few – will be affected, requiring varying levels of education and training in clinical and revenue cycle operations. ... Read More
News Feed
1
American Medical Association states that administrative tasks associated with errors, inefficiencies and waste in the medical claims process has an Administrative Burden Index cost per claim of $2.36 for physicians.
2 The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projection estimates that the employment of professionals in the field of medical billing and coding will increase 20% between 2008 and 2018.
CMS Updates
1 Learn About 2014 Physician Fee Schedule Rule Changes Affecting eHealth Programs Next Year Read More
2 Learn How to Conduct a Security Risk Analysis for Your Practice Read More
Few Tips for Healthcare Providers to Ease the ICD-10 Switch
  • Don't count on another extension – the deadline of October 2014 is not likely to change
  • Start training the staff and updating systems for ICD-10 even though the transition doesn't affect Current Procedural Terminology coding
  • Memorizing codes will not work for ICD-10 – be sure to use other mnemonics to tackle this issue
  • Do not attempt to crosswalk ICD-9 codes to ICD-10 – the newer system requires information not contained in ICD-9
  • Code in context – ICD-10 places a much stronger emphasis on a broader range of conditions and procedures, and requires more data of the patient's status
  • Be specific while coding – the selection of coding index will require unprecedented level of clarity to record patients' medical and procedural information
  • Set realistic timeline and budget - Troubleshooting always takes longer than expected, and include ICD-10 costs into the budget, including system upgrades, training sessions and vendor fees
  • Save extra cash on hand – No matter how prepared you are, whenever something new goes into effect, you've got to have contingency plans in place
  • Phase in, specialize and expand – IDC-10 transition is an overwhelming task and hence phased approach is essential
  • Get rid of old "cheat sheets" – "cheat sheets" can certainly help to familiarize with the new system, but be careful to update or remove old reminder tools and guides to prevent confusion
  • Dual coding is essential – some patients and procedures may overlap from September into October 2014, so your system will have to be able to accommodate both ICD-9 and ICD-10 for a while
  • Hit the whole pipeline – because of the detail needed in the new codes, it's important that along with the coders, the physicians and the whole medical staff are trained in ICD-10
  • Check with payors – providers must learn from payors about the specifics required to be reimbursed
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