Billers and Coders Digest
News, Views and more....

Wednesday July 16, 2013 | Edition 1.50

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A monthly update on Billing and Coding Information
Steady growth & job diversification for medical billers and coders!
Consistent progress in the health care sector for the last few years; has left professionals associated with the industry in no doubt that they are working in a dynamic and secure industry. Moreover despite the recession the industry has gradually progressed; offering increased opportunities especially to - medical coders, billers, practice managers, auditors and educators.

Prominent Reasons for Steady Growth-
New and changed methods of making payments to federal and commercial payers have been developed and mandated, requiring increased professional support
Diverse type of practice mix and sizes have evolved along with increased associations; leading to a much greater than before need of specialists to help streamline the medical billing process... Read More
Growth in salary-
As medical billers and coders gain more credibility for knowledge and expertise; their salary graph has also steadily increased. Industry standards state the average salaries for 2012 were-
  • Certified Coder– $47 796 (up nearly $900 from last year)
  • Certified Coder – Hospital Outpatient– $56466 (up nearly $1800 from last year)... Read More
Physicians engage Billers and Coders to ensure a smooth ICD-10 transition!
Physicians are gradually becoming aware about the magnitude of change required for the upcoming ICD-10 transition; especially for both clinical systems as well as medical billing management. Read More
News Feed
1
U.S. Department of Labor reports that, on average, medical coding and billing professionals earn over $33,000 a year
2 The Assn. of American Medical Colleges estimates a shortage of 46,100 primary care physicians and 45,400 doctors from other specialties by 2020
CMS Updates
1 CMS proposes hospital outpatient and ambulatory surgical centers policy and payment changes for 2014 Read More
2 CMS proposes payment changes for medicare home health agencies for 2014 Read More
3 Consumers saved $3.9 billion on premiums in 2012 Read More
Tips on acquiring maximum income from payers
  • Review all original agreements, addenda, and fee schedules prior to coding
  • Annually Review payer contracts made with payers for coding guidelines, policies, and pre-certification and authorization requirements
  • Constantly review updates on current CPT®, HCPCS Level II, ICD code changes and appropriate modifiers
  • Recheck the payer details before submission like - name and identification number on the insurance cards are submitted with the claims
  • Ensure compliance with all requirements for claims submission like - method and mode of submission
  • Assess Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) and Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for possible errors, due to code changes, reimbursement rates and adjustments
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