Chpt 15 Flashcards
Abuse
A practice that is inconsistent with sound fiscal , business or medical practices, and results in unnecessary costs to the Medicaid or Medicare program, or in reimbursement of services that are not medically necessary, improper behavior and billing practices that result in financial gain but are not fraudulent
Eponym
A disease or condition named after an individual
Etiology
Cause of a disease or an illness
Evaluation and Management (E&M) codes
Codes that describe patient encounters with a physician for evaluation and management of a health problem
Fraud
An intentional deception or misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the deception could result in a benefit to oneself ir another
Global period
The period of time, both before and after a surgical procedure, included in the surgical procedure fee
Insurance companies determine the number of days
Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS)
A set of codes developed and maintained by CMS for the reporting of professional services, nonphysician services, supplies, DME and injectable drugs
3 levels: CPT (use COT code if there is also a HCPCS code), HCPCS, 3rd is being phased out - developed by regional Medicare carriers- HIPAA simplicity mandate is phasing out
Modifier
Tabular index
Upcode
To code and bill for a higher level of service than what was actually provided
Usual, customary, and reasonable (UCR)
The reimbursement method in which insurance companies compare providers’ charges to other providers in the same geographic area
Before mid-1960s
Average of charges in the area
Relative value unit system
Developed by US Congress in 1992
Current Procedural terminology (CPT)
All procedures approved by FDA
1966
Updated annually- last is 4th in 1977
Originally focused mainly on surgical procedures
CPT for Medicare
1980s Congress requires providers to use CPT codes for all services rendered
CPT codes
5 digits
Must appear on CMS-1500 insurance claim forms
CPT publisher
American Medical Association (AMA)
Provides a uniform language
CPT Effective date
January 1
Updated annually
Use the edition in effect at the time of the service
Most important tool in determining procedure code
Patient’s medical record
11 coding steps
- Identify primary and secondary procedures performed ; quantities performed
- Locate the main term in the alphabetic index: service name, condition name, name of organ or anatomical site, or eponym
- Review modifying terms or notes associated with the main term
- Identify the tentative code associated with the appropriate modifying term
- Locate the tentative code in the tabular index
- Interpret the conventions used in the tabular index
Conventions: formatting, punctuation, instructional notes, symbols - Select the code with the highest level of specificity. Check chart notes
- Review the code for appropriate bundling, add-on codes and quantity
- Determine if modifiers are required
- Verify the final code against the documentation
- Assign the final code
Circle around a dot
Moderate sedation is automatically included in this code description
Circle with a diagonal line from top left to bottom right
This code is modifier 51 exempt
Plus sign
Add-on code must be used with this code
Lightening bolt
FDA approval is pending for this code
Parentheses
Used to enclose synonyms, eponyms, or other descriptions that do not affect the code assignment