The ICD-10 shift: How the OR can aid in readiness
Is your OR’s clinical documentation as specific as it needs to be? That’s the key question perioperative directors and managers need to ask as their organizations gear up for ICD-10. The big date is...
View ArticlePractice now applying the new ASC quality codes
While the deadline for beginning to report quality measures on Medicare claim forms is not until October 1, 2012, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) can start practicing. On April 1, 2012, the Centers...
View ArticleDiligence in coding and charge capture will help prevent revenue loss
With the evolving nature of health care regulations, accurately capturing revenue can be a challenging process for all hospitals. At the OR Business Managers Workshop in April, key concepts about...
View ArticleDecisions, decisions: Should you outsource coding to comply with ICD-10?
The primary function of an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) is simple and easily described: to perform surgery for which patients can be discharged within 24 hours, to do this efficiently, safely, and...
View ArticleMay Editorial
Until I heard Keith Siddel, PhDc, JD, MBA, CHC, speak at our OR Business Management Conference in February, I didn’t fully realize how much ICD-10 coding could disrupt billing and payment for services...
View ArticleAnticipate & educate to navigate murky healthcare reform waters
Anxiety over changes in healthcare delivery and payment systems has permeated hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Administrators are concerned about how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and...
View ArticleSharpen coding skills and reimbursement strategies during ICD-10 delay
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) once again has extended the deadline to begin using International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) billing codes. Implementation has been...
View ArticleSurvey: ICD-10 has reduced hospital productivity
Large hospitals have reported a 30 to 45 percent productivity reduction on the inpatient side and a 20 to 40 percent productivity reduction on the outpatient side since implementation the ICD-10 codes,...
View ArticleCMS clarifies ICD-10 implementation issues
Editor’s Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reports that it will reprocess ICD-10 claims with National Coverage Determination and Local Coverage Determination errors...
View ArticleSurvey on transition to ICD-10 finds successes, challenges
October 1 st 's changeover to ICD-10 - a five-fold increase in the billing codes used in healthcare - consumed a great deal of time and energy among IT, clinical and finance professionals, but a KPMG...
View ArticleICD-10 conversion uneventful in the ambulatory setting, despite worries
With several months of experience using an updated version of the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) diagnosis coding system, most US healthcare providers, including ambulatory...
View ArticleCMS issues ICD-10 assessment toolkit
Editor’s Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a toolkit to help healthcare providers track and respond to ICD-10 performance indicators. The toolkit includes tips and...
View ArticleMore than 5,000 new codes will be added to ICD-10 in FY 2017
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will add about 1,900 diagnosis codes and 3,651 hospital inpatient procedure codes to the ICD-10 coding...
View ArticleMake it your business to grow a healthy bottom line
In this challenging healthcare environment, OR leaders have a fiscal responsibility to help hospitals meet financial goals that contribute to a healthy bottom line. Keith Siddel, PhDc, JD, MBA,...
View ArticleCMS releases alert on new ICD-9, ICD-10 exclusions
Editor’s Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an alert May 23 on newly excluded ICD diagnosis codes that will no longer be accepted starting January 7, 2017. The codes...
View ArticleHelp decode ICD-10 for prompt reimbursement
Despite warnings of calamities, implementation of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 on October 1, 2015, proceeded smoothly, with minimal impact on denied claims. In the fourth...
View ArticleCMS: ICD-10 grace period ends October 1
Editor’s Note The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 18 announced in its FAQ guidelines that the 1-year grace period for claims using the ICD-10 code set will end October 1....
View ArticleACS notifies members of CMS software errors
Editor’s Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on January 20 notified members that it had received a letter from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) saying new moderate...
View ArticleDo Medicare’s latest code changes help or hurt ASCs?
Medicare is increasing approval of higher-acuity procedures performed in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) setting, creating meaningful opportunities for ASCs. At the same time, however, a number of...
View ArticleMore than 800 ICD-10 code changes coming
More ICD-10 changes are on the way nearly two years after the coding system went live on Oct. 1, 2015, according to a blog by Jerris Heaton, marketing coordinator at Salt Lake City-based health IT...
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