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Coding Tips

Insights and Education
FY2019 ICD-10-CM Code Updates

UASI Training for FY2019 ICD-10-CM Updates

The annual updates to the ICD-10 and MS-DRG systems have been finalized and will be effective October 1. The ICD-10 and MS-DRG updates reflect the final Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) rule for fiscal year 2019, published by CMS on August 6. You can see the details on IPPS here. Other highlights of the…

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UASI Solutions

Constant Change Requires Ongoing Education: How UASI Delivers Continuous Learning

Continuous learning is the only way to keep up with shifting standards and guidelines, payment reform, and the latest changes in healthcare technology. Accurate, high-quality coding is simply not possible without ongoing education.

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UASI Solutions

Annual Code Updates Are Here – And So Is UASI Training

Continuous learning is the only way to keep up with shifting standards and guidelines, payment reform, and the latest changes in healthcare technology. Accurate, high-quality coding is simply not possible without ongoing education.

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Coding Tip of the Month – August 2018

FY 2019 ICD-10-PCS Updates It is time once again to prepare for the annual code updates. The table below summarizes the October 1st, 2018 updates for both CM and PCS. New Codes Deleted Codes Revised Codes ICD-10-CM 247 49 139 ICD-10-PCS 392 216 8 The synopsis below highlights just some of the PCS changes for…

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UASI Solutions

Coding Tip of the Month – July 2018

Guideline I.A.15 “With”   The FY 2017 updates introduced a major change to Guideline I.A.15 “With” as depicted in bold print below: The word “with” should be interpreted to mean “associated with” or “due to” when it appears in a code title, the Alphabetic Index, or an instructional note in the Tabular List. The classification…

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Medical Coding

Coding Tip of the Month – June 2018

When coding a patient with DM and peripheral angiopathy, peripheral vascular disease or peripheral arterial disease, assume a link between the two conditions unless the provider has linked the peripheral angiopathy to another underlying condition. Because atherosclerosis is a speciic type of peripheral angiopathy use an additional code from I70.2- through I70.7- if the angiopathy is further…

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Coding Tip of the Month – May 2018

Spinal Fusion vs. Spinal Stabilization The First Q 2018 (P. 22) Coding Clinic provided clarification that stated spinal fusion procedures without bone graft cannot be coded to the root operation “Fusion”. The rationale for this advice is that while the root operation of “fusion” does not require the use of bone graft, the spinal fusion…

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Coding Tip of the Month – April 2018

When coding a patient with DM and peripheral angiopathy, peripheral vascular disease or peripheral arterial disease assume a link between the two conditions unless the provider has linked the peripheral angiopathy to another underlying condition.  Because atherosclerosis is a specific type of peripheral angiopathy use an additional code from I70.2- thru I70.7-  if the angiopathy…

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Coding Tip of the Month – March 2018

Scenario: During a screening colonoscopy, a rectal polyp was found and removed via hot snare. The pathological findings revealed “hyperplastic polyp with focal adenomatous changes.” What code is assigned for the polyp? Should code K62.1, Rectal polyp, or code D12.8, Benign neoplasm of rectum, be assigned for a hyperplastic rectal polyp with focal adenomatous changes? Answer:…

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Coding Tip of the Month – February 2018

Hemodialysis Duration Three new duration values were added to code table 5A1, Physiological Systems, Performance, to capture the duration and continuity of hemodialysis procedures: 7 Intermittent – Less than 6 hours per day 8 Prolonged Intermittent – 6 – 18 hours per day 9 Continuous – Greater than 18 hours per day These new values…

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UASI Strategic Consulting

Coding Tip of the Month – January 2018

October 1st brought over 3,500 new codes, almost 2,000 code revisions and 600 code deletions. As a result most training for the code updates focused on new and revised codes. However, there were some important deletions that will facilitate more accurate coding and reporting for spinal fusions. Most coding errors occur when assigning the device…

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UASI At A Glance

Coding Tip of the Month – December 2017

Adult and Child Exams   ICD-10-CM Guideline I.C.21.13) Routine and administrative examinations The Z codes allow for the description of encounters for routine examinations, such as, a general check-up, or, examinations for administrative purposes, such as, a pre-employment physical. The codes are not to be used if the examination is for diagnosis of a suspected…

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