When Cardiology denials do the first talking to halt revenue reimbursement, inaccurate Cardiology coding can be one of the major reasons for it! Documentation, coding, compliance are very frequently heard words in medical practice. While experiencing denials or rejections, the issue lies in one of these or sometimes all of these.
Proper documentation and coding is very essential for cardiology billing services. It is affected by human errors, lack of knowledge on cardiology coding and standards and inability to code to the highest degree of specificity. For cardiology group of practices or any other specialty for that matter, clear documentation is a route for accurate and proper coding.
5 Tips for accurate Cardiology coding:
- Decrease Human Errors
- Update regularly on cardiology coding
- Maintain accurate and complete documentation
- Ensure highest degree of specificity
- Frequent Audits
1. Decrease Human Errors:
- Well, mistakes are common and human errors are most unavoidable. While dealing with numbers and codes, there is a chance of entering it incorrectly.
- Especially dealing with complex cases and procedures that involve multiple codes drives to a wrong code entry.
- When the cardiology coding and billing services are outsourced or if it’s an in-house billing, thorough checking on codes are very important.
- The memorized ICD-10 and CPT codes stays at the tip of your tongue, it’s easy to enter quickly without a second thought even before realizing it.
- This activity engages in unwanted denials and rejections, sometimes revenue loss which isn’t healthy for healthcare professionals’ practice.
- Specialty services especially cardiology, includes procedures, blood works, radiology tests, medication charges and services etc.
- Each service and procedure involves different codes which is the key point to avoid inaccurate cardiology coding that can save healthcare professionals from denials.
2.Update regularly on Cardiology Coding:
- Always have regular updates on cardiology coding. Keep current coding books for ICD-10 CM, CPT and HCPCS with you for coding reference.
- The guidelines and codes keep on frequently changing and it’s better to follow the updates posted by CMS and also by other clinics.
- Don’t forget to subscribe newsletters posted by American Heart Association.
- Refer to CMS website for frequent updates on cardiology coding and guidelines as well as to subscribe publications of CMS.
- However, have a look at the codes that are in alphabetical and tabulate indexes as it may appear to be accurate in the alphabetic index but when checked in the tabulate index, disqualifiers may occur.
3.Maintain accurate and complete documentation:
- It’s evident that documentation problems definitely won’t encourage revenue cycle management to move further. It slows down the process as well as revenue payments.
- It not only halts the revenue payments but also paves a way for coding inconsistencies which plays a major drawback during audits.
- Inaccurate documentation becomes very difficult and hectic to process especially for procedures.
- Documentation gaps such as cardiac catheterization might lead to loss of potential codes and coding components.
- It also involves the supplies those are used additionally and out of standard.
- Changes in procedure can be undetectable unless healthcare professionals check the documentation. So, complete and thorough documentation verification is very necessary.
4.Ensure to code highest degree of specificity:
- For example, diabetic coding carries the highest risk and complexities for diabetic or any chronic manifestations.
- Healthcare professionals must get habituated to chart the complete relevant chronic diseases as it definitely reflects the quality of care.
- It’s essential for healthcare professionals or medical billing companies to remember fundamentals of cardiology coding as well as documentation.
- Try to opt for appropriate documentation for any diagnosis than for the occurring symptoms such as angina while compared to chest pain.
- Remember to chart with the highest degree of specificity for systolic and diastolic CHF while compares to unspecified CHF.
- They carry various diagnoses and codes those impact the reimbursement and grading rates.
- Moreover it also impacts revenue payments and risk management.
- Accurate documentation and cardiology coding will not allow coding and translation errors that involves mismatched diagnosis and procedure codes.
5.Frequent Audits:
- Frequent internal and external audits are encouraged to track common coding and documentation errors and identify needs.
- There should be an open conversation between healthcare professionals, coders, medical billers to encourage regular audits and follow healthy billing practice.
- It will answer the questions regarding diagnosis, procedures, and supplies to reflect proper patient care.
- Frequent audits will have an impact on accurate and regular reimbursement and also documentation.
- Maintaining coding education, proper documentation and better coding practices that result in quicker revenue payments and improve compliance.
Few more on Cardiology coding:
- It’s hard to find a proper cardiology coding team. They are also expensive to recruit. Outsourcing cardiology coding services would do a great job.
- Outsourcing companies will have certified coders and cardiology coding experience.
- Cardiology coding involves components of interventional radiology, electrophysiology, endovascular surgery and diagnostic testing each having its own complexities.
- Experienced coders will ensure proper documentation and coding to enhance billing practices and also reimbursements.
- Telephone and e-mail cardiology coding services are also available now a days to remove the confusion on codes used.
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