Medical Coder And Combination Codes
Using the expertise of a certified medical coder ensures your claims are paid on the first submission, resulting in faster reimbursement.
The primary responsibilities of the medical biller and medical coder are billing for the services rendered by a healthcare provider. While these disciplines are highly dependant on each other, their job functions are very different.
The primary responsibility of the medical biller is making sure the healthcare providers get paid for their services.
The primary responsibility of the medical coder is coding claims accurately for submission to insurance payers.
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts growth of more than 20% in the field between 2008 and 2018 (the last estimates available). This means over 35,000 …show more content…
Digits 1-3 will now refer to the category
Digit 1 is always alphabetic
Digits 2-3 are always numeric
Digits 4-6 will cover clinical details such as severity, etiology, and anatomic site (among others), and are either alphabetic or numeric
Digit 7 will serve as an extension when necessary, and will be either alphabetic or numeric
Combination Codes
ICD-10 supports further use of combination codes that can be used to classify such things as multiple diagnoses or a diagnosis with a complication. These are expressed as single codes, reducing the number of codes that need to be made while still providing information that is as specific as possible.
Use of Alphabetic Codes
ICD-9 only permitted numeric codes. In contrast, ICD-10 will make significant use of alphabet codes as part of its work to be more specific. The characters will not be case sensitive, and both alphabetic and numeric codes are intended to retain identical meanings as much as possible throughout code sets and procedure …show more content…
ICD-10 offers far more integration with modern technology, with an emphasis on devices that are actually being used for various procedures. The additional spaces available are partly designed to allow for new technology to be seamlessly integrated into codes, which means fewer concerns about the ability to accurately report information as time goes on.
In Conclusion
ICD-10 is not a simple update to ICD-9. The structural changes throughout the entire coding system are very significant, and the increased level of complexity requires coders to be even more thoroughly trained than before. However, it is possible to prepare for the changes by remembering a few simple guidelines:
Train early- The more familiar your staff are with ICD-10, the better. While currently scheduled to begin Oct. 1, 2014, beginning the training now is not a bad idea.
Understand the ICD-10- The structural changes require a change in the way people think about coding, and understanding it will help to break current coding habits. Medical professionals used to reporting things a certain way so they can be coded may need to change what they say in order to work well with the new system.
Ask for help- If there is something you or your staff need help with or do not understand, ask for
The primary responsibilities of the medical biller and medical coder are billing for the services rendered by a healthcare provider. While these disciplines are highly dependant on each other, their job functions are very different.
The primary responsibility of the medical biller is making sure the healthcare providers get paid for their services.
The primary responsibility of the medical coder is coding claims accurately for submission to insurance payers.
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts growth of more than 20% in the field between 2008 and 2018 (the last estimates available). This means over 35,000 …show more content…
Digits 1-3 will now refer to the category
Digit 1 is always alphabetic
Digits 2-3 are always numeric
Digits 4-6 will cover clinical details such as severity, etiology, and anatomic site (among others), and are either alphabetic or numeric
Digit 7 will serve as an extension when necessary, and will be either alphabetic or numeric
Combination Codes
ICD-10 supports further use of combination codes that can be used to classify such things as multiple diagnoses or a diagnosis with a complication. These are expressed as single codes, reducing the number of codes that need to be made while still providing information that is as specific as possible.
Use of Alphabetic Codes
ICD-9 only permitted numeric codes. In contrast, ICD-10 will make significant use of alphabet codes as part of its work to be more specific. The characters will not be case sensitive, and both alphabetic and numeric codes are intended to retain identical meanings as much as possible throughout code sets and procedure …show more content…
ICD-10 offers far more integration with modern technology, with an emphasis on devices that are actually being used for various procedures. The additional spaces available are partly designed to allow for new technology to be seamlessly integrated into codes, which means fewer concerns about the ability to accurately report information as time goes on.
In Conclusion
ICD-10 is not a simple update to ICD-9. The structural changes throughout the entire coding system are very significant, and the increased level of complexity requires coders to be even more thoroughly trained than before. However, it is possible to prepare for the changes by remembering a few simple guidelines:
Train early- The more familiar your staff are with ICD-10, the better. While currently scheduled to begin Oct. 1, 2014, beginning the training now is not a bad idea.
Understand the ICD-10- The structural changes require a change in the way people think about coding, and understanding it will help to break current coding habits. Medical professionals used to reporting things a certain way so they can be coded may need to change what they say in order to work well with the new system.
Ask for help- If there is something you or your staff need help with or do not understand, ask for