Orthopaedic Coding Seminar CA Orthopaedic Assoc.

1 Orthopaedic Coding Seminar CA Orthopaedic assoc . Coding , Documentation, Reimbursement & Compliance Issues for Physician Practices & ASCs Speaker Stephanie Ellis, , CPC 256 Seaboard Lane, Suite C-103 Franklin, TN (615) 371-1506 2012 CPT Codes are Copyrighted by the AMA April 2012 2 ICD-9 AND SUMMARY OF UPCOMING CHANGE TO ICD-10 In January of 2009, CMS decided they wanted to change the diagnosis and hospital procedural Coding system from ICD-9 to the ICD-10 system, which was related to the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) passed by Congress in 1996 to standardize health care information.

2 While the original effective date for the change to the ICD-10 system for providers was originally supposed to be October 1, 2013, CMS has put a hold on that date and has not yet stated what the new implementation date will be. The following provides a comparison between the ICD-9 and ICD-10 Coding systems out of the Federal Register 49802 from 2008. Comparison of ICD-9 to ICD-10 Systems ICD-9-CM ICD-10-CM Diagnosis codes 3-5 digits Diagnosis codes 3-7 characters Approximately 14,000+ codes Approximately 69,000+ codes 1st character can be Alpha or Numeric 1st character is Alpha; characters 2 & 3 Followed by 2-5 Numeric characters are Numeric.

3 Characters 4-7 can be Alpha or Numeric Limited space for addition of new codes Flexible for addition of new codes Coding system lacks detail Coding system is very specific Coding system lacks laterality Coding system includes laterality Coding system is difficult to analyze data Specificity improves Coding accuracy due to non-specificity of codes and ability to collect data Coding system is non-specific - codes do Detail of Coding improves accuracy of not provide detail of diagnoses necessary data useful for research for medical research Coding system not used in countries outside Coding system allows exchange of data of the between the and other countries One thing that hasn t changed - the PURPOSE of ICD-10 diagnosis codes is still to provide the Medical Necessity of WHY the procedure was performed or the services were rendered by the provider just using more detail.

4 This is why documentation is more important than ever! CPT Codes are Copyrighted by the AMA April 2012 3 Ways to Prepare for Change to ICD-10 Identify key staff responsible for implementation and training at the practice/ASC. Set a budget for system upgrades and provider/staff training. Set aside a savings cushion for paying bills/payroll during first month or two after ICD-10 implementation since glitches are likely with your system, clearinghouse and/or with payors. Check in with your billing system vendor and clearinghouse on their readiness and keep in close contact with them about changes and readiness.

5 Allow plenty of time for testing. Train coders, business office staff and physicians/extenders on Coding changes, the ICD-10 system and the need for more detailed documentation on the part of physicians and other providers. Be sure any certified coders on staff are thoroughly trained on ICD-10 in a timely manner and that they take their Coding tests on ICD-10 to keep his/her Coding certification. Expect a possible decrease in physician and staff productivity during implementation and the first month or two after the entity is under the new ICD-10 system. Revision of the practice superbill and other business office forms may be necessary.

6 Other Considerations/Information Once ICD-10 is implemented, the ICD-9 system will be discontinued this includes Medicaid and Workers Compensation carriers. Warn physicians and other providers if they do not provide the detail needed in their documentation, they will have more medical record addendums to deal with and inquiries from Coding and billing staff before Coding can be done and claims can go out slowing down the practice/ASC revenue stream. It is more important than ever for physicians to make it clear in the documentation whether an orthopedic condition was an acute traumatic injury or a chronic problem (not involving a specific injury).

7 CPT Codes are Copyrighted by the AMA April 2012 4 Ortho Examples and Information Instead of using E-codes as we do currently for how accidents occurred, under ICD-10, these situations will be much more detailed and will be in the V and Y sections. Instead of using V-codes under ICD-9, these codes will be found in the section with Z-codes. Comparison of Format of Codes Current ICD-9 Diagnosis codes can only have a maximum of 5 digits total. ICD-9 Code Example: Numbers 123 represent the Category. The numbers 4 and 5 represent the Etiology, Anatomic Site and Manifestation.

8 Under ICD-10, diagnosis codes can be 7-digits, as follows: ICD-10 Code Example: 7 Numbers 123 represent the Category. Numbers 456 represent the Etiology, Anatomic Site or Severity, and Number 7 represents the Extension of the code. Many of the diagnosis codes for orthopedic conditions under ICD-10 address site and laterality - they state upon which side the leg, wrist, etc. was having the surgery ( , the Left Leg, the Right Wrist, etc.). The ICD-10 book will still contain an Alphabetic Index and a Tabular List section of codes similar to ICD-9. As with ICD-9, never code from the Alphabetic Index without verifying your code choice in the Tabular List.

9 You can purchase software or books to help you with mapping , which is a method to convert an ICD-9 code into an ICD-10 code. Example of an ICD-10 diagnosis code for a Nonunion of a Fractured Tibia (at the shaft) of the Left Leg which had previous (unsuccessful) treatment would be initially coded as for a 1) Fracture, 2) Traumatic, 3) Tibia (shaft), 4) Nonunion, 5) Left Tibia, 6) the Sequela is a Late Effect, which would have the Coding completed as Recommended References for ICD-10 Information: 1. Principles of ICD-10-CM Coding AMA 2. Principles of ICD-10-CM Coding Workbook AMA 3.

10 Preparing for ICD-10: Making the Transition Manageable AMA CPT Codes are Copyrighted by the AMA April 2012 5 Coding AND BILLING ISSUES FOR PHYSICIANS & ASCs It is very important to code correctly, to assure you are not leaving any money on the table, while avoiding compliance problems. This Seminar will update your Coding knowledge and skills and provide you with specific tips you can use for the most common procedures performed in your ASC or physician practice. Billing Issues Billing non-covered CPT codes for services with CPT codes for services which do not properly describe the procedure performed.