subject: ICD 9 Coding, Turn Words into Numbers [print this page] ICD 9 Coding, Turn Words into Numbers ICD 9 Coding, Turn Words into Numbers
If your surgeon is not successful in indicating the ICD-9 code for the condition he treated, you don't always have to talk to him before you file a claim. Sometimes you can read the documentation yourself and turn a verbal report into code. Crack the notes to select the code Imagine your surgeon hands you a superbill with the procedures circled and the diagnosis left blank. You could ask the doctor which diagnosis to report or you yourself could examine the documentation. If your office has a policy that includes coding by abstraction by certified/qualified coders, then submitting charges based on what is supported in the notes is right. As part of your internal policy, the doctor should be signing off on these charges as part of your internal policy. Some practices select to review the documentation and compare it against any diagnosis recorded on the superbill, even when they are not required to. This sees to it that the documentation matches the code selection every time. If you have any doubt, confirm with the surgeon if you are new at coding diagnoses from the surgeon's notes; you should double-check your code selections with the physician prior to submitting your claims. Till the time a coder feels comfortable with the ICD-9 books and the codes used more often in their office, it is a nice idea to run the choices by a clinician. You don't want to give a patient a disease or symptom they do not have - or one more severe (or for that matter less) than what they have. For more ICD 9 coding updates, sign up for a one-stop medical coding guide and rest assured.
