by Melodie Trinidad | Feb 26, 2024 | Newsletter
February 26, 2024 The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 is a federal law restricting access to individuals’ private medical information. That much, I’m sure, our readers already knew. But you might be surprised at how much...
by Melodie Trinidad | Feb 19, 2024 | Newsletter
February 19, 2024 We all know that the new year brings changes (some years, more than others). As it turns out, no sooner had we gotten clinicians on track with how much time belongs to the E/M CPT code set than CMS issued new directives that make it harder to reach...
by Melodie Trinidad | Jan 8, 2024 | Newsletter
What’s changed in telehealth services? January 8, 2024 The other day, another coder asked me whether post-operative services could be performed under telehealth. It occurred to me that there are probably more coders with the same questions. So, we’re devoting this...
by Melodie Trinidad | Nov 6, 2023 | Newsletter
Once, when I was working with a DME company, I noticed what seemed to be a bizarre pattern in the medical records. All patients with a diagnosis of CP were receiving disposable diapers or underpads. What? Why, I wondered, would patients with chest pain need diapers?...
by Melodie Trinidad | Oct 23, 2023 | Newsletter
Sneak Peek at CPT Changes: Part II October 23, 2023 Last week, we began highlighting some of the key changes in the new CPT codes for 2024. This week, we’ll pick up where we left off, with changes affecting telemedicine visits, reporting of E/M services, and deletions...
by Melodie Trinidad | Sep 21, 2023 | Articles
In an article that appeared earlier this week, Chuck Buck, the publisher of ICD10monitor, cited Calm Waters AI as an example of the positive impact that artificial intelligence is making on E/M coding and the healthcare industry. Chuck, who also publishes RACmonitor...
by Melodie Trinidad | Aug 21, 2023 | Newsletter
Billing for E/M Services During the Global Period August 21, 2023 We frequently receive questions about “Global Periods” for surgical procedures. People often ask, “What are the time limits for these periods?” and “To which types of...
by Melodie Trinidad | Jul 31, 2023 | Newsletter
Telehealth Visits: Keeping Up with the Latest Changes July 31, 2023 Now that the public health emergency is officially over, some of the coding requirements regarding telehealth visits that were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic have been revised. To receive...
by Melodie Trinidad | Jul 24, 2023 | Newsletter
Billing Annual Wellness Visits Under Medicare, Part III July 24, 2023 Last week, we delved deeper into the second of three types of wellness visits—Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs)—covered by Medicare. Now, let’s shift our focus to Subsequent Wellness Visits (along...
by Melodie Trinidad | Jul 17, 2023 | Newsletter
Billing Wellness Visits Under Medicare, Part II July 17, 2023 Last week, we delved deeper into the first of three types of wellness visits—IPPEs—covered by Medicare. Now, let’s do the same for the second category: Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs). AWV (Annual...
