Medical coding is a diverse field with numerous opportunities for advancement. Due to the current regulatory climate designed to prevent healthcare fraud and abuse, jobs are steadily increasing as statutes and guidelines become more complex. Professional, certified medical coders are at the forefront of this dense thicket of laws and rules, working to ensure that […]
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Though the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has recently stated that the deadline for the implementation of ICD-10 may be extended past the original October 1, 2013 date, the International Classification of Diseases is the cornerstone of medical billing and medical coding. The United States healthcare system currently uses the International Classification of […]
Medical billing and medical coding are two related disciplines. Professionals in each field use similar skills to achieve similar results, but the methods they use, and how they pursue their goals, are different. Many medical billers are also medical coders, and vice versa. The two skill sets overlap because both professions involve the translation of […]
Medical billing is conducted in the specialized language of medical coding. When professional medical billers submit clean claims to commercial health insurance companies, Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare, they communicate what procedures were performed to diagnose or treat a patient. These medical procedures are usually described in Current Procedural Terminology (CPT). The basis of healthcare documentation […]
Medicaid is a health insurance program for low-income individuals that is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. Created by Title XIX of the Social Security Act, in 1965, the Medicaid program is different from Medicare. Medicare is entirely a federal program that does not involve state government. Medicaid, by contrast, is administered entirely […]
Medical billers and medical coders need to have a solid understanding of the International Classification of Diseases-9th Edition-Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM). ICD-9-CM is divided into three volumes, the first two of which are composed of diagnosis codes, while the third volume contains a list of available procedure codes. Inpatient medical coders and medical billers use the […]
If this article seems confusing with all its acronyms and its descriptions of the healthcare reimbursement system, it is because it is. Medical billing and medical coding is a specialized profession that entails a thorough understanding of ever-changing issues and regulations. With appropriate training from an accredited education program, professional medical billers and certified medical […]
