Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions with Full Rationale Answers

Practice Exam

Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions and answers with full rationale

Practice Exam

CPC Practice Exam and Study Guide Package

Practice Exam

What makes a good CPC Practice Exam? Questions and Answers with Full Rationale

CPC Exam Review Video

Laureen shows you her proprietary “Bubbling and Highlighting Technique”

Download your Free copy of my "Medical Coding From Home Ebook" at the top right corner of this page

Practice Exam

2018 CPC Practice Exam Answer Key 150 Questions With Full Rationale (HCPCS, ICD-9-CM, ICD-10, CPT Codes) Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions with Full Rationale Answers

Practice Exam

Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions and answers with full rationale

Split thickness graft chest/muscle flap- need advice :)

Hello, would you code the below as 15100,15734? Thank you

Procedure:
Pectoralis muscle flap
SPLIT THICKNESS SKIN GRAFT CHEST
VAC PLACEMENT
*

left lateral thigh will be used as a donor site in a similar area to her prior graft harvest. then brought back to the operating room and placed supine on the operating room table. SCDs were placed on bilateral lower extremities. arms were outstretched on padded foam arm rests and abducted to less than 90 degrees at the shoulder. underwent general anesthesia. prepped and draped in the usual sterile fashion. Prior to beginning of the procedure wound measurements were taken after the VAC was removed. left chest wall defect measured 6 x 5 x 1.5 cm. There was exposed pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, and ribs with a thin layer of periosteum. The wound bed was clean and started to granulate. An additional 1 cm margin was taken medially of subcutaneous tissue and pectoralis muscle. This was oriented with a single suture anteriorly and a double suture at 12:00 and sent to pathology. Upon inspection of the defect given the fact that the middle third of the pectoralis major muscle had already been taken during the prior resection it seemed appropriate to mobilize the superior third of the muscle and rotate it 90 degrees counterclockwise to fill the vertical defect underlying her open wound. Therefore using cautery the pectoralis major muscle fibers were removed from the sternal attachments as well as the clavicle. The deep side of the muscle was released off of what remained of pectoralis minor as well as the anterior border of the ribs. Care was taken not to damage the pectoralis major pedicle. Dissection proceeded until there was enough rotation in the muscle to allow the medial border of pectoralis major to cover the full extent of the defect. The entire wound bed was then copiously irrigated with 3 L of pulse lavage saline. Metal clips were placed to mark the superior and inferior medial lateral and deep borders of the recurrent tumor bed. Hemostasis was then achieved using electrocautery. The pectoralis muscle was then rotated into position and secured using 3-0 Vicryl sutures. There was not significant tension on the flap. The skin edges were tacked down to the muscle flap circumferentially in a similar fashion. At this point the skin defect requiring grafting measured 5 x 6.5 cm. A 1/14 inch split-thickness skin graft was harvested from the left lateral thigh using a 2 inch dermatome blade. It was meshed at a 1-1.5 ratio and secured to the pectoralis muscle using a running 5-0 chromic suture. Xeroform and a black foam sponge was placed over the graft. The VAC sponge was bridged to the left lateral chest wall and the system was secured at 125 mm of pressure. The left thigh was dressed with Xeroform, Tegaderm and Ace wrap. Anesthesia then performed a serratus block using Exparel

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Cholangiogram/Ventral Hernia – NEED ADVICE :)

Hello, would the below procedure qualify for modifier 59? 49561-59, 47563-51?

A 2 inch transverse incision was made overlying the incarcerated ventral hernia was located at the supraumbilical position. There was a golf ball sized hernia sac containing preperitoneal fat and omentum. The sac was excised and the incarcerated omentum was suture ligated with 0 silk suture and the excess excised. This left a 2 cm fascial defect. This allowed for placement of a 12 mm Hassan trocar. The abdomen was then insufflated to 15 mmHg pressure and carbon dioxide the 0°, 10 mm camera was then inserted and the abdomen was inspected (see findings). Under direct vision a 5 mm bladed trocar was placed in the subxiphoid position and 2, 5 mm ports were placed in the right upper quadrant. The patient was then positioned reverse Trendelenburg, left lateral tilt.
*
The gallbladder was then retracted in a cephalad manner using 2, 5 mm graspers. Due to the acute edema within the gallbladder, a cholecystostomy was created with a grasping forceps and the gallbladder decompressed of dark green bile. The Maryland dissector was used to create a posterior window behind the cystic duct. The cystic duct junction with the gallbladder was clearly identified. The duct was milked towards the gallbladder junction. The cystic duct was singly clipped distally and plans were made for intraoperative cholangiogram.
*
A stab incision was performed in the right upper quadrant and the taut catheter introducer placed. The 4.5 French taut catheter was primed with full-strength contrast and saline. The cystic duct was partially divided allowing for placement of the taut catheter that was clipped in place. Intraoperative cholangiogram was then performed. There is no biliary ductal dilation. There is no evidence of choledocholithiasis. The contrast emptied quickly into the duodenum. The distal pancreatic duct also visualized consistent with a common ampulla. Following completion of the intraoperative cholangiogram, the taut catheter was removed from the cystic duct that was then doubly clipped proximally and completely divided. The cystic artery was also identified going to the gallbladder. This structure was also clipped proximally and distally and then divided. The gallbladder was then peeled away from the liver bed using electrocautery. Once detached from the liver bed it was withdrawn from the periumbilical port site in a routine manner. The gallbladder was sent to pathology

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Home Sleep Study done in Skilled Nursing Facility. Need advice

Hi,

Has anyone ever encountered billing for a HST when the patient is in a SNF. We are a private group practice and not sure if we could bill this and be reimbursed. The insurance is Medicare.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. We typically bill 95806 with POS 12.

Thank you,
Michelle

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

CRC Exam Prep Course Advice

I recently purchased the CRC prep course. This is my first time taking a distance learning course for a certification. My CPC and CPMA were both in person training courses. For those who have taken the CRC Online Prep and sat for the exam, what would be your best suggestion/advice for reviewing the content provided? I am trying to see the best way to tackle the chapters. I see that each chapter has reading material, quizzes, lectures and a chapter review exam. Is it best to read the content, review the lecture and highlight info discussed, then take the quizzes and chapter review exam? The in person training’s were always very helpful as the instructors would really emphasize the important information to know, review and study. There is so much info in the reading material that I just wanted to see the best way to review all the content that will be beneficial in sitting for the exam. Anyone who has previously taken and successfully completed the training and obtained their certification that could provide any helpful feedback would be great! Thank you.

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Check Remittance Advice for MIPS Payment Adjustments

With this being the first payment year of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), MIPS eligible clinicians and clinician groups should start tracking payment adjustments in their Medicare Part B claims. Billing staff also may want to prepare for questions from patients who are privy to the information. Lots at Stake Based on performance in […]

The post Check Remittance Advice for MIPS Payment Adjustments appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.

AAPC Knowledge Center

opportunity advice

I have an opportunity to do some billing and coding for the counselors at the local
Community Resource Center for their domestic abuse clients. This would be
Medicaid clients. I’m at a loss as to how to charge for this. I can download
the software for free from the state. This would be contract work. Does anyone
have any experience with this? Any input would be appreciated. I have 11 years
coding experience at the local hospital, but this would be on my own.
Thanks!

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Liver Resection with Sonogram- Need Advice :)

*Hello, would I code the liver resection as 47120? I cannot find a code for the liver sonogram. Any advice? Thanks so much
CPT Code: Procedures:
* LIVER RESECTION
* INTRAOPERATIVE LIVER SONOGRAM
*
*
ICD-10 : Post-Op Diagnosis Codes:
* Liver metastases (HCC) [C78.7]
*
Findings: After releasing the triangular ligament and diaphragmatic attachments of the right liver, with pads elevating the mobilize right liver, anterior exposure of the palpable mass is good with directed sonogram showing a venous outflow slightly inferior and medial. A trough is made surrounding the identified mass, about 1.5 cm margins, deepened about 1 cm with hook cautery and the mass specimen elevated from medial to lateral using Harmonic ACE. The ergometry design of this Harmonic instrument is awkward, as I come from medial to lateral I have bleeding as expected but the specimen fractures and I can palpate proximity of tumor with the deep margin and I quickly amputate and then removed the remainder of the scored posterior lateral component, quickly removing with hook cautery. Blood loss is about 100-150 mL through this and I hemostatically closed with 3 horizontally placed 0 chromic sutures on a liver needle. No other liver lesions are identified. I mobilize the right colic omentum but the remainder the omentum is tethered to the lower midline incision and cannot be easily mobilized without extending the incision, so I used a 5 x 4 x 2 cm plug of omental fat (a free omentum graft) to cover the surgical site and segregate it from the diaphragm, held in place with chromic suture. I had placed 4 perimeter liver capsule clips for radiographic localization.

Indications: has a 1.8 cm mass in the dome of the right liver, segment 7 with biopsy benign but suspected sampling error. There has been a modest increase in CEA that the concern is a delayed liver metastasis. He presents for diagnostic (therapeutic) excision.
*
Description of Procedure: In the supine position with appropriate monitoring he received general anesthesia with IV antibiotic. Arterial line was placed. He is rolled to the partial left lateral decubitus position and supported with arm board and beanbag. The right chest and flank and abdomen to the midline or prepped with chlorhexidine and draped after 3 minutes. I initiate the incision through a 8 cm right subcostal oblique incision, he has a narrow costal margin. The external oblique and internal oblique and transversus abdominis are open under vision, to the rectus sheath medially. With a hand introduced I can palpate the nodule and extend the incision slightly medially and then laterally around the curve of the costal margin. An upper hand retractor is placed, the liver is explored visually and manually with no palpable mass other than described. The gallbladder is flaccid. The porta hepatis has no overtly palpable nodes. With the liver retracted anteriorly and medially, the lateral diaphragmatic attachments are released and then continued upward toward the central liver without exposing the inferior vena cava. Then using moistened laparotomy pads, the liver is elevated and a second upperhand retractor placed that we can look directly down on the lesion. We then used intraoperative sonogram identifying veins, total vein is recognized with hyperechoic surface, more deep and will not be in jeopardy. I create a circumferential trough using cautery hook, about 1.5 cm margins around the mass, final dimensions about 5 cm. This is deepened to about 1 cm and then using the Harmonic ACE, medial to lateral amputation is completed with hook cautery used to remove the remainder of the base and lateral component submitted in a separate container. With this last maneuver, the hot cautery hook penetrates my left index finger glove and penetrates my skin. The hook is discarded, gloves are exchanged and the operation is completed.
*
Peripheral hemostasis is secured with the Harmonic ACE and undermine the depth with horizontal mattress compressive 0 chromic suture, and I placed fibrillar before tying and there is no active bleeding at conclusion. We will place a dry laparotomy pad.
*
I now elevate the right colon and separate the omentum, I try to leave the pedicle laterally but it is too thin and fractures and now this is a free omental specimen. Rather than release the abdomen, I can create a free omental plug using 5 x 4 x 2 cm overlying the surgical bed held posteriorly and anteriorly with chromic suture and this will segregate the surgical bed from the diaphragm. We then assure complete hemostasis, remove all laparotomy pads which are accounted for. We use 20 mL diluted Exparel (1:1) injected in the peritoneum layer near the lower border of upper subcostal flap and the remainder laterally in the interfascial planes between the transversus abdominis, internal and external oblique. The incision is then closed with 0 PDS suture anchored laterally and tied centrally, the deep layer collects peritoneum, transversus abdominis and internal oblique and its fascia, carried laterally to the posterior sheath. The superficial layer anchors the anterior sheath medially and the external oblique fascia and muscle taking small purchase of underlying tissue along the way to close dead space. The incision is irrigated and skin reapproximated with running 4-0 subcuticular suture. Prineo Cranial dermal glue mesh is applied. Dressings are applied. Orogastric tube and Foley catheter are removed. He is awakened and exudate in the operating suite transported to PACU. There were no intraoperative complications

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

HELP! femoral fracture coding advice needed

Patient was treated for an upper femoral fracture 5 weeks ago. Reported with 27245. She fell during the global period, injuring her lower femur.
To fix the lower femur, we had to remove the femoral rod and replace it with a smaller one – so I think for that we code S72.142A – 27245 (78) and then for the lower femur S72.452A – 27511-79???.

Also, should I bill for removal of the first rod with a 20680?

Thank you!

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

HELP! femoral fracture coding advice needed

Patient was treated for an upper femoral fracture 5 weeks ago. Reported with 27245. She fell during the global period, injuring her lower femur.
To fix the lower femur, we had to remove the femoral rod and replace it with a smaller one – so I think for that we code S72.142A – 27245 (78) and then for the lower femur S72.452A – 27511-79???.

Also, should I bill for removal of the first rod with a 20680?

Thank you!

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

CPT 94664 advice

Hi everyone…

Looking for some advice on billing CPT 94664; essentially teaching patient how to use an inhaler, nebulizer, etc. Can this be a medical assistant doing the demonstration for the patient? Can it be billed along with an E/M code if the demonstration happens after an office visit with our provider? I would value some feedback from any of you that have billed this code successfully.

Much appreciated!

Medical Billing and Coding Forum