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

Innovative CAR T-Cell Cancer Therapy Now Available to Medicare Beneficiaries

Expensive cutting-edge cancer therapy is now covered. Last week the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized their long-awaited decision to make Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapy, a type of cancer treatment that uses a patient’s own genetically modified immune cells to fight cancer, available to Medicare patients nationwide. This determination enables […]

The post Innovative CAR T-Cell Cancer Therapy Now Available to Medicare Beneficiaries appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.

AAPC Knowledge Center

Cancer coding for Endocrinology

Hi! This is my first time posting. I currently work for a multi-specialty clinic doing charge entry (I’m newly CPC-A certified), and am supposed to be somewhat auditing codes chosen by the physicians as I enter charges.

We have an Endocrinologist in our group who sees patients for post-operative hypothyroidism usually following diagnosis of malignant neoplasm of thyroid gland (C73). My question is this: The doctor states she is still technically surveilling patients for a return of cancer even decades after complete thyroidectomy, which is why she continues to code with the C73 in addition to the post-operative hypothyroidism. I have concerns regarding use of this code when the patient no longer has their thyroid and is not receiving active treatment. At what point do we switch to a "history of" code or is there another appropriate code to use? She is still ordering labs based off of this previous cx diagnosis and the surgery to remove it. Is this correct?

Example 1: Patient had total thyroidectomy in 2013 for papillary thyroid cx. Path report mentions margins uninvolved w/ cx and with no lymphovascular invasion. No lymph nodes involved. She has had whole body scans done afterwards, none with any evidence of metastatic disease. She received iodine ablation, unk exact dose. We still order thyroglobulin levels and ultrasounds in reference to this occurrence.

Example 2: Patient had total thyroidectomy in 2015, negative lymph nodes. Low risk of relapse. Patient decided not to receive radioactive iodine and just monitor. Excellent response to tx. We still order thyroglobulin levels and ultrasounds in reference to this occurrence.

Example 3: Patient was operated on in 2017. No lymphovascular invasion. Whole body scan shows no evidence of metastasis. Low risk of relapse. Ultrasound of neck in Feb showed no tissue in thyroid bed and no lymphadenopathy.

Please give me an idea of how this should be coded. At current she is coding E89.0 and C73.

Thanks for your help!

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

How to code a cancer diagnosis.

My team is having different opinions on how to code a cancer diagnosis on a pathology report. Heres an example:

Pathologist Specimen: Pleura, left

Final Diagnosis
Left Pleural Fluid: Adenocarcinoma

Gross Description
The specimen consists of 30 cc of turbid fluid. Smears and cell block are prepared.
Microscopic Description
Microscopic examination performed.

One team mate states we should only code the history because it doesn’t state pleural adenocarcinoma. The other states we should code it pleural cancer since that is the specimen.

What do you guys think?

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Lung Cancer Screening Counseling and Annual Screening for Lung Cancer With Low Dose C

Do any private health insurance companies reimburse for these procedures?

G0296 – Counseling visit to discuss need for lung cancer screening using low dose ct scan (ldct) (service is for eligibility determination and shared decision making)
G0297 – Low dose ct scan (ldct) for lung cancer screening

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Laparotomy, cancer debulking, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy

I need help. I’m coming up with a 49203 and a 58720 but the 58720 is bundled. Is there something i’m missing? Can someone help me?:(

Diagnose is Complex adnexal mass

Path states Adenocarcinoma

Operative report below:

The patient was taken to the operating room and was placed on the operating room table, general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation was started, she was prepped and draped in a normal sterile fashion and Foley catheter was inserted, perioperative antibiotics were given, after surgical timeout a low mid line incision was made from the symphysis pubis towards the umbilicus, subcutaneous tissue was divided, fascia was incised in the mid line and fascial incision was extended superiorly and inferiorly, peritoneum was incised and peritoneal incision was extended superiorly and inferiorly, intraperitoneal cavity was inspected carefully, there was a large cystic and solid mass arising from the left ovary, this mass was adherent to the bladder peritoneum and cul-de-sac peritoneum, it was very friable at the site of adhesion’s to the bladder and there was extensive area of bladder peritoneal metastases, there was no evidence of gross involvement of omentum or other upper abdominal structures, small bowel and large bowel appeared normal, rectum and sigmoid also appeared normal, stomach, liver, pancreas and spleen were palpated and appeared normal there was no palpable retro peritoneal lymphadenopathy. Samples of bladder peritoneal metastases were removed an submitted to the pathology lab and frozen section report was consistent with an undifferentiated malignancy of likely sex cord stromal type, right ovary and tube appeared normal, Peritoneum lateral to the infundibulopelvic ligament was incised the ureter was identified in the retro peritoneal space, infundibulopelvic ligament was secured cut and ligated, and the ovary and tube with attached mass was removed with the attached peritoneum, similar procedure was completed on the opposite side, bladder peritoneal involvement was removed, at the end there was no evidence of visible residual disease, hemostasis was assured, dependent omentectomy was performed, the gastroepiploic vessels on the dependent portion of omentum was ligated using a LigaSure device and removed. Then the fascia was reappoximated using the loop #1 PDS in running fashion, the skin was re-approximated using a stapler. Sponge needle counts and instrument counts were correct at the end of the operation.

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

PSA for history of prostate cancer

I’ve been receiving denials for patients PSAs with Z85.46 (personal history of prostate cancer). Some commercial insurance companies, including BCBS, is considering this as routine services and is patient’s responsibility. I don’t understand how this is considered routine services and what is the best course to appeal this denial. I cannot change the diagnosis code to C61 because the patients have received treatment, ie; prostatectomy, HDR, and there is no evidence of disease and is not being actively treated for prostate cancer and my physicians are only monitoring the PSA. So my question is how can I fix this??

Medical Billing and Coding Forum