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

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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”

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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

Hospices Will Continue To Struggle Under Inadequate Rate Bump

CMS bats down argument to correct inflation underestimation. The slight increase in hospices’ 2024 payment rates, as compared to the amount proposed back in March, isn’t going to be enough to stave off hard times for many hospices. So say industry representatives after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final rule […]

The post Hospices Will Continue To Struggle Under Inadequate Rate Bump appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.

AAPC Knowledge Center

Feds and U.S. Attorneys Continue to Crack Down on Telemedicine Fraud

Medical practitioners in Michigan are held responsible for their role in Medicare fraud scheme. On Aug. 24, U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Birge announced criminal and civil enforcement actions against four Michigan medical practitioners for their role in perpetuating a telemedicine scheme to defraud Medicare. The practitioners signed off on illegitimate orders for medical braces and […]

The post Feds and U.S. Attorneys Continue to Crack Down on Telemedicine Fraud appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.

AAPC Knowledge Center

Does your facility continue to struggle with injections and infusions coding?

By Steven Andrews

Despite few recent code or rule changes in recent years, coders and HIM managers I hear from through emails and at industry events almost always mention concerns about accurately documenting and reporting drug administration services.
 
The services are often performed in different hospitals departments on a variety of types of patients.  Revenue integrity relies on orders, nurse documentation, correctly applying coding concepts, and capturing charges based on documentation.
 
If you continue to struggle with accurately reporting these services, join HCPro for our annual 90-minute webcast for a comprehensive review of the revenue integrity concepts applicable to drug administration services, including tips on medication administration record (MAR) documentation, and for capturing charges.
 
During this program, expert speakers Jugna Shah, MPH, and Valerie A. Rinkle, MPA, will cover frequently raised questions and discuss the impact of OPPS packaging on drug administration overall payments, the importance of reviewing your MAC’s local coverage determination guidance, and hot audit topics.
 
The webcast will take place Friday, January 29, from 1-2:30 p.m. (Eastern). For more information, click here.
 
 
Watch for the Revenue Cycle Daily Advisor!
 
We are happy to announce that beginning on January 25, you will be receiving the Revenue Cycle Daily Advisor. This free daily email newsletter combines editorial experts from HealthLeaders Media and HCPro to bring insight and news on every aspect of the revenue cycle covering topics such as Medicare reimbursement rules and regulations, value-based business models, clinical documentation improvement, health information management issues, patient privacy and security, and updates to coding and billing rules and guidelines, utilization review and case management challenges, and hospital and physician practice reimbursement and compliance.
 
Your current subscription to APCs Insider will be transferred to the Revenue Cycle Daily Advisor. The last issue of the APCs Insider is scheduled for January 22. Next week we will give you more details about managing your subscription to the Revenue Cycle Daily Advisor. 
 
 
Survey on education and resources for coding management
HCPro is conducting research on education and resources related to coding management post-ICD-10. Please take a moment to answer a short 5-question survey to help us learn what would best serve your needs. Click on the link below to answer the survey online. If the click-through does not work, copy and paste the URL into the address bar of your browser. We appreciate your time!
 

HCPro.com – APCs Insider

Longtime accrediting organization to keep its name, continue to expand

 The Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program—also commonly known as HFAP—will be keeping its name. The longtime accrediting organization had originally planned to take the name of the Accreditation Association for Hospitals/Health Systems (AAHHS), which acquired HFAP in 2015 from the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

HCPro.com – Briefings on Accreditation and Quality

Outpatient coding, billing errors continue to lead to majority of automated denials

By Steven Andrews

Outpatient coding and billing errors lead to more than half of all automated denials by Recovery Auditors, according to the latest RACTrac survey from the American Hospital Association (AHA).
 
The survey of more than 2,500 hospitals, conducted during the third quarter 2015, found that 40% of automated denials were the result of outpatient billing errors, while 20% were due to outpatient coding errors. This is up 10% for the combined results from the third quarter 2014 survey.
 
However, for complex denials, 76% of hospitals nationally report incorrect MS-DRGs or other coding errors as the top reason for denials. Incorrect APCs or other outpatient coding and billing errors only lead to 4% of complex denials.
 
Nationwide, the average dollar amount of automated denials is up sharply from last year at this time, with hospitals reporting each at $ 1,056 in 2015, compared to $ 688 in 2014. The average dollar amount for complex denials has fallen from $ 5,618 in 2014 to $ 5,458 in the most recent survey.
 
The rate of hospitals with denials reversed during the discussion period has also fallen, from 52% in 2014 to 45% in 2015, along with the number of denials available for appeal, from 540,203 to 366,479 over the same time period. Claims overturned in favor of the provider after completing the claims process have also fallen from 70% last year to 62% in 2015.
 
For complete results of the survey, as well as an archive of previous surveys and the opportunity to sign up for future surveys, see the AHA’s RACTrac site.
 
Note: APCs Insider will not publish the weeks of December 25 and January 1 due to the holidays, so look for the next edition Friday, January 8. Thank you for being a loyal reader of APCs Insider and have a safe and happy holiday season!

HCPro.com – APCs Insider