HCC Blog by Caridad

 When coding for cancer diagnosis, here is a handy on line dictionary on cancer terms from National Cancer Institute.  https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms Cancer Types tab Select a type of cancer to learn about treatment, causes and prevention, screening, and the latest research. NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms The NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms features 8,727 terms related to cancer and medicine. cancer type  https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms Chart documentation may include location, site, laterality, specific site on body, including stage (how much has grown and spread).  Document current status of neoplasm, if responding to treatment, or if historical with no active treatment or recurrence Consider using the term  'in remission' in place of 'history of' when describing the cancer, as appropriate. When adjuvant therapy is used, document its purpose if curative, palliative or preventive. Document an referrals...

 This brief 5-minute video from CMS is entitled Annual Wellness Visits (AWV) Video and was released Oct 14, 2020.  The video provides health care professionals with guidance to understand expectations and requirements when submitting documentation for Annual Wellness Visits (AWV) for Medicare beneficiaries. It briefly explains the difference between a 'Routine Physical Checkup', "Initial Preventive Physical Exam' and 'Annual Wellness Visit'.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7yOUaMJyJU&feature=youtu.be Disclaimer: This guidance is to be used for an easy reference; the ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM code books and the Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting are the authoritative references for accurate and complete coding. This blog may contain references or links to statutes, regulations, or other policy materials. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations.  The information presented herein is for general informational purpo...

Expanding Medicare Telehealth Services For the first time using a new expedited process, CMS is  adding 11 new services to the Medicare telehealth  services list since the publication of the May 1, 2020, COVID-19 Interim Final Rule with comment period (IFC). Medicare will begin paying eligible practitioners who furnish these newly added telehealth services effective immediately, and for the duration of the PHE. These new telehealth services include certain neurostimulator analysis and programming services, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services. The list of these newly added services is available at:  https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/ Medicare-General-Information/ Telehealth/Telehealth-Codes . In the May 1 COVID-19 IFC, CMS modified the process for adding or deleting services from the Medicare telehealth services list to allow for expedited consideration of additional telehealth services during the PHE outside of rulemaking. This update to the Medicare telehealth s...