Free HIMSS/AHIMA CEU Available From the National Center for Health Statistics

The National Center for Health Statistics has a free CEU available for HIMSS and AHIMA members. The topic is the National Hospital Care Survey.

The stated objectives are:

• To introduce you to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
• To describe the National Hospital Care Survey (NHCS)
• To tell you why you should participate in NHCS
• To describe what participation involves
• To describe how NCHS ensures confidentiality and complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

You can access the training program HERE.

CMS Posts Revised Instructions for Billing Services On or After 10-1-2015

CMS Medlearn Matters (MLN) has re-issued SE 1408 - Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) Claims Processing Guidance for Implementing International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition (ICD-10) – A Re-Issue of MM7492.  Although this is a FFS guidance, it was referenced in the September 2015 Encounter Data Processing System Newsletter, for guidance on submission of claims/encounters on or after the 10-1 transition date to ICD-10.  There are two important new pieces of information included:

v  The submission of Inpatient Home Health Services (Part B) services—type of bill 32X * (use the thru date)

v  The submission of DME claims that span dates of service before 10-1 and on or after 10-1 (use the from date)

I think there will be a number of DME claims like this, so the update is important.

You can review the update on the CMS website, here.

* The type of bill 32X is not exclusively used for this type of service. This is only for Part B only Medicare  members who are in an inpatient hospital setting, receiving Home Health services there. 

Updated "Ask a Coder" questions on HCC University!

We've added 9 new questions, most about ICD-10, to the Ask a Coder section on HCCUniversity.com.  In addition, most of the older questions have been updated to include ICD-10 information.

On the Full Encounter Data/ICD-10 page, we've added an updated CMS Encounter Data Processing System (EDPS) Newsletter, which reminds physicians and DME suppliers that ICD-9 and ICD-10 cannot be billed on the same claim/encounter.  If there are services both prior to and on or after 10-1-15, you must split them and put them on separate claims.

For hospitals, the discharge date determines which coding system applies to the whole claim.  So, if a patient is admitted on 9-20-15, and discharged on 10-1-15, all services will be billed under the ICD-10 coding system.

Finally, remember you can ask risk adjustment related coding questions by submitting an email to coding@scanhealthplan.com.

Stay tuned for more exciting news from HCCUniversity.com!

Updated Job Openings in HealthCare Informatics

We've recently had a position filled, so I wanted to be sure and post an updated list of jobs open in our HealthCare Informatics family.  If you're interested in one of the positions, click the link, and read the full job description.  You can apply online!  All of the positions are in our Long Beach office.

Job Title	Requisition Number	Position Type	Standard Hours
Healthcare Informatics Analyst II	14-1588	Full Time - Regular	40
Encounter Data Specialist - Report Analyst	15-1769	Full Time - Regular	40
Project Manager - HCI	15-1863	Full Time - Regular	40
Sr. Encounter Data Specialist - Technical Reporting Analyst	15-1904	Full Time - Regular	40
Health Care Analyst Sr.	15-1919	Full Time - Regular	40

Important Information on ICD-10 Excludes 1 Notes

Although the general ICD-10 instruction is that an Excludes 1 note means you cannot code two conditions together, the National Center for Health Statistics has posted an exception on their website. The NCHS is one of the 4 cooperating parties for ICD-10, and is responsible for posting the ICD-10 code book and guidelines.  The exception reads as follows:

"We have received several questions regarding the interpretation of Excludes1 notes in ICD-10-CM when the conditions are unrelated to one another. Answer: If the two conditions are not related to one another, it is permissible to report both codes despite the presence of an Excludes1 note. For example, the Excludes1 note at code range R40-R46, states that symptoms and signs constituting part of a pattern of mental disorder (F01-F99) cannot be assigned with the R40-R46 codes. However, if dizziness (R42) is not a component of the mental health condition (e.g., dizziness is unrelated to bipolar disorder), then separate codes may be assigned for both dizziness and bipolar disorder. In another example, code range I60-I69 (Cerebrovascular Diseases) has an Excludes1 note for traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (S06.-). Codes in I60-I69 should not be used for a diagnosis of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. However, if the patient has both a current traumatic intracranial hemorrhage and sequela from a previous stroke, then it would be appropriate to assign both a code from S06- and I69-."



You can read the exception on their website, as well as download important ICD-10 documents at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd10cm.htm

Healthcare Informatics Job Postings

We just wanted to post all of our current Healthcare Informatic Job Postings for you.  You can click on the link to be taken to the job description, and information on how to apply for the job.  We hope you'll consider joining the Healthcare Informatics family!

Job Title	Requisition Number	City	Standard Hours	Post Date
Healthcare Informatics Analyst II	14-1588	Long Beach	40	10/06/2014
Data Analyst - HEDIS & Medicare Star	15-1694	Long Beach	40	02/06/2015
Encounter Data Specialist - Report Analyst	15-1769	Long Beach	40	04/10/2015
Project Manager - HCI	15-1863	Long Beach	40	07/02/2015
Sr. Encounter Data Specialist - Technical Reporting Analyst	15-1904	Long Beach	40	08/20/2015
Health Care Analyst Sr.	15-1919	Long Beach	40	08/27/2015

New Healthcare Informatics Job Posting

The position below was posted on October 5.  Please be sure to check out last Thursday's post for other positions still available as part of our Healthcare Informatics Family!  Just click on the job title to be taken to the full posting for the position.

Healthcare Informatics Analyst II

14-1588

Healthcare Informatics

Long Beach