Keep Up With Radiology Coding and Minimize Risk

The radiology coding risks are plentiful and ever-changing, Melody Mulaik, MSHS, president and co-founder, Coding Strategies, Inc., said at AHRA 2014.

Mulaik touched on specific current challenges like the updates to PET guidance, and documentation for CTAs and ultrasound - some of which tend to be recurring themes but topics that are necessary to continue to revisit to stay on top of the documentation.

“We should do what’s ordered, we should document what we do, we should code for what’s documented,” Mulaik said.

A number of combined codes were introduced in 2014, Mulaik said, a trend that she predicts will continue as we move into 2015. The interventional and breast procedure areas will likely see the most changes, she said.

In regards to audits, Mulaik said it’s important for everyone to know where their particular risks are. Once these are identified, find out what the auditors are looking for, she said. “Going to the OIG’s web site, looking at the  key items in the work plan, looking at other investigations that they’ve done…anytime we hear of a radiology issue or a practice being audited for an issue, look at that within our own organization and it helps to identify key areas of concern.”

Editor’s Note: At the time of this taping, the recent CMS reimbursement changes had not yet been announced. On October 31, 2014, CMS issued new codes for breast tomosynthesis with a 0.6 physician work RVU.