AAPC News

Tweets From AAPC HEALTHCON

HEALTHCON attendees tweeted about what they learned at AAPC’s recent conference in Orlando, Florida. The following are their takeaways from a few of the sessions.

“President’s Welcome” by Bevan Erickson
@aapcstaff: “Hard skills will get you the job. Soft skills will get you to the next level.” — Bevan Erickson, AAPC President #HCON18

@Lisa_Eramo: Coders need to evolve faster than the world around them. — Bevan Erickson #HCON18

“The Medical Uses of Next Generation Sequencing” by Kenneth Ward, MD
@aapcstaff: “We’re in a genetics revolution. It’s changing medical science and patient care.” — Kenneth Ward, MD, CEO of Juneau Biosciences #HCON18

@Lisa_Eramo: Everything we do in health care will change as a result of genomic discoveries. — Kenneth Ward #HCON18

“Heart Valves — Open and Transcatheter” by Linda J King, CPC, CPCO, CPC-I, CCC, CCVTC, CEMC, CGSC
@SuzanneBWrites: “We need to bring our cardiology and cardio surgery coders together,” says Linda J. King in “Heart Valves — Open and Transcather Replacements.” The attendees all nodded their heads! #HCON18

@SuzanneBWrites: Watch out! Linda J. King finds that coders aren’t looking at the books, which is a problem because e-formats cut off pieces of codes. Plus, coders aren’t reading the regulations. “Heart Valve” session — #HCON18

@SuzanneBWrites: Audience member: “Doctors’ favorite words: ‘Prove it to me.’” Linda J. King, presenter of the “Heart Valve” #HCON18 session, says #medicalcoders need to talk to physicians with confidence and not cockiness.

@SuzanneBWrites: Good advice for ALL #medicalcoders looking at surgery claims: In your op notes, you can often find missing pieces of information in the indications paragraph, says Linda J. King, “Heart Valves” session. #HCON18

“Outpatient Clinical Documentation” by Terri Thomas, COC, CPC, CPC-I
@Lisa_Eramo: We need coding to be as specific and complete as possible. That’s why we moved to ICD-10. — Terri Thomas #HCON18

“Impact of Potential E/M Guideline Changes” by Raemarie Jimenez, CPC, CDEO, CPB, CPMA, CPPM, CPC-I, CANPC, CRHC
@SuzanneBWrites: We all had to move to the seats inside of the aisles to make room for more people, because this session is PACKED — Raemarie Jimenez, “Impact of Potential E/M Guideline Changes” #HCON18

@SuzanneBWrites: “With the use of EHR, we went from not being able to read what the MD has written to we can’t BELIEVE what they’ve written!” says Raemarie Jimenez. “Impact of Potential E/M Guideline Changes.” So much info isn’t relevant. #HCON18

@SuzanneBWrites: With higher deductibles, patients aren’t coming in every three months; they come in once a year and want MDs to take care of everything at that visit. May account for the higher E&M levels being reported. — Raemarie Jimenez, “Impact of Potential E/M Guideline Changes” #HCON18

@SuzanneBWrites: “If we went to time only, we have to be able to account for prep time BEFORE the MD walks into the room,” says Raemarie Jimenez, “Impact of Potential E/M Guideline Changes.” Beware if the time billed goes way over what the MD could’ve possibly done that day. #HCON18

@SuzanneBWrites: “If you’re not using those noncompliant codes (such as, a diabetic patient not actually following diet advice), then you really should, so the physician doesn’t get dinged for that patient not improving,” says Raemarie Jimenez, “Impact of Potential E/M Guideline Changes.” #HCON18

“Charge Description Master (CDM): Facility Best Practices” by Robert Gilbert, FHFMA, COC
@Lisa_Eramo: Charges you submit today determine payment rates in the future. Remember that! — Robert Gilbert #HCON18

“Coding Clinic Update for ICD-10-CM” by Sheri Poe Bernard, COC, CPC, CDEO, CRC, CPC-I
@BrucePegg1: An ICD-10 coding koan from Sheri Bernard: “The index is always right. But use your best instincts, because the index isn’t always right.” #HCON18

“A Deeper Dive Into Risk Adjustment” by Brian R. Boyce, CPC, CRC, CPC-I
@SuzanneBWrites: Big laughs here! “Suspect logic is like BBQ sauce. Everyone thinks they have the best recipe, but no one wants to reveal what’s in that recipe,” says Brian Boyce, CEO of @ionHealthcare, speaker of “Risk Adjustment” session at #HCON18.

@SuzanneBWrites: Potential reason for ACA: “Ya know those billboards advertising a 15 minute wait time at the ER? When I was a kid, the ER was when you arrived in an ambulance. What happened was ERs became a primary care offering and that wasn’t the intended use,” says Brian Boyce at #HCON18.

@SuzanneBWrites: Hey oncology folks: “Cancers are always a problem (especially prostate cancer). Commonly miscoded as active. Active means: on chemo, on radiation therapy, on hormonal therapy, watchful waiting, and patient too frail for treatment,” says Brian Boyce of @inHealthcare at #HCON18.

@SuzanneBWrites: For EVERYONE: “Don’t ever code a stroke in an outpatient setting,” says Brian Boyce of @inHealthcare, shaking his head, during “Risk Assessment” session at #HCON18. “Did they have a stroke right in front of you?”

“Medicare Payment Revolution” by Dixon Davis, MBA, MHSA
@aapcstaff: “Participation in MACRA is your opportunity to improve quality.” — Dixon Davis #HCON18 #meded #healthcare

@BrucePegg1: “Decide how you’re going to respond to MIPS and plan a strategy. Early responders will be better placed than those who don’t.” Good advice to medical practices from Dixon Davis #HCON18

@Lisa_Eramo: MIPS data will become publicly available. This should get docs’ attention! — Dixon Davis #HCON18

“Top E/M Office Visit Chart Audit Findings” by Marcia Brauchler, MPH, CPHQ, COC, CPC, CPC-I, and Laurie Bouzarelos, CPC
@BrucePegg1: Laurie Bouzarelos reminds practices to follow the NCQA guidelines for medical record documentation when recording E/M visits: https://tinyurl.com/yapxpw6y
#HCON18

@BrucePegg1: And use the Novitas E/M interactive scoresheet to calculate E/M levels: https://tinyurl.com/ycj9p92n #HCON18

@BrucePegg1: And follow Medicare guidelines that require providers to sign off on the chart within 48 hours. #HCON18

“Professional Etiquette in the Physical and Digital World” by Gina Piccirilli, CPC, CPMA
@DaphneKasprzak: #HCON18 learning about professionalism in the physical and digital world.

@DaphneKasprzak: #HCON18 put hard, specific facts on your résumé.

@DaphneKasprzak: #HCON18 Make your interests interesting. If you’re not interesting, make yourself interesting.