Medical Billing Codes: 18,000 to 140,000

I recently came across an interesting article about medical billing codes. As CNO at Nurses PRN, with many years of experience in the field – I know the confusion that medical billing codes can cause. Finding the exact way to code a specific medical service so the bills sent to insurers are accurate and will go without question isn’t enough anymore.

It appears (according to the www.online.wsj.com) a new federally mandated version of medical codes will expand the number from 18,000 to about 140,000 – allow me to confirm that number again in case you thought it was an error on my part - 140,000. The addition of these codes will describe precisely which artery is receiving a stent or which bone was broken. As nurses, we know the combination of body parts and medical procedures mixed and matched will exponentially grow quickly. This new process will eliminate the question of where a patient got hurt or how. Codes describing locations such as opera houses, art galleries and squat courts in addition to around a mobile home from the bathroom to bedroom will all have individual codes.

Despite the fact that some doctors don’t see this information as relevant, it appears that federal agencies developed the system, generally known as ICD-10 (International Classification for Diseases, 10thRevision) suggest these codes will provide a more exact and thorough accounting of diagnoses and hospital inpatient procedures. This, in turn, could pave the way for improved strategies and care guidelines.

For those experts who translate a doctor’s work into codes – they had better gear up to start using the system in the next two years. Experts in the industry say that the new detail is welcomed in many cases, although some codes may seem excessive. Regardless – this is the direction of medical coding. Much of the new system is based on a World Health Organization code set in use in many countries for more than a decade. The American version, developed by the Centers for Disease Control Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is considerably more detailed.

I’ll keep you appraised on this topic as time passes. For this article and more news visit http://www.prnhealthservices.com/health-news/medical-billing-codes-18-000-to-140-000/92.