Fifty-eight percent of claims billed with MS-DRG 246, percutaneous cardiovascular procedure with drug-eluting stent, with MCC or four-plus vessels/stents, were denied by Trailblazer Health Enterprises, LLC, the Medicare Administrative Contractor for Jurisdiction 4(Texas, New Mexico, Colorado,...Read More »
The following is a condensed, step-by-step guide that can be used for hospitalwide ICD-10-CM/PCS implementation, but contains additional details for CDI departments involved with ICD-10 training. It is updated to reflect the new ICD-10 compliance date of October 1, 2014.Read More »
Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) result in an estimated $700 million in additional healthcare costs across the nation, with more than 41,000 people affected in 2009, according to a February 7 CMS...Read More »
CDI professionals see a lot of physician documentation—not all of it good or pretty. A few annoying and troublesome problems fall into the “bad” or “ugly” categories. Describing a few of these worrisome practice patterns and identifying ways to improve...Read More »
Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess hospital is the latest facility to succumb to investigations regarding potentially inappropriate billing for inpatient services, according to a February 6 article in...Read More »
Linnea Thennes, RN, BS, CCDS, works at Centegra Health System, a two-hospital system in Northern Ilinois that has plans to add a third facility. She is one of the founding members of the Northern Illinois CDI Network, which began in March 2008. Thennes is very proud to have been among the group...Read More »
CMS acting administrator Marilyn Tavenner indicated that the agency could be considering a revision to the ICD-10-CM/PCS implementation timeline during the American Medical Association (AMA) National Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC. Tavenner also indicated that the timeline will be...Read More »
They say starting a new job can be one of the most stressful of life’s challenges. Imagine changing careers.
Ronalyn Reyes, RN, BSN, has been a CDI specialist for little more than two months. Previously employed by BlueCross BlueShield in its prior-authorization arm, she wanted to...Read More »
