What are the skills that a medical coder should possess?
Some of the major skills that a medical coder must possess are as follows-
1 What are the methods for organizing bill payments?
Different offices make use of a variety of methods to organize bill payments, such as digital bill paying portals and paper systems. Therefore, medical coders should be proficient in handling both types of bill payment organizing systems.
What are some common phrases used in clinical coding?
Certain phrases and jargon are used on a day-to-day basis and form an important part of a medical coderâs job, which are as given below-
Abstraction â Determining a patientâs ailments with the help of the patientâs records, reports such as radiology and laboratory reports, and their operation notes among other documents.
Assignment â Appropriate codes are determined for every procedure, and these codes are entered into the system.
Review â The codes assigned are cross-checked for accuracy as to if they explain the condition of the patient and the treatment used. Review is crucial as it helps ensure all the documents are error-free before the data is submitted.
ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases, which was established by the World Health Organization (WHO). ICD codes were created to describe diseases, illnesses, injuries, and deaths. These codes have 5-7 characters, a combination of alphanumeric codes. They always begin with an alphabet. There are currently two components to ICD, which are ICD -10 CM (clinical modification codes for diagnostic coding), and ICD-10 PCS (procedure coding system for inpatient procedures performed)
There are three levels in HCPCS or Healthcare Common Procedure Coding system, which are as follows-
What is a âJâ code in medical billing?
The âJâ code in medical billing is a part of the HCPCS code set which denotes medications administered non-orally and for chemotherapy drugs. The J code is generally a part of the HCPCS Level II Codes.
How is medical coding used in the practical world?
Medical coding is useful in various situations, and it specifically has a financial aspect. Medical coding helps insurance companies to understand how to pay medical claims, and it is also useful in the billing process. In addition to its financial applications, it is also a huge part of studies and research pertaining to diseases and treatments. The medical coding data helps analyze the pattern of diseases in society, which helps governments understand how to come up with programs that combat these diseases.