General Surgery Coding Alert - 2011 Issue 18
E/M Coding: Answer the $56 Question--Are You Downcoding Your E/M Visits?
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Article Overview
This premium article examines a common evaluation and management coding issue: practices that report lower-level visits than their documentation may support. It explains why this pattern can affect revenue, raise compliance concerns, and draw payer attention, and it is aimed at coders, physicians, compliance staff, and practice managers working with Medicare claims.
Why This Topic Matters
Undercoding can reduce reimbursement and create compliance risk if claims do not match the documented service level. The article helps readers understand the broader impact of coding conservatively and the importance of documentation-based code selection.
Article Sections
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Could You Be Triggering an Audit?
Discusses how recurring low-level evaluation and management reporting may attract payer scrutiny and create patterns that stand out in claims review.
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Consider Compliance Implications
Reviews the compliance and legal concerns associated with reporting claims below the documented service level and the role of uncertainty in code selection.
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Determine How Much Revenue You're Losing
Explains the financial impact of reporting a lower evaluation and management level than the documentation supports and emphasizes the importance of accurate documentation.
What You Will Learn
- Why some practices report lower-level evaluation and management visits than documentation may support
- How undercoding patterns can affect payer review and audit attention
- What compliance concerns may arise when claims do not reflect the documented service level
- How conservative coding choices can affect practice revenue
- Why documentation quality matters in selecting the most accurate evaluation and management code
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Physicians
- Compliance officers
- Practice managers
- Billing staff
Codes Discussed
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