Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement - 2020 Issue 1
Countdown to 2021: Begin the Countdown to 2021 by Taking These 2 Steps
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Article Overview
This article explains how practices can prepare for upcoming office/outpatient E/M coding changes and why that preparation matters. It focuses on documentation streamlining, planning for payer questions, revising encounter-recording workflows, and reviewing time capture processes. The guidance is intended for coding professionals, compliance staff, and clinical practice leaders working with office/outpatient E/M services.
Why This Topic Matters
The article addresses a major transition in office/outpatient E/M coding and highlights operational steps practices can take before the changes take effect. It is relevant to anyone responsible for documentation standards, coding workflow design, or payer readiness.
Article Sections
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Step 1: Streamline Your Documentation by Avoiding Duplication
Discusses documentation reduction themes and the broader move away from unnecessary duplication in office/outpatient records. It also notes related CMS policy updates affecting documentation practices.
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Step 2: Put Your 2021 E/M Plan in Place
Introduces the need for a practice-level preparation plan for the upcoming E/M changes and references general planning resources.
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Contact Your Carriers
Covers payer communication as a preparation step and raises the need to understand how different carriers may approach documentation requirements.
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Change Your Recording
Focuses on reassessing encounter documentation workflows, templates, and how medical decision making may be represented in the record.
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Capture Time Correctly
Addresses the need to review timekeeping workflows so practices can record time consistently for office/outpatient visits.
What You Will Learn
- How the article frames preparation for office/outpatient E/M changes
- Why documentation workflows may need to be revisited before 2021
- What general practice areas the article says should be reviewed
- How the article positions carrier communication as part of planning
- Why time capture processes are discussed in relation to the changes
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Compliance staff
- Practice managers
- Physicians
- Advanced practice providers
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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