Summer Healthcare: Don't Get Burned by Missing 16000s with E/M Pay

Why This Topic Matters

Burn cases can involve both procedural and E/M reporting opportunities, and missing the procedure portion can affect reimbursement and claim completeness. The article helps readers recognize the general coding areas that commonly apply to burn care so they can evaluate whether the full visit is captured appropriately.

Article Sections

1. Report Burns by Size, Location, Severity

   Covers the broad relationship between burn characteristics, diagnosis reporting, and how burn extent is considered in procedure code selection. Also addresses general burn severity categories and total body surface area concepts.

2. Base Local Treatment Code on TBSA and 'Degree'

   Introduces local burn treatment coding at a high level and discusses how burn care services are organized by injury extent and treatment type. The section also includes a short clinical illustration and a caution about when burn care may or may not be separately reported.

3. Look for Separate E/M Services

   Describes the general possibility of reporting an evaluation and management service alongside burn treatment when the encounter includes more than burn-directed care. It also addresses the need to distinguish separate services from burn-only visits.