Documentation & Coding Archives

The Basics of Coding with HCPCS

The Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Basics HCPCS is an acronym for Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (pronounced Hick-Picks). HCPCS has its own coding guidelines and works hand in hand with CPT (Current Procedural Terminology). Already confused? Here is a quick recap of coding and how it tells the patient’s story: CPT is a…

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Level 2-HCPCS Coding

Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) is the overall procedural coding system we use in our profession. However, most don’t know that the Level 1 codes are the CPT codes (Current Procedural Terminology). The Level 2 codes, or what we call HCPCS (“hick-picks”) are those alphanumeric codes and modifiers that must be part of your…

Diagnostic Imaging Reference Documents

Download Reference Documents To x-ray or not to x-ray…that is the question in the profession. The use of x-ray has evolved over the years, and many studies, abstracts, and bits of guidance have been published. This is a small collection of reference documents that relate to the use of x-ray in the practice. KMC University…

Full Spine X-Rays: Third-Party Bundling and Unbundling

Chiropractors Often Need to Visualize all Three Spinal Regions Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar—and X-ray each region during the same visit. Historically, some insurance companies have bundled these separate regional X-rays into a single code for the full spine. Until recently, the code 72010 (radiologic exam, spine, entire, survey study, AP, and lateral) was the code…

Proper Coding for X-Rays

X-Ray Fundamentals X-ray codes are found in the 70000 section of your CPT coding manual. X-rays are common and helpful tools used for diagnostic purposes. It is important to note that X-rays should not necessarily be ‘automatic’ with each new patient encounter; films should be clinically indicated and documented before they are utilized and subsequently billed….

Coding X-ray-Spinal and Extremities

There was a time when every patient had a full spine study conducted. Based on best practices, the use of in-house x-ray in the average Chiropractic practice has trended downward over the last decade. For those who continue to take and bill for x-rays in the practice, these two Rapid Tutorials outline important information on…