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$44.95
The Comprehensive Guidebook for Career Success as a Medical Coder by Donna Avila-Weil, RHIT, and Rhonda Regan, CCS, CCS-P ISBN 978-1-877810-15-2 Softcover, layflat 448 pages, 7x 9, 2007
Details:
LIVE, CODE AND PROSPER IN YOUR PRIVATE PARADISE
How would you like to have a job that you can perform while living anywhere you choose? Like Hawaii ... or on your favorite mountain with a breathtaking view ... or on the shore of your favorite lake? Here's more - you can be your own boss working from home, and make a good (or great) income while performing a highly-respected profession. Sound too good to be true? Well, it is true and this dream of a profession/life style is being lived today by independent medical coders around the United States and in other countries.
There is an enormous and growing demand for skilled medical coders, creating a severe shortage in a large variety of coding situations. Demand greater than supply sounds like a condition that would result in excellent compensation for those on the supply side. That is also true. So, how do you determine if medical coding is the profession for you? If you are already a medical coder, how do you identify and evaluate the rapidly expanding variety of opportunities open to you?
INDEPENDENT MEDICAL CODING, 2nd edition: The Comprehensive Guidebook for Career Success as a Medical Coder (just published by Rayve Productions) provides answers to these questions and many more, such as What is Coding? ; Are You Ready to Go Solo?; What is the Future of Coding in Health Care? The 448-page book also gives extensive information regarding Medical Coding Education and Experience ; Continuing Professional Education ; Becoming Credentialed ; Medical Transcriptionists as Coding Specialists ; Salary Projections Based on Survey Data; Types of Coding Systems; Establishing Your Independent Coding Business; Alternative Careers for the Health Care Coding Specialist; Establishing Fees; Marketing Tips; Contracts and Independent Contractors; Building a Successful Coding/Consulting Business; Professional Ethics; Finances; and much more, including descriptions of the authors' favorite references and resources and the appendix's twenty-three exhibits of helpful forms and documents.
Authors Donna Avila-Weil, RHIT, and Rhonda Regan, CCS, CCS-P, have worked extensively in health information management for decades. Avila-Weil has specialized in coding, in medical transcription, directed medical staff services, and provided extensive consulting services during her 30 year career. Regan has performed medical coding for 20 years. She owns her own independent coding and health information management consulting business. Donna lives and conducts her coding, medical transcription, and consulting business in Hawaii, servicing clients across the U.S. Rhonda lives and has her coding and consulting business in the beautiful wine country of Northern California.
Contents:
Introduction
Read It and WeaveWhat Is Coding? The History of Coding Current Code Sources Annual Coding Updates, Revisions, and Deletions The Prospective Payment System (PPS) Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) The Future of DRGs Accurate Medical Coding ? Purpose and Results in Health Care Today How Codes Are Applied The Purpose and Results of Coding Coder Shortages Coding Compliance Coding Compliance Tools Coding GuidelinesAre You Ready to Go Solo? Being Prepared The Entrepreneurial Personality Experience and Training What to Expect The Rewards of Self-Employment The Pros and Cons of Independent ContractingMedical Coding Education and Experience Coder Education ? Not an Overnight Experience Coder Boot Camps Home Study Resources Job Description ? Coding Specialist Specific Responsibilities Other Potential Duties/Responsibilities Technical Skills Required Decision-Making and Research Skills Interpersonal and Organization Skills Organizations and Websites Offering Education/Training The Coding Toolbox Credentials AvailableAn Independent's Success Story: Michelle Matalone Continuing Your Professional Education Knowledge is Power Workshops and Seminars Coding Roundtables Keeping Up with Trends and Technology Keeping Current on Coding UpdatesBecoming Credentialed Other Sources of Education/Training What Certification Can Do for You Guidelines for Using Credentials AHIMA Advocacy Resolution Exam Preparation ? Tips for Organizing Materials and Managing Exam Time Study Resources Examination Time More Tips for CCA Exam Preparation CCS-P Exam Tips CCS and CPC Exam Tips Nurses as Coding SpecialistsFrom Nurse to Successful Coder: Debbie Elliot Medical Transcriptionists (MTs) as Coding Specialists Medical Transcriptionists as CodersA Successful Independent/Coding/Billing/Recovery Specialist: Mary L. Smith Salary Projections Based on Survey Data Various Positions in the Coding FieldNetworking Internet Resources ? "Net"-WorkingHIPAA ? Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Business AssociatesTypes of Coding Systems Interpreting Coding with ICD-9-CM The Emergence of ICD-10-CM Coder Transition to ICD-10 Coder Productivity ? ICD-10 Why Switch to ICD-10 Training for ICD-10 HCPCS (Healthcare Current Procedural Coding System) Level I ? CPT Level II ? HCPCS/National Codes and Modifiers What are HCPCS Modifiers? Introducing APCS E/M Codes (Evaluation and Management Codes) E/M Code History Introduction to DRGs ? Diagnosis Related Groups Where Did the DRG Originate? Basic Characteristics of the DRG Classification System The DRG Assignment Process The Typical Decision Process Used to Assign a DRG to a Case Assuring Proper DRG Assignment How Hospitals Are Paid Via the DRG System Case Mix Case Mix Index (CMI) Medicare Case Mix is Rising DRG Optimization/Maintaining Compliance Chargemaster The Importance of Documentation Coding QueriesPhysician Coder Query FormEstablishing Your Independent Coding Business New Independent Freedoms Rewards of Self-Employment
Staying Focused Consulting ? The Pros and Cons What Is a Coding Consultant? Being Ethical Coding Compliance Coding Compliance Tools Fraud and Abuse Positioning Yourself in the Current Health Care Environment How to Compete Successfully Maintaining Your Competitive Edge
M
aking Healthy Choices Clients and Services Coding in Managed Care/Physician Practices Coding for Outpatient/Ambulatory Care Clinics Types of Services to Offer Consulting Services to Optimize DRGs Coding Auditing Services Medical Record Abstracting for Severity of Illness Outpatient Coding Outpatient Surgery Coding Emergency Room, Laboratory/X-Ray Coding How Coding and Billing Are Linked in the Outpatient Setting Benefits/Revenue Recovery The Recovery Specialist Fees for the Recovery Specialist Learning Outpatient Coding and Billing Computer Setup for Outpatient Coding Reference Materials for Outpatient Coding The Work Site ? Home-based Coding Remote Coding ? An Idea Whose Time Has Come Offshore Outsourcing The Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Medical Facility Benefits of Home-based Coding The Coder Educator International Coding Opportunities United Kingdom Clinical Coders Society of Australia Alternative Careers for the Health Care Coding Specialist Cancer Registry Functions of a Cancer Registry Coding Cancer Cases The Future for Cancer Registrars Education and Training for Cancer Registry Work Becoming Certified as a Tumor/Cancer RegistrarA Successful Cancer Registrar ? Valerie McRae Trauma Registries History Basic Training Achieving Certification Radiology Coding CertificationSetting Up Business Operations Planning and Implementing The Office Environment Being the Boss Means Flexible Hours Equipment and Software Needs Computer Assisted Coding Encoder Software How the Encoder "Thinks" Encoder Pros and Cons The Alpha II Coding System What Does Alpha II Do? Medical Coding Software Forms Reference Books and Resource Guides Building a Web Page Your Home Page Marketing and Promoting Your Website Never Underestimate the Value of Links Maintaining Your Website Licensing and Regulations Professional Liability InsuranceEstablishing Fees for Services Market Research Rate Variables Productivity StandardsMarketing You and Your Business Collecting the Facts Evaluating Your Background and Experience Evaluating Your Market and Competition What Is Needed Fliers Clients The Power Resume The Power LetterFollow Up with Potential Clients Keep Track of Your Contacts Your Client Relationships The Interview What to Bring with You to the Interview The Winning Image What Not to Do Closing the Interview"Net"-Working Professional Image and Attitude ? Inspiring ConfidenceCoding Contracts Verbal Contracts Contract Decisions ? The Details Contract Decisions ? Other Information The Director's Concerns Contract Management in Health Care
Maintaining the Contract Commitments The Business Associate Agreement Business AssociatesBuilding a Successful Coding/Consulting Business Establishing Priorities Facility Requirements Developing Good Working Relationships Getting and Retaining Clients Selecting Clients Moonlighting ? Don't Quit Your Day Job Just Yet!Professional Ethics and Compliance Coding Principles Where to Find Answers to Coding Questions Unethical Coding Ethics for Outpatient Coders Ethics in the DRG System
he CPT System Other Coding Concerns Optimization Through Quality Coding Coding with Appropriate Documentation How to Apply Codes When Not to Code Documentation ConcernsCompliance and Quality Improvement Maintaining Confidentiality Confidentiality and Home-based Coding Doing Business Under HIPAA The Privacy Rule The Business Associate The Business Associate Agreement (BAA) Important Coding Security and Privacy Issues Faxing Health Care Documents Online Information Security HIPAA Compliance Policies and Procedures HIPAA Compliance Training The Security Rule Disaster Recovery Keeping Records Coding ? Daily Log Sheets/Audit Control of Work Flow Resources for This SectionThe Independent Contractor Benefits to Independent Contractors Risks to Independent Contractors Independent Contracting and the Twenty Common Law Principles The Six Factor "Economic Realities" Test The Reality Check Subcontracting Assistance from the Chamber of Commerce Having the Appropriate Documents in Order Additional Reference MaterialsFinances Financial Needs and Capital Investment Watching Your Costs and Expenses Using a Business Credit Card Equipment ? Leasing or Renting Versus Buying Leasing Equipment When Not to Lease Equipment Paying Yourself Tax Incentives: Business Taxes Types of Taxes
Federal Taxes Form 1099 and Your Business Income Taxes Tax Deposits Social Security Taxes (FICA) Checking Your Social Security Record Employer's Identification Number (EIN) Estimated Tax Payments ? A Horror Story! State Taxes Home-Sweet-Tax Deduction When the Home Office Deduction Is Not the Best Option Automobile Expenses Interest on Car Loans Who Should Lease and Who Should Buy a Car? Business-related Travel Expenses Education Expenses Expensing and Depreciation Records Needed for Tax Purposes Tax Sheltering Through Retirement Plans Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Health Insurance Should You Hire an Accountant, Bookkeeper or Tax Preparer?The Future of Coding in Health Care Favorite References and Resources Associations Websites Bibliography Journals and PublicationsGlossary Appendix: Contains 23 ExhibitsIndex
Exhibit I ? AHIMA Code of Ethics 2004 Exhibit II ? AHIMA Standards of Ethical Conduct Exhibit III ? AHIMA Statement on Health Information Confidentiality Exhibit IV ? AHIMA: Confidential Health Information and the Internet Exhibit V ? HIPAA Security Guidance Exhibit VI ? Business Cards Exhibit VII ? Record Completion Log Exhibit VIII ? DRG Optimization Worksheet Exhibit IX ? DRG Contracting Worksheet for Chart Review Exhibit X ? DRG Optimization Summary Worksheet Exhibit XI ? Personal Time Sheet Exhibit XII ? Billing/Invoice Form Exhibit XIII ? Invoice Form for DRG Contracting Exhibit XIV ? Sample Business Associate Agreement Exhibit XV ? Sample Coding Contract Exhibit XVI ? Schedule A ? Fee Schedule Exhibit XVII ? Schedule B ? Nondisclosure Agreement Exhibits XVIII through XX! ? Coding Summaries