Nitin Chhoda explains how medical billing and coding can be simplified with an integrated electronic medical records and billing system. The importance of communicating with patients and elaborating costs and financial responsibilities is also discussed.

CPT codesCPT codes are pretty complex to use if you are unfamiliar with the process.

However, because they are so widely used, there have been many improvements in the way that medical coders and billers can access the codes they need.

Especially in an increasingly electronic age, CPT codes are only getting easier to use. Coding speed and accuracy can be increased with special physical therapy software that allows you to search for the right CPT codes quickly.

The most common reasons that insurance claims are rejected or denied have to do with incorrect coding or policy non-compliance. And every claim that has to be re-done makes the medical coding in your office slower and more costly.

With the Internet and software prices going down, these problems are being reduced for medical coding professionals and for the clinics that they work for. The high-end EMR solutions also include coding databases and can help improve efficiency and accuracy.

In order to draw more clients to use EMRs, software developers are learning to provide just what clinics and clinicians need from a complete electronic system.

Not Just CPT Codes – All Medical Coding

And of course, CPT codes are just one aspect of the job of a medical coder. CPT codes for Medicare are the same as certain HCPCS codes. Not every clinic will use all CPT codes, but only a certain sub-set. CPT codes list are only good if they are combined with the appropriate ICD codes when submitted with claims.

These kinds of important requirements keep medical coding staff very busy, which is one reason why many practices prefer to hire certified medical coders.

Communication with Patients

Another important way that CPT codes are used is in communication with patients. After a claim is filed and the insurance company responds with the amount they are covering, if there is any leftover amount it is up to the medical biller to bill the patient.

Patients usually find the medical billing paperwork to be confusing and overwhelming, especially patients who have recently undergone a medical procedure or have been diagnosed with a serious disease or condition.

CPT codesMedical billing staff have to be able to communicate why certain CPT codes are used, why the insurance company did not cover the entire cost, and what the patient is responsible for paying.

Determining Future Costs

It can also be helpful if patients get an explanation about what future costs to expect due to discrepancies between the amount the insurance company will cover and the amount the patient has to pay.

CPT codes dictate how much a patient will be charged as well as how much the insurance company will pay.

The hope is that with a reasonable agreement between the health care provider and the insurance company, the patient will not be responsible for partial payments all the time. CPT codes can be used to ensure that pricing is consistent with the expected reimbursements from insurance companies as well as programs like Medicare and Medicaid.