Certified Coders Needed

HCC CODERS / AUDITORS 

ERM Consulting is looking for several HCC Coders and Auditors for remote and on-site positions. 

HCC Coders / Auditors will be primarily responsible for conducting reviews of medical records and validating submitted diagnoses codes to ensure all diagnoses and services are accurately and completely coded. 

HCC Coders / Auditors will also support a variety of other efforts including but not limited to:

• Identifying errors / opportunities in clinical documentation and coding. 
• Tracking and trending audit results and preparing reports.
• Identifying members with "dropped" and / or "suspect" HCC conditions. 
• Completing supplemental data reports for clients. 
• Onsite education and training for providers and coders.
• Facilitating efficient and effective interventions to ensure accurate and complete coding. 

PLEASE NOTE- LOCATION is Fort Lauderdale, Florida for on-site positions. 

What you'll do:

• Review submitted medical records and identify and code all ICD-10-CM diagnoses that map to a Risk Adjusted HCC and/ or RxHCC ensuring the documentation meets all CMS standard requirements for valid HCC submission.
• Oversee the outreach/intervention strategy and participates in ongoing development to determine best practices approach with members and providers to assist in improving risk adjustment factors.
• Work with clients to optimize risk adjustment efforts including communicate opportunities to collaborate and provide updates regarding risk adjustment efforts.

To be considered for this position, you must have:

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Current AAPC CPC (Certified Professional Coder) or AHIMA CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) credential is required.
• CRC (Certified Risk Coder) Certification within 6 months post hire.
• 5+ years recent experience in medical record review, diagnosis coding, and/or auditing is required.
• 8+ years general coding and / or billing experience.

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted for this requirement.

The strongest candidates for this position will also possess:

• An Associate's degree from an accredited college or university. Experience with Medicare and/or Commercial risk adjustment
• Experience with Medicare and/or Commercial risk adjustment process is preferred.
• Experience/understanding of electronic medical & health records is preferred.

Please email resumes to Kameron Gifford - kgifford@ermconsultinginc.com

Bring Your Risk Adjustment Operations In-House

Is your organization currently taking on risk or participating in value-based payment models? 

If so, we can help! 

ERM Consulting will work with your team to develop an internal risk adjustment program. 

Services Included:

• Remote Auditing and Monitoring - Review of 25 encounters per provider, per month, with detailed monthly reports to track error trends and validation rates. 
• Development of Custom Education - Custom education for providers and coders, every quarter, to reinforce positive changes and educate on new opportunities. 
• Onsite Meetings (One week on-site per Quarter) - 1:1 meetings with providers, coders and leadership to review current audit results and discuss opportunities for improvement. 
• Oversight and Guidance - ERM will provide oversight and guidance to assist with the development of development of internal team and processes needed to manage new payment models. 

Strategic Considerations:

1. Who will be part of the team and what role will they play? 
2. What new processes need to be added or adjusted?
3. How will the team communicate and measure success?

Who is On-boarding, Training and Managing your Coders?

ERM also offers remote on-boarding, training and management of coders and billing teams. 

• Visit ERM online or email for more information.

Contract during the month of September and receive a 25% Discount – on all HCC Coding Tools by ERM – visit our online store at https://erm.ecwid.com/ to see a complete list.

Great Opportunity for Inpatient Coders (CCA, CCS, RHIT) Central Florida

Description:

The Medical Records Coder II assigns diagnosis and procedural codes using ICD-9-CM and CPT-4 coding systems and monitors bill hold reports. Assists Manager. Director with mentoring/training of Coder I team members and clinical practice students from various colleges. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

PREFERRED CERTIFICATION
- CCA, CCS or RHIT

REQUIRED EDUCATION
- High school diploma or GED

PREFERRED EDUCATION
- Associate's degree in Health Information Technology

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
- Two years - acute care coding

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- Three years - acute care coding

LICENSURE
- Florida Driver's license

SPECIFIC SKILLS
- Written and verbal communication skills
- Customer service skills
- Critical thinking
- Computer skills appropriate to the position
- Medication terminology use and understanding
- Knowledge of regulatory requirements appropriate to the position
- Organizational skills

Schedule: Varies
Shift: Days
Shift Hours: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Weekend Work: Occasional
On Call: No


Contact Helen Sacco for more information:   Email: hsacco@alliedhealthgroup.com813-514-0546 | Directwww.alliedhealthgroup.com

5 Strategies to Up Your Game During the ICD-10 Delay

Is your organization struggling to adapt to the new ICD-10 deadline?

Have you already exceeded your training budget? 

Do you have a plan that will protect your revenue and mitigate risk during the next 16 months?

If not, click the image below to find out what you need to do to ensure a successful transition!

ICD-10 and How the Delay Will Affect Your Practice

What can you do to take advantage of the ICD-10 delay? Learn 5 strategies to up your game!

Visit mHealthGames for additional free resources!

Lessons Learned, Best Practices and Recommendations for the ICD-10 National Pilot Program

 Some of the lessons learned from the ICD-10 National Pilot Program include:

• Coders often confused the number “0” (zero) with the letter "O.”

• Coders often confused the number “1” (one) with the letter “l” (L).

• The average accuracy of the coders was 63% based on what was documented from the medical records

• Accuracy was determined based on the answers submitted via the coding response workbook. Answers were determined from matching the answer key to the answers provided by the testing organizations. A grading sheet was used to record the answers provided in comparison to the answer key. Each correct answer was assigned a zero (0) or a one (1) to come up with the % of correct answer.

• Out of the 485 coding submissions from all testing organizations, only 261 submissions by coders of testing organizations included information on time spent coding each medical test case. In addition, the coding process was limited by several variables including logistics.

• Variations in procedure codes were observed due to the expansion of those codes

• Missing procedure codes - occasionally coders coded the diagnosis only but forgot to code the procedures

• Most errors were functional – for example, records not being coded completely or codes being associated with the wrong medical test case numbers.

• Some coders did not specify type of chest pain – what was in the EMR/chart that differentiated it from atypical pains?

• Occasionally coders relied too much on the encoder instead of using their code books—errors occurred when coders went on “auto pilot” mode instead of referring to their code book. This is a problem today that will not necessarily go away with ICD-10.

• Coders should not become so dependent on encoders that they forget when/if there is a need to override.

• Coders were using a non-specific code for a fracture—not allowed in ICD-10-PCS if the diagnostic test results are documented

• Many coders forgot laterality, particularly in the case of pain in a limb; for this diagnosis, four coders out of eight received a zero.

• Coders averaged two medical records per hour, compared to four per hour under ICD-9, which translates to a 50% decline in productivity.

• Coding assignment showed variances which were influenced by hospital policies (ex. Some hospitals coded everything; others coded only what was relevant to the principal diagnosis)

• Logistical issues may have affected the coding time— medical test cases were uploaded into the system right side up but sometimes upside down, and sideways. These limitations and unusual circumstances made it difficult for coders to process the records quickly and therefore could have added to the time it took to code the medical test cases.

• Limitations and challenges include coder conflicts with own work load and personal schedules

• Competing organizational priorities restricted many organizations from participating

• Inability of testing participants to move quickly due to logistics issues (ex. medical test cases were uploaded right side up, upside down, etc.) affected timelines

• Working with limited resources using only in-kind donations affected the timelines and scope

• Technical/logistical issues in uploading coder responses within the Share Point work book slowed down the testing process

• Testing organizations that were fully electronic (EMR fully implemented) had difficulty coding medical records that were hand written—these groups found little value in documents that were not electronically generated.

The entire report is available in PDF:  http://www.himss.org/files/HIMSSorg/Content/files/ICD-10_NPP_Outcomes_Report.pdf

NYU launches ICD-10 medical coding certificate program

 Author Name Jennifer Bresnick   |   Date May 15, 2013

ICD-10 represents more than just a disruption in a physician’s note taking habits, or a couple of new letters and numbers for coders to tap in to their billing claims.  It’s a fundamental overhaul in the way that diagnoses and procedures are documented, and it will require specialized knowledge and a level of proficiency many ICD-9 coders will initially struggle to master.  Enter New York University and its brand new Certificate in Medical Coding, offered through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS).  It’s one of the first major programs from an academic institution to be built upon an ICD-10 foundation, offering students the anatomical and medical expertise necessary to tackle the new system.

“We believe that as demands in the health information management industry increase, coding professionals will be required to have certifications or a credential to demonstrate they have met a minimum professional standard,” says Denisse Jimenez, program administrator at NYU-SCPS . “Many programs are still providing ICD-9 training which will be obsolete by 2014. Our program addresses the changes that are occurring in the health information management field and recognizes the expanded skill sets that will be required by medical coding professionals.”

To keep up with mounting financial pressures resulting from ICD-10, EHR adoption, meaningful use, and a number of other health IT initiatives all hitting the industry at once, providers are changing the way they hire and retain staff.  A recent survey indicates that a quarter of practices are cutting staff, including medical coders, just to stay in the black.  But coders with ICD-10 proficiency are only going to become more and more valuable as the implementation date creeps up and providers realize the impact of the transition on productivity and timely payments.

“A huge component of ICD-10 transition planning is employee retention,” explains Bonnie Cassidy, MPA, RHIA, FAHIMA, FHIMSS.  “You’re going to be dealing with a very competitive market of supply and demand.  Those who embrace it and get trained, and become experts in ICD-10, are going to be a real commodity.”  AHIMA and other organizations also provide training and education for physicians and coders alike, and constantly urge professionals not to delay education in anticipation of another pushback of the compliance deadline.

NYU’s certificate includes nine required courses ranging from instruction in anatomy and physiology to pathophysiology and pharmacology.  The program is designed for both new students as well as experienced coders seeking a foundation in ICD-10 before the October 1, 2014 transition date.  More information about the certificate program is available on NYU’s website.