Healthcare Coding for Insurance Carriers

Healthcare Coding for Insurance Carriers

One of the best ways medical coders can uphold proficiency with their coding skills is to understand each health plan’s specific billing and coding guidelines:
• Maintain a current list of payers pertinent to the demographic area you code for.
• Link provider id numbers, npi numbers and tax id numbers to each plan and telephone numbers.
• Record website addresses for each insurance carrier and set up a favorites list on your computer for quick access
• Keep a notebook of user name and passwords for each payer website. (If you are unable to set this up on the web, a practice manager may have administrative access and can add your name to the user list.)
• Design cheat sheets for specific problem areas such as modifier restrictions, specific rules for billing E/M visits and surgical procedures on the same day, the number of diagnosis codes accepted per line on a claim form.
• Sign up for health plan newsletters and notifications. Most carriers will e-mail you up-to-date news as well as quarterly newsletters.

There is a myriad of information out there that coders can obtain through Internet access, and visiting a payer’s website will directly remove any issues a coder may wonder about.

With computer technology and easy access to the Internet, both coders and billers have the ability to not only learn about specific coding regulations on line, but can view their submitted insurance claims to oversee the status of their work. Most major and local carriers will allow you to go directly to a claim status link and make the necessary corrections on a claim for faster payment to the provider.

Although there are a few carriers that require appeal forms to correct healthcare coding errors, certain plans will allow you to make corrections over the telephone. As an example, NHIC Medicare Part B, will allow you to call their toll free number (1-877-757-7781) and make changes on CPT® codes and modifiers only. When calling the carrier, have your npi, last 5 digits of the provider’s tax id number, and Medicare PTAN available or you will be denied access.

Start creating your lists today for each carrier` and become an even more impressive certified coder!

healthcare coding for insurance carriers

Related Healthcare Coding and Medical Coding CEU information:

Photo of author

Laureen Jandroep

CPC, COC, CPPM, CPC-I.,Sr. Instructor for CCO.us. Laureen has over 25 years in the healthcare field. She graduated as an Occupational Therapist in 1986 and before long was running a successful therapy practice which did over 1.6 million in billing per year with a less than .06% rejection rate. Once Medicare changed how rehab companies were reimbursed this business was closed and Laureen eventually started a new company dedicated to teaching Medical Billing and Coding. Laureen has taught medical billing and coding since 1999 and currently does so through her comapny Certification Coaching Organization, LLC which does business as CCO.She resides in Florida with her husband of over 20 years Anthony and four children. They are active parents and spend most of their time these days just being parents which they love.

1 thought on “Healthcare Coding for Insurance Carriers”

Leave a Comment

Clinical Doc Guides