HCPCS Codes and Books Explained

What are HCPCS codes? This is from a student in another program where she said, “Please explain the HCPCS codes and books as we’ve never reviewed them in class.” I’m been finding I’ve been doing this a lot lately. People getting my Blitz and they’re taking someone else’s course and they’re trying to fill in the blanks. And so I’m doing a lot of one on one help. So let me go over that with you.

HCPCS Codes and Books Explained – VIDEO

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Okay now the particular version I have has the introduction on page 80. This is the one that comes with our textbook package by Carol Buck. But most HCPCS books have an introduction like this. I encourage you to find that. I mean, it’s pretty strange to me that an introduction is on page 80 of the book. But basically, when you’re first getting into coding, there’s the 3 main manuals: CPT, ICD, and HCPCS. CPT is the procedures, what they did for the patient and ICD is why, the reason, the diagnoses. And HCPCS tends to be… it is procedures which the book says here but normally, when I’m telling a brand new coder when they’re trying to figure out the difference, I say CPT® is procedures, ICD is diagnoses and HCPCS is like things, supplies, products.

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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.

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