How to learn billing and coding?

[cooljoe]

Hello everyone,

Are there any good resources to learn billing and coding by the time we finish training? Is there any value in taking the coursework to be a certified coder or biller?

Much of the coursework I've found seems to be geared toward those looking at billing/coding as a career alone, but none seem to be targeting physicians alone:

https://www.aapc.com/training/medical-coding-classes.aspx

Any advice is appreciated.

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[gutonc]

The short answer, at least for IM, is that you shouldn't waste your time on learning all that much about coding. Not that you shouldn't be aware of it, but certainly don't waste your free time and own money on a course for it aimed at coders.

Unless you're in a procedural sub-specialty, you're not going to be able to bill much other than your E/M codes and that stuff takes about 42 seconds to learn. Exceptions abound of course, and typically don't get paid regardless of whether or not you bill for them.

There's a really phenomenal post about this (as it relates to hospitalists) to be found elsewhere on this site.

 

[jdh71]

Agree. At least with regards to hospitalists and out patient IM.

 

[cooljoe]

Thanks for your responses! So would it not even be worthwhile for subspecialists?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

http://sitemaker.umich.edu/coding101/introduction_and_user_guides

 

[gutonc]

Thanks for your responses! So would it not even be worthwhile for subspecialists?

Depends on the subspecialty. Something like cards, GI or PCCM where you've got a lot of procedures in addition to the E/M time? Probably.

For others? Not so much.

I do 1 procedure and know the CPT, ICD-10 and J codes for it off the top of my head. I have a 1 page cheat sheet made my my coding/compliance department that gives me the appropriate E/M codes for everything else I do on a regular basis.

 

[jdh71]

Depends on the subspecialty. Something like cards, GI or PCCM where you've got a lot of procedures in addition to the E/M time? Probably.

For others? Not so much.

I do 1 procedure and know the CPT, ICD-10 and J codes for it off the top of my head. I have a 1 page cheat sheet made my my coding/compliance department that gives me the appropriate E/M codes for everything else I do on a regular basis.

You need to know the codes for the ICU procedures and the different aspects of bronch. Also how to document critical care time. Maybe 20 things? After that, no point in knowing a bunch of it.

 

[premedk]

Check out icd10charts.com. They have all the most popular codes by speciality. I don't think this is something you need to take a course on.