Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert

Published on Thu Sep 02, 2004 PDF

Question: Our clinicians do their own coding. Could you provide a basic bibliography of resources or reference material we could have to research coding questions?

Answer: The most important item is a copy of the current ICD-9 CM Coding Manual - Ingenenix has a good one. If you have not already done so, order your 2005 books right away. You'll need to use them starting Oct. 1(see Article 1). The American Hospital Association (www.ahaonlinestore.com) has several coding books that allow beginning coders to practice and then check their answers. The American Health Information Management Association (http://www.ahima.org) also has basic coding books available, as well as online courses specific to home health coding. Instructions and examples on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' OASIS Web site (www.cms.hhs.gov/oasis) also provide basic information for home health coders.

Reader questions were answered by Lynda Dilts-Benson, RN, CAM, CORN, HAS-DO, HARM, a consultant with Reingruber and Co. in St. Petersburg, FL.