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Pulmonology Coding:

Conquer 5 COPD Coding Pitfalls With This Handy Guide

Published on Tue Mar 31, 2026

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March 2026

Pulmonology Coding:
Pinpoint the Correct Pleural Effusion Code
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Pulmonology Coding:
Beat Double Billing Denials by Knowing What’s Included in Stress Tests
Question: We received a claim denial, but I’m not sure why. The patient came in [...]

Cardiology Coding:
Look to Location for More Clues on SGC
Question: I’m new to cardiology coding and am a little confused about Swan-Ganz catheter usage. [...]

E/M Coding:
Pay Attention to POS When Coding Prolonged Services
Plus, some facility prolonged services codes involve time beyond the DOS. Reporting prolonged services is [...]

Anesthesia Coding:
Learn How to Report Medical Direction
Question: I’m relatively new to anesthesia coding and am having a hard time understanding what [...]

Anesthesia Coding:
Know Limitations of G8 Modifier
Question: Can I apply modifier G8 for any procedure for a Medicare beneficiary if the [...]

Pulmonology Coding:
Conquer 5 COPD Coding Pitfalls With This Handy Guide
Remember to identify contributing factors. Pulmonology coders like yourself see a fair share of patient [...]

Practice Management:
Understand How to Use RVUs to Establish a Practice Fee Schedule
Don’t forget to reassess your fee schedule to make sure it reflects your practice. With [...]

ICD-10-CM Coding:
Boost Your Confidence in Reporting Additional Diagnoses
Hint: Remember to reference different parts of your code book. Coders may feel confident selecting [...]

Podiatry Coding:
Don’t Freeze When It Comes to Coding Plantar Wart Destruction
Question: I have a report for a patient who presented to the podiatrist with a [...]

General Surgery Coding:
Look to 11102 for a Shave Biopsy
Question: A new patient with a lesion on their lip presented to a dermatologist’s office. [...]

General Surgery Coding:
Don’t Report an Open Fracture Repair Code Without Documentation
Question: A patient came in for surgery to repair a percutaneous intra-articular proximal phalanx head [...]

Anesthesia Coding:
Find the Light at the End of the Tunnel With Esophagoscopy Procedures
Procedure purpose is key when choosing the correct anesthesia code. Esophagoscopy cases are incredibly common, [...]

Pediatric Coding:
Patient Age Is Key When Coding Conjunctivitis
Question: We recently saw a 6-day old infant who presented with discharge from both of their [...]

Podiatry Coding:
Is Buddy Taping the Same as Strapping Toes?
Question: A patient presented with a suspected broken toe. They stubbed their left big toe [...]

Primary Care Coding:
Impress With Your Pressure Ulcer Coding Skills
Question: We recently had a patient visit our office who was suffering from pressure ulcers [...]

Compliance:
Counting This Work Toward ‘Time’ Is a Compliance Red Flag
Question: I’ve recently started at a practice and think one of the providers must be [...]

Neurology & Pain Management Coding:
Prevent Inaccurate Stroke Coding FAST
When a patient displays these four symptoms, stroke is a real possibility. When a patient [...]

Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Is Modifier 62 Needed When 2 Different Surgeries Take Place?
Question: I have procedure notes for two different ophthalmological surgeries for the same patient that [...]

Orthopedic Coding:
Are Ganglion Cyst Claims Draining You?
Question: A new patient visited the office to have a ganglion cyst of the ankle drained. [...]

General Coding:
Keep Your Queries Clinical
Question: Can I mention coding guidelines directly when querying a physician? I feel like it [...]

Neurosurgery Coding:
Consider Additional Dx Code for These Abscesses
Question: Encounter notes indicate that a patient suffers from “cerv spinal cord abscess/methicillin-resistant Staph infection.” [...]

Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Use This Guide to Identify the Correct AMD ICD-10-CM Codes
Do you need multiple codes for separate AMD diagnoses in each eye? Age-related macular degeneration [...]

E/M Coding:
Look to NPI Choice for Split/Shared Signature Requirements
Question: In our facility, a nurse practitioner (NP) works in tandem with a physician, and [...]

Compliance:
Understand the ‘Circle of Life’ for Auditing to Tell the Whole Story
Check in on the systems in place that provide the foundation for coding. Auditing is [...]

Medicare Regulations:
Patient Representatives Can Be Appointed, if Necessary
Question: One of our patients, a 95-year-old widowed Medicare beneficiary who has terrible arthritis and [...]

ICD-10-CM Coding:
Look to Table of Neoplasm Neuroblastoma Coding
Question: How do I find the correct code for a neuroblastoma diagnosis? The documentation says [...]

Neurology & Pain Management Coding:
Choose CRPS II Code With Causalgia in Mind
Question: Encounter notes indicate that a patient suffers from “CRPS II.” I see codes for [...]

Orthopedic Coding:
Need Some Practice With Your Knee Replacements Claims?
Keep detailed notes if conservative treatments have failed in the past. Total knee replacements (TKRs), [...]

Path/Lab Coding:
Take This Advice to Accurately Report Bone Marrow Specimen Codes
Question: When we get bone marrow specimens from surgical procedures, the surgeon usually sends them [...]

Urology Coding:
Analyze Documentation to Determine Your Adrenalectomy Code
Use modifiers to indicate laterality. Adrenal glands are the organs located above the kidneys, which [...]

Technology & Innovation in Healthcare:
Rectify Clinical Trial Enrollment Headaches With AI-Assisted Screenings
Learn how RECTIFIER streamlines clinical trial enrollment screening. Manually screening patients for clinical trial eligibility [...]

Otolaryngology Coding:
Pick Other, Unspecified Otosclerosis Codes Confidently
Question: What is the difference between H80.8- and H80.9-? Revenue Cycle Insider Subscriber Answer: Code [...]

Otolaryngology Coding:
Take a Deep Dive Into Neck Dissection Coding
Beware bundling issues with total laryngectomies and glossectomies. Neck dissections are procedures intended to remove [...]

General Coding:
Remember These Best Practices When Coding Hospice Claims
Hint: Coders should look to medical directors for information on related conditions. Hospice regulations have [...]

In Case You Missed It (RCI Bonus Content):
Take Note of These April 1 HCPCS Level II Code Changes
Learn about the HCPCS Level II quarterly update. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [...]

General Surgery Coding:
Dig Into Documentation for Burn Encounter Specifics
Hint: Not all burn visits will warrant a code from the 16000 series. When burn [...]

Emergency Department Coding:
7 FAQs Lead You to Cerumen Removal Coding Success
Hint: If it’s not impacted, report an E/M code. When a patient comes to the [...]

Technology & Innovation in Healthcare:
Can Providers Overcome Real-World Wearable Device Implementation Challenges?
Question: I read the February 2026 Revenue Cycle Insider article, “Unlock Access to Wearable [...]

Urology Coding:
Learn Which Code to Assign for a Varicocele Diagnosis
Question: A patient presented to the urologist with pain in their scrotum. The urologist performed [...]

Otolaryngology Coding:
Mind This Modifier for Post-Septoplasty Nasal Debridement
Question: A patient with a deviated septum underwent a septoplasty. We followed up the following [...]

Emergency Department Coding:
Check Matrix Involvement When Making Avulsion/Excision Decision
Question: When the emergency department (ED) physician removes a patient’s toenail, what is the correct [...]

Medicare Regulations:
Make Preparations for New Version of the Outpatient Observation Notice for Medicare
Question: I understand there is a new Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) that we will [...]

ICD-10-CM Coding:
Report 2 Codes for Chronic, Bilateral Pulmonary Emboli
Question: A provider documented that a patient has chronic bilateral subsegmental pulmonary emboli (PE). What is [...]

Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Nail Down This Nuclear Sclerosis Coding Case
Question: A patient presented with complaints of blurry vision in their left eye. The ophthalmologist [...]

Oncology/Hematology Coding:
Use This Guide to Decode Oncology Infusion Administration Coding
Understand documentation requirements, administration codes, infusion timing, and more. Oncology infusion coding is often complex [...]

Practice Management:
Consider How Patients Perceive Your RCM Notification Choices
Question: I think sending bills to patients via their preferred communication type makes sense, but [...]

Urology Coding:
Get to Know the Different CKD Stages
Question: I have a report where the urologist diagnosed the patient with chronic kidney disease [...]

Diagnostic Radiology Coding:
Learn to Code a Fixation Device That’s No Longer Fixed in Place
Question: I have a report for a 42-year-old patient who presented with left ankle pain. [...]

Path/Lab Coding:
Follow This Guideline for ‘Consistent With’ Dx
Question: A patient presented to a provider’s office with a painless lump behind their ear. [...]

Diagnostic Radiology Coding:
Know When Imaging Guidance Is Included in the Procedure
Question: I have an operative note for a peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) insertion [...]

Emergency Department Coding:
Check for Critical Care Before Reporting CPR With E/M
Question: A patient is brought to the emergency department (ED) in cardiac arrest. The ED [...]

Primary Care Coding:
Avoid a Denial When Performing Multiple PFTs
Question: The practitioner performed a pulmonary function test (PFT) twice on the same date of service [...]

Neurosurgery Coding:
Fit Modifier FT Into Certain Critical Care Claims
Question: I have heard that I should use modifier FT whenever a Medicare patient receives [...]

Oncology/Hematology Coding:
Pinpoint Cause for Correct Chemotherapy Fatigue Reporting
Question: A patient with cancer reported to our oncologist complaining of fatigue. The provider documented [...]

Gastroenterology Coding:
Code Gastritis With H. Pylori Confidently
Question: I have a patient record where the gastroenterologist documented the diagnosis as chronic gastritis [...]

Pediatric Coding:
Hear This Tip for Newborn Audio Screenings
Question: What is the appropriate code to use for conducting hearing screenings on newborns or infants? [...]

Podiatry Coding:
Consider These ICD-10-CM and CPT® Tips When Coding Ankle Fracture Repairs
Learn how to identify fractures and treatment from the documentation. Podiatrists frequently treat ankle fractures, [...]

Ob-Gyn Coding:
Know When to Report a Hysteroscopy Code
Question: I’m not sure what codes to assign for the procedure listed below because a [...]

Compliance:
Lean on Due Legal Process to Comply With HIPAA
Question: Should our medical practice be asking patients about their citizenship or immigration status? New [...]

General Coding:
Modifier 63 Can Be Redundant
Question: Why can’t I append modifier 63 to CPT® code 36450? The patient in question [...]

Practice Management:
Consider Adjusting Portal to Accept Summer Camp Forms
Question: Spring can be stressful for our office, in part because we are suddenly inundated [...]

Technology & Innovation in Healthcare:
Review AI Laws if Your AI Chatbot Engages With California Users
Question: Our healthcare organization deployed an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot recently, so patients can relay [...]

Neurosurgery Coding:
Close Gaps in Your Burr Hole Surgery Coding Knowledge
Know how clinical indications lead to proper code choice. When a patient suffers from a [...]

E/M Coding:
Use This Documentation Trick for Independent Historian
Question: Our specialty practice sometimes sees pediatric patients, and often a parent/guardian provides a lot [...]

Pediatric Coding:
Take the Pain Out of Migraine Coding
SDOH could significantly impact the reason behind a child’s migraine episodes. According to the

Orthopedic Coding:
Look to These Codes When Dealing with JIA
Question: The practitioner’s notes indicate that a patient is suffering from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) of [...]

Ob-Gyn Coding:
Use These 5 Tips to Fix Your Uterine Fibroid Coding Mistakes — Before They Happen
Here’s how to distinguish fibroids from polyps. When you’re coding procedures related to uterine fibroids, [...]

Medicare Regulations:
Prepare for Implementation of Key TEAM Components and Waivers for Telehealth
Ensure staff know about the details, participation, and payment requirements for telehealth services under TEAM. [...]

Neurology & Pain Management Coding:
Do This When Coding for Sacroiliac Joint Tests
Question: An established 62-year-old patient presents with a seven-month history of chronic, dull, aching low [...]

Cardiology Coding:
Consider Peripartum Status When Coding Cardiomyopathy
Question: A patient was referred to a cardiologist after having shortness of breath. The patient [...]

Oncology/Hematology Coding:
Understand This MUE and How to Override It
Question: Our provider ordered 180 mg of lanreotide on the same date of service (DOS) [...]

Gastroenterology Coding:
Understand Why Gastroenteritis Coding May Not Be So Straightforward
Here’s why viral versus bacterial matters. As a medical coder, you know that every line [...]

Diagnostic Radiology Coding:
Code Head, Brain, and Neck CT Scans With This Detailed Guide – Part 2
Learn how to report 3D rendering. CT scans are a versatile imaging technique that uses [...]

Primary Care Coding:
Clear up Concussion Coding Confusion
There are a few important questions to consider when coding for this condition. Concussions are [...]

Cardiology Coding:
Here’s What You Need to Know About Heart Failure Coding
Get into the nitty-gritty documentation to find the correct HF code to report. Heart failure [...]

Gastroenterology Coding:
How Do I Report a Family History of Colon Polyps?
Question: Hi, I’m a medical coder at a busy gastroenterology practice, and I need some [...]

Path/Lab Coding:
Get the Most for Your Pathology Consultation Work
Decide if you want to reward time or toil. When your pathologist performs a pathology [...]

Ob-Gyn Coding:
How Should I Code Botox Injections Into Pelvic Floor Muscles?
Question: Hi, I’m working in an ob-gyn practice, and we recently had a patient receive [...]

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