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Radiology Coding Alert

Diagnostic Radiology:

71010 and 71020 Are Top 10 Services, So Beware Common Documentation Downfalls

Published on Mon Jun 06, 2011

Palmetto providers: Your list of diagnoses supporting medical necessity just grew. A chest X-ray's professional fee is only $10 or so. Multiply that $10 by the number of services you perform, however, and you'll quickly see how getting these claims right is important to your practice's financial health. In fact, 71010 (Radiologic examination, chest; single view, frontal) and 71020 (Radiologic examination, chest, 2 views, frontal and lateral) rank second and third on the list of the top 10 codes radiologists reported to the CMS database in 2009. That's according to files recently posted by Frank Cohen, MPA, principal and Senior Analyst for The Frank Cohen Group (www.FrankCohen.com). (To see what other codes are on the list, see the Table on page 43.) Below, you'll find 71010 and 71020 essentials, including example services, typical supporting diagnosis codes, and advice on avoiding the most common causes of audit-related denials. Boost Your [...]
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