Welcome to Coffee with the Coder^®, our conversation with Paula Digby and her team to address issues, observations and questions for Health Information Management professionals, physicians, auditors, payors and students. You are invited to listen in for twenty minutes or so every other Monday and to submit your favorite questions or comments for Coffee with the Coder^® To receive text notifications send an email to help@AQ-IQ.com with your request. We will text you in the hour prior to the start of the next episode.

During the “Insiders” portion of Episode 133, Ms Digby shares the importance of reporting Social Determinants of Health.  She mentions Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and how the reporting of these factors can influence the E&M level for our physicians. During the live call Ms Digby first explains to an interested PPS Coordinator that the two codes provided by the coder can both be utilized as etiologic for periprosthetic hip fracture. The second scenario is from a hospital perspective. Can the hospital bill for the use of a surgical tech who functions as the assistant surgeon? The final query is from a cardiology practice. When a diagnostic cath uses ultrasound guidance for vascular access, are those portions billed seperately or are they bundled?

Congratulations to Sharon for winning today’s “mugging”! To watch episode 133, click this lovely mugshot from Shirley. (Just so you know, the captions are not yet validated.)

Connect for Episode 134 on January 31, beginning at 10:10 am Eastern (7:10 am Pacific). You’ll find us on Free Conference Call HD,  Linked In, YouTube, and on Facebook.