Using The Right Medical Billing Code For Home Dialysis
Using The Right Medical Billing Code For Home Dialysis
A simple, but crucial medical billing change has recently
occurred. Beginning on October 1, 2005, the Medicare durable
medical equipment regional carrier (DMERC) will no longer accept
the diagnosis code 585.0. Instead of using ICD-9 585.0, medical
billing should be done with the ICD-9 code 585.6 for home
dialysis charges.
The code 585.0 means chronic renal failure. This code has now
been discontinued and the DMERC will no longer be lenient on the
code. The more descriptive code, 585.6 (end stage renal disease)
much more accurately describes the diagnosis for home dialysis.
It is important that your medical billing staff note this
change. Failure to do so will result in unpaid future claims.
Situations like this depict the necessity to hire an outside
medical billing firm. Many mistakes can be avoided by hiring one
of these companies. Medical billing companies employ highly
skilled individuals who are trained, certified, and updated on
current medical billing/coding practices. By hiring these
companies you are relieving your practice from the
responsibility of training and updating your own medical billing
personnel on changes.
Another advantage to using a medical billing firm is the time
they free up for your personnel to work one-on-one with
patients. The less time your staff spends on medical billing,
the more time you can focus on customer service. This is an
added bonus because the essence of medical care is centered
around trust. In order for your patients to trust you, you must
build up a rapport.
The change to the home dialysis medical billing code may be
simple, however, there are many other medical billing changes
that are not so simple. It is very important to keep up with all
medical billing changes to ensure proper reimbursement for the
future of your practice.