CBCS Exam Study Guide

Medical Billing & Coding as a Career - correct answer *Claims assistant professional or claims manager, *Coding Specialist, * Collection Manager, *Electronic Claims Processor, *Insurance Billing Specialist, * Insurance Coordinator, *Insurance Counselor, *Medical Biller, *Medical & Financial Records Manager, * Billing & Coding Specialist What are Medical Ethics? - correct answer Standards of conduct based on moral principle. They are generally accepted as a guide for behavior towards pt's, dr's, co-workers, the gov, and ins co's. What does acting within ethical behavior boundaries mean? - correct answer carrying out one's responsibilities w/ integrity, dignity, respect, honesty, competence, fairness, & trust. Legal Aspects of of Medical Billing & Coding: - correct answer ... Compliance regulations: - correct answer Most billing-related cases are based on HIPPA and False Claims Act Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPPA) - correct answer Enacted in 1996, created by the Health Care Fraud & Abuse Control Program-enacted to check for fraud and abuse in the Medicare/Medicaid Programs and private payers What are the 2 provisions of HIPPA? - correct answer Title I: Insurance Reform Title II: Administrative Simplification What is Title I of HIPPA? - correct answer Insurance Reform-primary purpose is to provide continuous ins coverage for worker & their dependents when they change or lose jobs. Also *Limits the use of preexisting conditions exclusions *Prohibits discrimination from past or present poor health *Guarantees certain employees/indv the right to purchase new health ins coverage after losing job *Allows renewal of health ins cov regardless of an indv's health cond. that is covered under the particular policy. What is Title II of HIPPA? - correct answer Administrative Simplification-goal is to focus on the health care practice setting to reduce administrative cost & burdens. Has 2 parts- 1) development and implementation of standardized health-related financial & administrative activities electronically 2) Implementation of privacy & security procedures to prevent the misuse of health info by ensuring confidentiality What is the False Claims Act (FCA)? - correct answer Federal law that prohibits submitting a fraudulent claim or making a false statement or representation in connection w/ a claim. Also protects & rewards whistle-blowers. What is the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI)? - correct answer Developed by CMS to promote the national correct coding methodologies & to control improper coding that lead to inappropriate payment of Part B health ins claims. How many edits does NCCI include? - correct answer 2: 1)Column 1/Column 2 (prev called Comprehensive/Component) Edits 2) Mutually Exclusive Edits Column 1/Column 2 edits (NCCI) - correct answer Identifies code pairs that should not be billed together b/c 1 code (Column 1) includes all the services described by another code (Column 2) Mutually Exclusive Edits (NCCI) - correct answer ID's code pairs that, for clinical reasons, are unlikely to be performed on the same pt on the same day What are the possible consequences of inaccurate coding and incorrect billing? - correct answer *delayed processing & payment of claims *reduced payments, denied claims *fine and/or imprisonment *exclusion from payer's programs, loss of dr's license to practice med Who has the task of investigate and prosecuting health care fraud & abuse? - correct answer The Office of Inspector General (OIG) Fraud - correct answer knowingly & intentionally deceiving or misrepresenting info that may result in unauthorized benefits. It is a felony and can result in fines and/or prison. Who audits claims? - correct answer State & federal agencies as well as private ins co's What are common forms of fraud? - correct answer billing for services not furnished, unbundling, & misrepresenting diagnosis to justify payment Abuse - correct answer incidences or practices, not usually considered fraudulent, that are inconsistent w/ the accepted medical business or fiscal practices in the industry. What are examples of Abuse? - correct answer submitting a claim for services/procedures performed that is not medically necessary, and excessive charges for services, equipment or supplies. What is a method use to minimize danger, hazards, & liabilities associated w/ abuse? - correct answer Risk Management Patient Confidentiality - correct answer All pt's have right to privacy & all info should remain privileged. Only discuss pt info when necessary to do job. Obtain a signed consent form to release medical info to ins co or other individual. When may providers use PHI (Protected Health Information) w/o specific authorization under the HIPPA Privacy Rule? - correct answer When using for TPO, Treatment (primarily for the purpose of discussion of pt's case w/ other dr's) Payment (providers submit claims on behalf of pt's) & Operations (for purposes such as training staff & quality improvement) What is Employer Liability? - correct answer Means physicians are legally responsible for their own conduct and any actions of their employees (designee) performed w/in the context of their employment. Referred to as "vicarious liability. A.K.A "respondent superior"-"let the master answer". Means employee can be sued & brought to trial What is Employee Liability? - correct answer "Errors & Omissions Insurance"-protection against loss of monies caused by failure through error or unintentional omission on the part of the indv or service submitting the claim. ****Some dr's contract w/ a billing service (clearinghouse) to handle claims submission, & some agreements contain a clause stating that the dr will hold the co harmless from "liability resulting from claims submitted by the service for any account", means dr is responsible for mistakes made by billing service, errors & omissions is not needed in the instance. ******However, if dr ever asks the ins biller to do the least bit questionable, such as write of pt's balances for certain pt's automatically, make sure you have a legal document or signed waiver of liability relieving you of responsibility for such actions. What is a Medical Record & what is it comprised of? - correct answer documentation of the pt's social & medical history, family history, physical exam findings, progress notes, radiology & lab results, consultation reports and correspondence to pt- Is the foremost tool of clinical care and communication. What is a medical report? - correct answer part of the medical record & is a permanent legal document that formally states the consequences of the pt's exam or treatment in letter or report form. IT IS THIS RECORD THAT PROVIDES INFO NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE INS CLAIM FORM. Reasons for Documentation - correct answer Important that every pt seen by dr has comprehensive legible documentation about pt's illness, treatment, & plans for following reasons: *Avoidance of denied or delayed payment by ins co investigating the medical necessity of services *Enforcement of medical record-keeping rules by ins co requiring accurate documentation that supports procedure & diagnosis codes. *Subpoena of medical records by state investigators or the court for review *Defense of professional liability claim Retention Of Medical Records - correct answer Is governed by state & local laws & may vary from state-to-state. Most dr are required to retain records indefinitely, deceased pt records should be kept for @ least 5 years Med Term - correct answer ... Diagnosis suffixes: - correct answer ... -algia - correct answer pain -emia - correct answer blood condition -itis - correct answer inflammation -megaly - correct answer enlargement -meter - correct answer measure -oma - correct answer tumor, mass -osis - correct answer abnormal condition -pathy - correct answer disease condition -rrhagia - correct answer bursting forth of blood -rrhea - correct answer discharge, flow -sclerosis - correct answer hardening -scopy - correct answer to view Procedural Suffixes: - correct answer ... -centesis - correct answer surgical puncture -ectomy - correct answer removal, resection, excision -gram - correct answer record -graphy - correct answer process of recording -lysis - correct answer separation, breakdown, destruction -pexy - correct answer surgical fixation -plasty - correct answer surgical repair -rrhapy - correct answer suture -scopy - correct answer visual examination -stomy - correct answer opening -therapy - correct answer treatment -tomy - correct answer incision, to cut into Common Prefixes: - correct answer ... a, an - correct answer without ante - correct answer before anti - correct answer against brady - correct answer slow dys - correct answer painful, difficult endo - correct answer inside, within epi - correct answer upon, above ex - correct answer out, out of hemi - correct answer half, partial hypo - correct answer below, deficient infra - correct answer below inter - correct answer between neo - correct answer new oligo - correct answer scanty, little pan - correct answer all para - correct answer beside per - correct answer through poly - correct answer many pre - correct answer before, in front of pseudo - correct answer false sub - correct answer under supra - correct answer above, beyond tetra - correct answer four Common Root Words - correct answer ... arth - correct answer cartilage cephal - correct answer head cardi - correct answer heart cholecyst - correct answer gall bladder chondro - correct answer ca