An insightful and informative newsletter from the Art of Practice Management. A dental practice management consulting company that focuses on revenue and collection systems, front desk systems and forms, dental insurance processing, medical/dental cross-coding systems and employment-law compliance.

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We have been given a reprieve. Medical and dental practices have been on track for
the implementation of ICD-10 which is the diagnosis code set that is replacing ICD-9.
This is quite an extensive change due to ICD-9's 14,000 codes and ICD-10's 69,000
codes. On March 31, the legislature issued a delay in its implementation till at least
October 1, 2015. The advantage of this is that we now have at least one additional
year to prepare.
Does this "prepare" aspect cause you to be concerned? Understandably, it does for
many. This change is more involved than just the fact that there are many additional
codes. There are new documentation requirements and convention changes
necessary for the proper use of this revised code set that do make it more
complicated. In addition, all team members need to learn about these changes in
order to implement the code set more effectively. This article will provide information
that may alleviate some of those concerns and help make your implementation easier.
The providers who are affected the most by this change to ICD-10 are the very large
providers such as hospitals and large clinics. Small practices such as solo
practitioners and also dentists who cross code don't have nearly as many new codes
to be familiar with. These larger institutions often have multiple areas of specialty and
diverse departments that don't always communicate well with each other -- what one
doctor documents may not always be coded exactly as intended due to this. Smaller
practices tend to have much better communication which makes coding simpler.
In either case, training will be required to understand the new dynamics of this code
set. There are resources available for this and I have such resources available for
dental practices. This extra year will provide that extra time needed to learn how to
implement ICD-10.
For dental practices, I suggest that both the dentists and the coding staff become
familiar with the code set -- but there is no need to be familiar with all 69,000 codes.
My suggestion is to find those codes that pertain to the procedures most commonly
performed in the practice. These codes can be entered in a template format.
Templates such as these can be called encounter forms or charge slips and are used
in many medical practices. You may have noticed that when you have an appointment
with your primary care provider that there is a paper encounter form with a lot of
codes on it. Obviously, there aren't 14,000 codes on the form. That practice has
chosen their most commonly used codes.
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ICD-10 Implementation
Marianne Harper
Encounter forms are an
invaluable tool to use in
dental practices that have
implemented a dental-
medical cross coding
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This is what I advocate for dental practices. Encounter forms take care of most
communication problems because the dentist checks off codes on the encounter form.
That form is then used for check out and insurance processing. It is very efficient part
of implementing cross coding.
Dental practices can develop their own forms or can access different types of
encounter forms from my website, www.artofpracticemanagement.com.
ATRIDOX: Application technique
Colleen Rutledge, RDH
Intraoral cameras are such fun! I don't know what I would do without mine. It makes
communication with patients so much easier! Let me tell you about the camera I use.
It is the latest in intraoral camera technology and does more than just capture crystal
clear images magnified 110 times. It also has the ability to detect caries and
periodontal inflammation!
The camera utilizes unique fluorescence technology to reveal early caries (that even a
sharp explorer can't detect!) in 'CARIO mode',
as well as supragingival plaque and calculus in PERIO mode. In addition, it's the first
product on the market to reveal gingival inflammation.
To get my list of "10 reasons why I love this camera", email me at:
Colleen@PerioAndBeyond.com.
To learn more about this technology view the televised broadcast via FOX Business
Channel: http://vimeo.com/59757093.
20% OFF SALE on every product in our store until April 15, 2014! Use code
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Dental – The NCDDS "E-Bite" reports that some insurance companies have revised
their reimbursement policy regarding two-surface and three-surface class three
anterior proximal resin restorations. This affects CDT codes D2331 and D2332.
Some insurance companies are restricting benefits for these codes to those of a one
Insurance Alert

3. surface anterior restoration when there is no evidence that the adjacent lingual
and/or facial margins of the restoration extend beyond the line angle. It suggests that
when submitting claims to these carriers, consider including an intra-oral photo of
the lingual and facial surfaces of the tooth, an intra-oral photo of the final
preparation, and a pre-operative periapical x-ray of the tooth.
Medical – Medical insurance has several different requirements in claim completion
that are different than what is required for dental insurance claims. One example is
how a claim is handled where more than one of the same type of procedures is
performed on the same date of service. As an example, if four teeth are extracted and
it's the same type of extraction, on the dental claim form each extraction would be
listed on a separate line. On a medical claim form, as long as the procedure code is
the same for all four, just enter the procedure code on one line but enter 4 in the
days/units box to represent that four of that procedure code were performed and also
multiply the fee by four and enter that in the charges box. An exception to this is when
implants are being coded. You will choose the CPT code based on the number of
implants (21248 for up to 3 implants per arch, or 21249 for 3 or more per arch).
Therefore, if two implants were placed you would only enter 1 in the days/units box
because only one unit of procedure code 21248 was performed.
September 23, 2013 – HIPAA Omnibus Final Rule – The updates to this rule were
published on January 25, 2013. The compliance date was September 23, 2013.
Make sure that your practice is compliant.
January 1, 2014 – The updated cross coding manual is available with the codes for
2014 in addition to instructions on completing the new medical claim form. Please go
to the following link to order your update: 2014 Code Update
January 1, 2013 – Updated CDT codes. If you haven't already purchased your CDT
manual, please do so ASAP. My recommendation is Practice Booster or Coding with
Confidence. To order "Coding with Confidence" and/or Practice Booster, download
the Coding with Confidence/Practice Booster Order Form.
April 1, 2014 – All medical claims must be submitted on the 02/12 version of the
CMS-1500 form. If you purchased the 2014 paper update to CrossWalking – A
Guide Through the CrossWalk of Dental to Medical Coding, the instructions are in
the update. If you don't have that update, please click on the link below to order the
instructions.
CMS-1500 (02/12) Instructions
July 25, 2014 – Marianne's Abra-Code-Dabra course in San Francisco, CA.
For more information, contact Marianne at a.p.m.1@suddenlink.net.
October 1, 2014 – The beginning date for ICD-10 implementation.
Favorite Quotes:
"If we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find we have lost
the future."
– Winston Churchill
Tips – For our Patients:
The last newsletter provided the first of several time management tips dealing with
email. This newsletter provides the second.
Time Line

4. Do you use your calendars effectively? When you receive email dealing with
meetings or webinars, etc., your program may allow you to click on Meeting on the
menu ribbon to open a meeting dialogue box or you may be able to drag the email
to your calendar icon. Then you simply need to enter the appointment information,
save the appointment, and set yourself a reminder.
Points of Interest:
"The average human produces 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime. That
is enough spit to fill 2 swimming pools!"
http://timstoothtidbits.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/ten-fun-and-crazy-dental-facts/
Is there someone you think would be interested in this newsletter?
Please feel free to forward this email to them. Thank you!
The Art of Practice Management
2217 Fox Horn Road • New Bern, NC 28562 • Phone: 1-252-637-6259
www.artofpracticemanagement.com • a.p.m.1@suddenlink.net
Perio-Therapeutics & Beyond
724 Fitzwatertown Road • Glenside, PA 19038 • Phone: 267-241-5833
www.perioandbeyond.com • colleen@perioandbeyond.com
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About us | Privacy policy | © Copyright 2014 - Marianne Harper
The contents of this publication reflect the opinion of the authors only. This publication is for informational purposes only.
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