Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Part I: Getting to Know Medical Billing and Coding 5
Chapter 1: Dipping Your Toes into Medical Billing and Coding 7
Chapter 2: Exploring the Billing and Coding Professions 17
Chapter 3: Weighing Your Employment Options 31
Part II: Boning Up on the Need-to-Knows of Your Profession 43
Chapter 4: Compliance: Understanding the Rules 45
Chapter 5: Not-So-Strange Bedfellows: Medical Terminology and Medical Necessity 61
Chapter 6: Getting to Know the Payers 85
Part III: Becoming a Professional: Getting Certified 101
Chapter 7: Your Basic Certification Options, Courtesy of the AAPC and AHIMA 103
Chapter 8: The Path to Certification: Finding a Study Program 117
Chapter 9: Signing Up and Preparing for the Certification Exam 137
Chapter 10: Adding Street Cred: Specialty Certifications and Continuing Ed 155
Part IV: Dealing and Succeeding with Nitty-Gritty On-the-Job Details 167
Chapter 11: Processing a Run-of-the-Mill Claim: An Overview 169
Chapter 12: Homing In on How to Prepare an Error-free Claim 187
Chapter 13: From Clearinghouse to Accounts Receivable to Money in the Pocket 203
Chapter 14: Handling Disputes and Appeals 215
Chapter 15: Keeping Up with the Rest of the World 235
Part V: Working with Stakeholders 247
Chapter 16: Dealing with Commercial Insurance Claims 249
Chapter 17: Caring about Medicare 261
Chapter 18: Client Relations and Coding Ethics: Being an Advocate for Your Employer 275
Part VI: The Part of Tens 291
Chapter 19: Ten Common Billing and Coding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them 293
Chapter 20: Ten Acronyms to Burn into Your Brain 299
Chapter 21: Ten (Plus One) Tips from Billing and Coding Pros 303
Glossary 309
Index 319