Medical Billing and Coding For Dummies

Karen Smiley, CPC, is a certified multi-specialty coding expert in physician and outpatient reimbursement. She is a professional coder at an ambulatory surgery center, and her extensive background includes commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid claims processing.

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