Early Registration

Pre-Workshop I: 7 Rules Of Medical Direction: Become A Modifier Master And Reduce Your Denials
Presented By: Joanne Mehmert, CPC

You’ll definitely want to catch our expert tips for successful anesthesia coding and how to interpret ‘grey-area’ guidelines for your practice. You’ll also become a MODIFIER MASTER as you learn the most important tools for preventing denials for anesthesia claims.

Pre-Workshop II: What Every Pain Management Coder Practice Needs To Know About Compliance
Presented By: Vicki Myckowiak

Anybody with even a little compliance knowledge knows that pain management practices are squarely in the HHS Office of Inspector General’s radar screen. Learn how to protect your practice from audits and compliance disasters from our seasoned expert. Arm yourself with practical tips you can implement at your practice as soon as you return home. 

• 5 IPM hot spots the federal and private payers are looking to audit.
• Do you know how to bullet-proof your practice against new federal auditing programs? Hint: CERT isn’t just a breath mint and RAC isn’t a lamb dinner.
• Lessons learned from actual cases against pain management practices, and concrete steps you can take to protect your own.
• Claims for chronic pain procedures: Here’s where the time bombs are. Plus: Checklist of what you need to document hot-button codes.
• 7 steps to reducing compliance risks at your pain management practice.

Pre-Workshop III: Bullet-Proof Your Consult Coding
Presented By: Joanne Byron, LPN, BSNH, PCS, CPC, CHA, CMC, MCMC

The good news about consults is that they bring in approximately 40 percent more than run-of-the-mill E/M. The bad news is that you could have spotless documentation for 99241 - 99255 and still lose every penny of consult reimbursement in an audit, thanks to CMS rules. In this session, we'll outline consult documentation rules and help you implement processes that get you the documentation you need from both the referring doctor and your own doctor. We'll also cover additional details like:

• When you can - and can't - ask for a consult from a physician in the same group.
• Surefire ways to spot 'churning' patterns that will sink your practice in an audit.
• Hints for getting results when you 'return to sender.'
• Clever strategies to earn consult cash - and still have spotless compliance.

Registration, Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

Breakouts

ANESTHESIA: OB Coding Strategies That Deliver:  Insider Tactics Revealed
Presented By: Kelly Dennis, MBA, CPC, ACS-AP

Don’t be a “babe in the woods” when it comes to OB coding and billing. Make sure your practice collects everything it deserves for relieving a new mom’s pain. In this session, you’ll learn things like:

• Surefire way to select among the different ways to calculate an anesthesia provider’s time.
• What to do when a labor turns into a C-section. Here’s where most anesthesia coders get it wrong.
• How to get maximum ethical reimbursement for labor plus sterilization.
• The ins and outs of Duromorph coding.
• Plus, the final word on coding for stand-by, CRNAs, physician handoff during L&D, and much more.

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Take The UNKNOWN Out Of 'UNLISTED'
Presented By: Joanne Mehmert, CPC

Arrrrgh. What do you know about that hardware block? Even seasoned pain management coders can become UNCOMFORTABLE with the UNLISTEDS. Discover:

• Scenarios where 'unlisted' is the best, most compliant choice for pain management procedures - even if there's an established code that seems pretty close.
• 8 strategies for watertight documentation that will get even the toughest unlisteds paid.
• Action plan for denials. Trish takes the mystery out of the appeals process.

NEUROLOGY: Unravel The Mysteries Of Intraoperative Monitoring With This Can't Miss Crash Course
Presented By: Marvel J Hammer RN CPC CCS-P ACS-PM CHCO

This session’s a must for neurology coders whose practices care for ICU and stroke patients. You'll unravel mysteries like:

• Electrodiagnostic testing action plan: What to do when the IOM diagnosis code differs from the ICD-9 code.
• When you can bill for IOM for two simultaneous surgical patients,  and when remote monitoring is OK.
• Don’t know when to 'start the clock?' Surefire way to tell, plus easy ways to teach physicians to document time appropriately.
• Master the modifiers you need to get your claims paid.

Breakouts

ANESTHESIA: Stay Alert For This Moderate Sedation Coding Session
Presented By: Joanne Mehmert, CPC

Think you can't get paid for the moderate sedation codes CPT introduced in 2006? In this session, Joanne Mehmert, CPC, explains why at least one major payer has changed its tune and what you need to do to get your share of the $$$. You'll also discover:

• Why smart practices are already reporting the codes on all their moderate sedation claims, even though all payers aren't yet coughing up.
• How to choose the correct combo, and reveals when you NEVER should bill for moderate sedation.

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Must-Have Appeals Tactics That Bring In the $$$
Presented By: Joanne Byron, LPN, BSNH, PCS, CPC, CHA, CMC, MCMC

Medicare and private payers are often looking for any reason to deny a pain management claim, which is why successful pain management coders know how to work the appeals system from every angle. If you have trouble fully understanding how the appeals process works, let nationally recognized billing expert Joanne Bryon simplify it and turn you into an expert.

• Scout out where the biggest appeals opportunities lie: See where you stand to collect the most for your persistence.
• Revealed: Medicare’s top 9 reasons for denying your pain management claims.

• Medicare vs. private payers: Tailor your appeal based on who’s paying you.
• Fee schedule reveals appeals that won’t pay up — if you know how to decipher the clues.

NEUROLOGY: Take The Ouch Out Of Chemodenervation Coding With Pain-Free Expert Tips
Presented By: Kathleen White

Don’t let chemodenervation coding mistakes paralyze your collection efforts. Let our expert instructor X X show you how to:

• Code for multiple injection visits, without making mistakes that will trigger an audit.
• Diagnosis coding secrets that persuade payers to reimburse for migraines—really!
• The botox coding blunders most pain management practices make — and how to stop them in their tracks.

Refreshment Break

Breakouts

ANESTHESIA: Qualifying Circumstances Coding, Physical Status, And Billing For Other Medical Services
Presented By: Samantha Mullins, CPC, PMCC, MCS-P, ACS-AN

There's no denying that anesthesia coding is different from other specialties. But dealing with the quirks doesn't have to put you in a quandary! Come learn the ins and outs of qualifying circumstances codes, physical status indicators and "extra" services such as line placements. By the time you leave you'll know when to bill what, and how to do it correctly.

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Double-Check Your Bilateral Coding Expertise
Presented By: Kathleen White

If you're like many pain-management coders, even a few bilateral coding mistakes can slash some of your reimbursements. Don't lose out on the cash your practice deserves for TPI, facet injection, and other common procedures. Learn:

• What procedures you can code bilaterally—and when to bill multiple units instead.
• Get the cash from the major payers with this format checklist.

NEUROLOGY: Need-To-Know Coding Moves For Needle Electromyography & Nerve Conduction Studies
Presented By: Maggie Mac, CMM, CPC, CMSCS, PCS, CCP, ICCE and Michael Stearns, MD

All you need to know about 95860-95904. Discover how to correctly code mixed NCS, the clever-and compliant-move that will get you paid for an injection with an electromyography, and how to get paid when the physician goes beyond CPT guidelines in Appendix J.

Lunch & Exhibits

Breakouts

ANESTHESIA: 'TIME OUT'
Presented By: Samantha Mullins, CPC, PMCC, MCS-P, ACS-AN

All you need to know about coding for the time the patient is 'out.' Our expert will cover topics such as start/stop and discontinuous time, relief time while medically directing, anesthesia time during cardiac surgery, and time when a nurse isn't available in PACU.

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Secrets To Earning Diskogram Dollars
Presented By: Marvel J Hammer RN CPC CCS-P ACS-PM CHCO

Dollars depend on documentation—especially when you're coding diskograms. Don't fall victim to letting viable dollars slip through the cracks! Learn how to match your physician's interpretations with injections to catch every reimbursement opportunity you're entitled to.

NEUROLOGY: Expert Solutions Migraine Coding — Without The Headaches!
Presented By: Maggie Mac, CMM, CPC, CMSCS, PCS, CCP, ICCE

There’s no reason to pop an Aspirin and a Diet Coke every time you have a migraine medical record on your desk. In this session, our expert will show you how to:

• Navigate the maze of ICD-9 options for migraines so you can select the correct code that gets you paid.
• How to spot encounters that should be level-five E/M. Yeah. For migraines. Really.
• Botox injection medical necessity checklist that gets you paid every time.

Breakouts

ANESTHESIA: Master Self-Auditing Techniques For 2008 And Reduce Compliance Risks 
Presented By: Kelly Dennis, MBA, CPC, ACS-AP and Vicki Myckowiak

If you’re like most anesthesia practices, there is hidden cash—and hidden compliance bombs—lurking in your claims. In this session, our expert will teach you self-auditing techniques you can use to recoup lost cash and reduce compliance risks the minute you return to the office.

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Is IDET DOA?
Presented By: Marvel J Hammer RN CPC CCS-P ACS-PM CHCO

Admit it. We were all feeling a little giddy awhile back when CPT introduced the new codes intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty (IDET) procedures. But now that heady excitement is gone as some payers refuse to reimburse for 22526, +22527, 0062T and +0063T. Don't despair. We'll show you:

• How to the pros reel in reimbursement for IDET.
• Master the physician 'slang' terms for IDET so you can recognize it in the medical record.
• Learn why reporting fluoroscopic guidance triggers denials, when to obtain an ABN, and what to look for in your carrier's policies.

NEUROLOGY: Wake Up! Become An EEG Coding Pro
Presented By: Marianne Wink-Sturgeon, RHIT, CPC, ACS-EM

Our expert will make sure you have a handle on long-term monitoring, digital analysis, what is mandatory and what isn’t. If you’re not sure what to do about hyperventilation and photic stimulation, this is the session for you. You’ll also learn how to decipher from documentation if—and when—an EEG crosses from routine to long-term.

Refreshment Break

Breakouts

ANESTHESIA: Heart-Stopping Cardiac Anesthesia Coding Tips
Presented By: Debbie Farmer

Yes. It's true. Your heart will skip a beat when you embrace these strategies for coding anesthesia for coronary artery bypass grafts [CABG] and transesophageal echocardiography [TEE]. You'll learn:

• What diagnosis codes typically support medical necessity for TEE, and where some carriers differ.
• Take home a slew of tools to help your anesthesiologists correctly document TEE.
• Walk you through some tough cardiac anesthesia coding scenarios so that all those claims on your desk will be a breeze.

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Get The Reimbursement Your Deserve For In-Office Drugs & Supplies
If your physician follows the trend of providing more pain management services in his office, that means extra reimbursement for his practice - if your coding's up to par. Get the scoop on which drugs and supplies you can report, how to correctly calculate medication amounts and other ways you can help your physician achieve optimal - but appropriate - reimbursement.

NEUROLOGY: Pass The Functional Brain Mapping Coding Test With Flying Colors
Feeling a little dysfunctional when you use 96020 — CPT’s 2007 code for functional mapping? It’s time to get smart. Among other things, you’ll master 1) what it is so you can sleuth it out from a doctor’s note; 2) diagnoses that likely will support 96020 medical necessity, and where to look for more guidance in the future, and 3) what codes you should NEVER report with 96020 and why.

Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

Breakouts

ANESTHESIA:Get It Straight In 2008
Presented By: Joanne Byron, LPN, BSNH, PCS, CPC, CHA, CMC, MCMC

Do you understand absolutely everything you need to about the new 2008 codes? What auditing strategies will dig up lost revenue opportunities or compliance risks? Join expert Joanne Bryon as she highlights the coding and billing pitfalls anesthesia coders should be on the lookout for this year.

• How the pros bill non-Medicare payers. 13 contractual terms that bullet-proof compliance.
• Do your docs provide anesthesia during imaging procedures? Audit checklist that ensures you’re coding correctly in 2008.

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Reimbursement Cuts For Pain ASC Procedures: How To Dull The Pain
The biggest changes for ASC reimbursement in 20 years are finally here, and experts estimate that some pain management providers will see reimbursement plummet by at least 30 percent. But it’s not all gloom and doom. Open your eyes to new revenue opportunities you never thought your practice would have.

• The biggest ASC coding mistakes you’re probably making — and how to fix them fast.
• Handy ASC coding tools — what you need in your reference arsenal and why.

NEUROLOGY: Coding Diabetic Neuropathy & Other Pain Syndromes
Presented By: Darlene Boschert, CPC, CPC-H, CMA, CMT

Did you know that approximately $100 billion US health care dollars per year involve diabetes and that half of diabetes patients have diabetic neuropathy. This session will teach you 3 steps you can follow to achieve a successful claim. And you'll master ICD-9 coding techniques that will keep your diabetic neuropathy claims free from denials.

Breakouts

ANESTHESIA: Strengthen Your Spinal Coding With These Insider Tactics
CPT 2007 added two new spinal anesthesia codes to your mix - 00625 and 00626. But have you been reporting them correctly in light of older codes 00620 and 00622? Whether your anesthesiologist uses one lung ventilation during the procedure is one clue to follow, but that's not all you need. Learn the whole story behind all four choices and strengthen your spinal coding.

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Pain Management Radiologic Services: Fluoroscopy, Epidurography, CT, Ultrasound
Presented By: Joanne Mehmert, CPC

Radiology tools aren't just for radiologists anymore. Pain management specialists increasingly rely on them to help during their own procedures. If fluoroscopy coding has you floundering, and if you misunderstand it, you’re inviting denials and compliance disasters. Let our expert shed some light on the subject.
Discover how pain management radiologic services differ from standard radiology, and which codes you can report.
Think you can report EMG guidance for steroid injections into the piriformis muscle? The correct coding will surprise you.
Medical device rep peddling this coding strategy for ultrasound guidance? 2 things he’s not telling you.

NEUROLOGY: Never-Fail Neurostim Coding: It’s Easier Than You Think
Find out how to code correctly for neurostimulator placement, maintenance and monitoring. Build your diagnosis coding skills so you can avoid denials when your neurologist uses neurostim to treat chronic pain. You’ll also understand what’s involved in other neurostim treatments besides SCS so that you can code like a pro. 

ANESTHESIA: Monitored Anesthesia Care
Presented By: Debbie Farmer

Conscious sedation, monitored anesthesia care, general anesthesia - what's the difference, and how do they fit together? Do you report MAC with QS or other modifiers? And when does a case cross the line from MAC to general anesthesia? Get answers to all these questions and more, and rest assured you're handling the nuances with ease.

PAIN MANAGEMENT/NEUROLOGY: Ganglions! Bursas! And More!
Presented By: Darlene Boschert, CPC, CPC-H, CMA, CMT

If nerve anatomy makes you feel like you're not in Kansas anymore, this is the session for you. Learning about nerves can be an intimidating prospect, but will improve your coding tremendously.

• Get real-world knowledge to help you decipher different categories of nerves.
• Become a wizard at discerning from the medical record where the provider has injected and what he is treating.
• 11 nerve anatomy blunders that can paralyze correct coding and reimbursement.

PAIN MANAGEMENT/NEUROLOGY: E/M Auditing

POST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP I: Code That Op Note: Anesthesia Focus
Presented By: Samantha Mullins, CPC, PMCC, MCS-P, ACS-AN

In this interactive workshop, you’ll take a long, hard look at what can make or break profitability for your anesthesia practice. One of your biggest challenges is deciphering the surgeon’s op note, making sure it dovetails with your anesthesiologist’s documentation, and knowing what report rules when there’s a discrepancy. You’ll get:

• How to spot potential problems quickly as our expert walks you through good and bad op note combos from the surgeon and the anesthesiologist.
• Jargon alert: Medical terminology that most often causes miscommunication among surgeons, anesthesiologists, and coders.


• Physician education strategies from a pro. Discover creative tools and solutions you can apply the week after the conference to help your doctors properly document all the work they're doing in the operating room


• Bonus: Before the conference, we’ll ask you to send in examples of problem op notes from your practice so that we make sure we tackle the documentation problems you’re struggling with.

POST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP II: Expanded Services-Without the Pain
Presented By: Marvel J Hammer RN CPC CCS-P ACS-PM CHCO

Are the doctors in your pain management practice looking to expand their services? This session will show you how to analyze whether the expansion will be worth the time and effort, how to garner reimbursement or cutting-edge procedures, how to market your new services and other practice management tips, and steps you can take to reduce your liability risk.

POST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP III: A-Zzzzzzzz Sleep Study Coding Course
If sleep study coding questions are keeping you up at night, you can rest easy if you take advantage of this sleep study coding workshop. You'll get the details about what actually happens in different kinds of sleep studies so you can choose correctly among 95805-95807 versus the 95808-95811 code sets. You'll also learn things like when you need a referral and when you simply need an E/M encounter from the physician who orders the study, how to properly report POS to prevent denials, and what modifiers to use when the study is discontinued. You'll leave this session with your eyes wide-open to correct sleep study coding that gets your practice the reimbursement of your dreams.