Early Registration

All About CPT Coding For Subspecialties

This workshop focuses on correct CPT coding, proper medical report documentation, and Medicare compliance for pathology subspecialty cases. The subspecialties of interest are neuropathology, hematopathology (bone marrow cases), renal pathology, dermatopathology, and clinical pathology. After attending this workshop you’ll be able to instruct your pathologists regarding all chargeable services normally encountered with these cases, proper and complete medical reporting to assure accurate billable service identification and subsequent audit support, and compliant CPT reporting for all eligible services per case.

Presenter: Dennis Padget, MBA, CPA, FHFMA

Back to Basics: Everything You Wanted to Know About Coding But Were Afraid to Ask

Unlock the hidden treasures hiding in your CPT book that will make you a better, more accurate coder. Map codes to punctuation guides, insurer guidelines, relative values, CCI edits and more. You'll come away with a wealth of knowledge you only heard, but didn't comprehend.

Presenter: Leslie Johnson, CPC

Expanding Your Practice: Leading Advice For Winning Results

Presenter: Jerrie K. Weith, FHFMA

Registration, Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

Can’t Miss: 2009 CPT Coding & Regulatory Update

Make sure you’re ready on Jan. 1 to start using new CPT codes. Look for a myeloperoxidase test for heart attack, oncoprotein test for liver cancer, specific coagulation analytes, transcutaneous lab procedures and more. Watch out for NCD updates and other regulatory changes that will affect your bottom line.

Presenter: Joan Logue, BS, MT, ASCP

Place Of Service And Dates Of Service

Where and when did you perform a lab test or anatomic pathology service? The answers may not be as obvious as you think, and getting them wrong can mean not getting paid for your work. Follow our expert’s advice about the latest billing rules for specimens with a different draw and test date, archived specimens, and send-out tests.

Presenter: Joan Logue, BS, MT, ASCP

Billing For IHC And Flow Cytometry Testing: Insider Tips To Make Sure You Get PAID

Make the most of adjunct services for cancer cases. Capture every step of flow-cytometry immunophenotyping to make sure you don’t leave money on the table. Learn top immunohistochemistry (IHC) coding tips including how to maneuver compound stains. Learn about new technologies such as Cell Search and how they might fit into your practice income. Ensure correct documentation for IHC results and the subsequent coding, including use of 59 modifier.

Presenter: Joan Gilhooly, CPC, CHCC

Get It Right The First Time: Medicare & Non-Medicare Pap Test Reporting

Pap testing, especially for the Medicare program, offers unique billing challenges. Coding is one of these challenges. Screening and diagnostic Pap tests must be differentiated for procedural coding. Requirements exist for diagnosis coding, as well. Certain contractors supplement the national coverage guidelines with local policies. And, multiple fee schedules affect reimbursement. In addition, CMS has recently adopted a new Advance Beneficiary Notice.

Presenter: Diana W. Voorhees, M.A., CLS, MT, SH, CLCP

Refreshment Break

Powerful Expert Advice For ICD-9-CM Reporting & Compliance

With over 125 new lab-specific diagnosis codes in ICD-9 2009, you’ll have to stay up to date if you want to show medical necessity for your tests. Learn about important changes for coding carcinoid tumors, leukemia, Pap smears, and much, much more. Diagnosis coding is an essential and often misunderstood process in overall coding and claims processing. This conference will present basic diagnosis coding principles and pathology/lab specific examples. Incorrect diagnosis coding can result in denial of claims and prior authorizations, lost or decreased payments and future insurability issues for patience and possible inappropriate treatment decisions. Understanding the consequences and necessary information can make the difference between payment and denial.

Presenter: Joan Gilhooly, CPC, CHCC

Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

Maximize Your Revenue For Clinical Lab Test Billing & Collections

This session describes the background, principles, legality, and generally accepted policies and practices for billing and collecting professional fees for routine clinical lab tests for hospital inpatients and outpatients. Included are discussion of the hospital contract terms that need to be in place, the payers and insurers that can and can’t be billed such fees, and the sources of information to use to set the initial professional fee per test. After attending this session you’ll be able to describe the steps that should be taken to determine whether professional component of clinical lab test billing is viable for your practice, the fundamental billing and collection policies and practices that need to be implemented, the methods to use to notify patients of their possible liability, and the contractual arrangements needed with your hospital and the main private insurers with which you deal.

Presenter: Dennis Padget, MBA, CPA, FHFMA

Surefire Coding Tactics For NCDs/LCDs

NCDs (National Coverage Determinations) are intended to guide payers and providers regarding coverage of particular services. Coverage is typically associated with certain conditions or diagnoses and reported with associated ICD-9 codes. NCDs may be supplemented with LCDs (Local Coverage Determinations). These local policies are implemented to provide clarity or further conditions of coverage. Medical necessity is the underlying outcome for these policies. Variances lead to billing caveats.

Presenter: Diana W. Voorhees, M.A., CLS, MT, SH, CLCP

Avoid The Molecular Coding Maze With These Easy-To-Follow Expert Steps

Molecular diagnostic technology may be the fastest growing segment of laboratory testing. This technology has exploded in importance in research, analytical development, and diagnostic testing and has created the concept of personalized medicine. This session will address current use of coding, mechanisms for reimbursement, testing requirements and perceivable impedances for payment.

Presenter: Diana W. Voorhees, M.A., CLS, MT, SH, CLCP