Early Registration

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

If Medicare cuts and insurer denials have your physicians searching for better horizons, there's hope. This session will have you exploring new ways of boosting your bottom line from expanding your A/R methodologies to adding a second location or bringing ancillaries in-house.

Presenter: Jerrie K. Weith, FHFMA

Registration, Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

E/M Codes vs. Eye Codes: Must-Have Expert Tips To Accurately Choose The Correct One

At times even veteran optometry and ophthalmology coders struggle with whether to bill an E/M service code or eye code. Get the must-have knowledge to help you avoid unnecessary office visit denials in this in-depth session. Learn the key differences between the two codesets, the documentation criteria for each, and the keys to avoiding common coding mistakes.

Presenter: Lynn Taylor, CMA, PCS, CPC, PMCC Approved Instructor

Option #1:
PQRI Implementation: 2009 Reporting Basics & More!

Medicare’s Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) is becoming the hot topic among physician offices, as Medicare moves toward a “pay-for-performance” model. Thanks to the Tax Relief and Healthcare Act of 2006, a lump-sum bonus payment is now available to physicians for tracking and reporting quality care measures on their Medicare patients. Learn how easy it is to earn a 1.5% bonus for the services your practice is already providing.

Presenter: Alice Marie Reybitz, RN, BA, CPC, CPC-H

Option #2: Avoid Modifier Missteps With These Rock-Solid Expert Tips

Develop your modifier “must” list by learning all the in’s and out’s of CPT modifiers. The OIG and even private insurers are cracking down on overuse of modifiers 25 and 59. Are you sure you’re using them correctly? After this session, you can be sure. Gain the confidence to capture an E/M session with a minor procedure, override an NCCI edit, correctly bill a bilateral procedure, escape a global period and apply the decision for surgery modifier.

Presenter: Raequell Duran, CPC

Can’t Miss: Ophthalmology 2009 CPT Updates

It's never too soon to start thinking about CPT changes for 2009. Avoid new-years confusion by getting all the information you need on which ophthalmology and optometry codes have been added, deleted or revised. You'll be able to hit the ground running in January with our expert inside information.

Presenter: Raequell Duran, CPC

Gleaming Expert Tips To Shine Through The Special Testing Coding Fog

OCT, ophthalmoscopies, gonioscopies, fundus photography — oh my! Maximize your reimbursement on special testing services such as these with the expert strategies you’ll garner in this session. Be confident in unilateral versus bilateral, technical/professional components, NPP rules, global period limitations, and much more.

Presenter: Raequell Duran

Techs vs. Providers

A good COA or COT can be worth her weight in gold — but if you don't know the coding and billing rules, it's gold your practice might be missing out on. Learn how to make the most of your technicians' services, and how to accurately and lucratively report their services. Plus, get to the bottom of incident-to rules and supervision requirements.

Presenter: Lynn Taylor, CMA, PCS, CPC, PMCC Approved Instructor

Refreshment Break

Continental Breakfast & Exhibits

Option #1:
Are You Seeing Clearly With Your ASC Ophthalmology Coding?

Ophthalmology is one of the few specialties that will benefit from CMS' whopping changes to ambulatory surgery center coding. But your success is only as good as your facility managers’, coders’ and billers’ knowledge of the new reimbursement rules. Open your eyes to new opportunities for ophthalmic ASC reimbursement with coding and billing expert, Joanne Schade-Boyce, RDH, MS, CPC, ACS, PCS. In this one-hour course you’ll learn valuable coding information to ensure your ASC receives every reimbursement dollar it deserves to include but not limited to: Cataract Surgery, HCPCS coding of IOL’s, Glaucoma & Retina procedures, injectable drugs, and strabismus surgery.

Presenter: Joanne Schade-Boyce, RDH, MS, CPC, ACS, PCS

Option #2:

Documentation Essentials Every Professional Needs To Know

School taught your physician to take doctor’s notes, not coding notes. Learn to create pay-protecting documentation that will withstand an audit. Find out what an I&R & consultation note should really include. Plus, what to do when an auditor comes knocking.

Presenter: Raequell Duran, CPC

Is Your Cataract Co-Management Coding A Little Cloudy?

What could be triggering your postoperative cataract care denial? The modifier the surgeon’s not using? The ICD-9 code the optometrist is listing? The info you’re putting in box 19? With patience and consistency, you can get postop care claims paid the first time around. Learn which modifiers to use to split the postop co-management work between the ophthalmic surgeon and the optometrist.

Presenter: Becky Zellmer, CPC-E/M, MBS, CBCS