Talk Ten Tuesdays

Stressing Out About the Z Codes: Healthcare’s New Imperative

July 31, 2018 Chuck Buck | Timothy Powell, CPA | Megan Cortazzo, MD | Grant Huang | Ellen Fink-Samnick | Erica Remer, MD Episode 334
Talk Ten Tuesdays
Stressing Out About the Z Codes: Healthcare’s New Imperative
Show Notes

Back in February, as reported by ICD10monitor, the American Hospital Association (AHA) changed coding rules, allowing case managers and social workers to assign Z codes—one of 88 assignable ICD-10 codes to report on claims for homelessness, low income, stressful work environment, low literacy, divorce, personal history of abuse, and many more. But not all healthcare professionals—including a number of physicians—are getting the message.

To help clear up the confusion, Ellen Fink-Samnick, a nationally recognized expert on social determinants of health (SDoH), will report our lead story.

Other segments to be featured on the broadcast include:

  • Talk Ten Tuesday News Desk: Timothy Powell, a nationally recognized expert on regulatory matters including the False Claims Act, ZPIC audits, and the OIG, will return to report on the latest healthcare news.
  • E&M Coding Update: Given the scale and potential impact of major E&M changes in the 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule, Grant Huang, director of content for DoctorsManagement, will report on the major overhaul being proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
  • Tuesday Focus: Malnutrition: Severe protein calorie malnutrition is under high scrutiny from CMS, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG), and commercial insurers. Megan Cortazzo, MD, medical director of clinical documentation improvement and health information management at University of Pittsburg Medical Center, will report on why it is happening and how to ensure hospitals and providers get compensated for the services they are providing.


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