2020 – The Year of the Coder

2020 will be remembered, I am certain, as the “Year of the Coder.”

Just think about all the new codes that sprang up almost overnight like mushrooms. Obviously, there were a slew of new codes related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Also related to COVID-19 were codes for telehealth. Plus, new codes for evaluation and management services (E&M) that are effective in just a couple of days from now, along with the usual codes for inpatient and outpatient services.

All the new codes introduced in 2020 —as we reported on Talk Ten Tuesdays and ICD10monitor —are like chapters in America’s healthcare history. And to provide you with context for the coding world in 2020, we have conveniently packaged our top Talk Ten Tuesdays podcasts and ICD10monitor news features below.

Top 5 ICD10monitor articles in 2020

1. We now Have a Code for COVID-19; Here’s How to use it Correctly
2. COVID-19 Coding Dilemma: Z20.828 and Z03.818
3. False Positives in PCR Tests for COVID-19
4. Screening for COVID-19: When to use Z11.59 
5. News Alert: Two New CPT® Codes Effective Immediately

Top 5 ICD10monitor Podcasts in 2020

1. E398 –  The Coding World in 2020: Look Ahead to ICD-10-CM Clinical Coding Challenges
2. E401 – The Coding Dilemma: Reporting Deep-Tissue Pressure Injuries
3. E402 – Million-Dollar Coding Mistakes – and How to Avoid Costly Errors
4. E399 – The Coding World in 2020: Part II
5. E400 – Prior Authorization Headaches: A Pain Point for Providers and Practices