Interventional radiology coding is hard. Very hard. Why? Well to start as technology advances, more high-tech procedures are likely to be performed. When at the same time, the rules and regulations around interventional radiology are evolving. This creates a challenging environment for any coder.
Error rates for interventional radiology coding and charging are significantly higher than other medical fields. Interventional radiology coding expert and auditor, Stacie Buck, estimates that as many as 60% of all interventional radiology procedures are coded incorrectly.
And we both know, it’s all about the coding.
If your radiology group is doing complex interventional procedures, you need people who are seasoned and certified interventional radiology coders. There are various levels of certifications available that provide individuals in complex specialties of interventional radiology with additional knowledge and experience to execute coding consistently and accurately.
Related: Six ways radiologists screw up their billing
If your interventional radiology coders are uncertified, you’re susceptible to two major risks….
- Losing money—If you don’t understand it, you certainly can’t correctly code it. It seems crazy to do the work and then not be fully compensated because the coder has made errors or omissions. This is just like leaving money sitting on the table, and it’s avoidable!
- Asking for trouble—If you don’t have a good interventional radiology coder, you are opening yourself up to audits and compliance issues. Any discrepancies in the procedure report and the charge sheet can create a big compliance risk in the event of a billing audit.
Certified Interventional Radiology Coders
The solution to these risks is obtaining certification for interventional radiology coding. At Dexios, we think it should be a requirement of interventional radiologists to have their coding done by a certified coder. Our team is fully comprised of certified coders. In addition, all of our complex IR procedures are coded with a certified interventional radiology coder. This way we can assure that our coding is compliant and physician clients are getting reimbursed accurately for all of the work they are doing.
If you would like to experience the Dexios difference, please give us a call at 804-378-3543 or contact us now.