November 2007

Mark Your Calendar for Extravaganza 2008!
E/M Tip of the Month
Calling All Coding Rock Stars!
Study Guides Now Available In Your Specialty
Upcoming Events

Hello from the Board of Medical Specialty Coding! We hope you enjoy your monthly ezine and find the information useful. If you have any comments or recommendations for future issues, please contact me through the following channels:

Victoria Forlini, Executive Director
vforlini@medicalspecialtycoding.com
301/287-2250 (phone)
301/287-2941 (fax)

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Mark Your Calendar for the 6th Annual Specialty Coding Extravaganza!

DecisionHealth® and Ingenix® are proud to announce the
2008 Physician Specialty Coding Extravaganza.

Don’t miss the only event packed with in-depth, specialty-specific guidance and hands-on practice for medical, diagnostic and procedural coding!

The Extravaganza presents 11 specialty tracks with 1-½ days of coding instruction targeted to the unique circumstances and coverage rules in a given specialty– from the latest on 2008 code changes to troubleshooting payer delays denials.

Plus, for the fist time ever, the Specialty Coding Extravaganza is offering a pre-conference workshop to allow attendees even more instruction time on key issues.

Plus! You can sit for a BMSC exam or earn your CEUs at this event.

Get the agenda and more online at http://www.extrav2008.com or call 866-620-5939 to register today!

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E/M Tip of the Month

Test your E/M coding skills by identifying the answer to this question:

With regard to a consultation, must two providers speak to one another directly? Yes or No?

Find out the answer at the bottom of this email newsletter. Also check this space monthly for the E/M Tip of the month.

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Calling All Coding Rock Stars!

What does everyone love about rock stars?

Rock stars are committed to what they do, and they strive to do their best every time.

If you have earned your ACS or SCP specialty coding credential from the Board of Medical Specialty Coding, consider yourself a Coding Rock Star! And we want the world to hear your story.

How has your life changed since you've earned a specialty credential? Does your doctor believe in you more since you now have credentials behind your name? Have you stood up against unfair coding and billing practices and won? Who or what inspired you to sit for coding certification? Your story could affect the lives of thousands of coding, billing and compliance professionals and could be featured right here in the Specialty Coding Advisor. You have the power to inspire others to get certified! Contact BMSC today to begin telling your story.

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Study Guides Now Available In Your Specialty

BMSC now has study guides available to help you prepare for certification in your specialty.

These study guides are different than you expect, as they are full of exam tips and notes from the editors, providing you with helpful hints as to how to get ready to sit for your examination and become certified.

Each guide is smaller than you expect: they are 6x9 and able to slip right in your purse or briefcase. And most importantly, each guide is no more than 100 pages. Now you can take your time and concentrate on the major points that you need to know for your exam.

Visit www.medicalspecialtycoding.com to order study guides in:

• Anesthesia Coding Certification
• Cardiology Coding Certification
• Evaluation and Management Auditing Coding Certification
• Radiology Coding Certification
• Family Practice/Pediatrics Coding Certification
• Orthopedics Coding Certification
• Pain Management Coding Certification
• Emergency Medicine Coding Certification
• Urology Coding Certification
• General Surgery Coding Certification
• Gastroenterology Coding Certification

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Upcoming Events
Resolve to get certified in 2008! Check out the many opportunities that you have to sit for your BMSC exam or earn CEUs!

Coming Soon! Test Prep Audio Conferences
Let our BMSC board members give you the secret insight you need in order to ace your ACS, SCP or CCP-P certification or recertification examination. Mark your calendars for the following test prep sessions with fabulous training experts who are also BMSC Board Members!

Check your inbox or the BMSC website for more information on these exciting audio conferences.

Event: Inside a Whistleblower's Mind: How You Can Avoid A Costly qui tam Lawsuit
Date: December 11, 2007, 2-3:30 p.m. in your office
To register or to learn more information:
http://www.decisionhealth.com/conferences/A1419/home.html

Event: 6th Annual Specialty Coding Extravaganza
Date: February 12-14, 2008 in Orlando, FL
To register or to learn more information:
http://www.extrav2008.com/

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The answer to the E/M Tip of the Month is:
No. A staff member from one provider's office may contact a staff member from another provider's office to request a consultation, but it must be documented that way.