Medical Records Technician (Coder) Auditor (Outpatient)

Duties Help Announcement will close once 40 applicants is reached- Temporarily eligible for Remote work within 50 miles of a VA Medical Center. May fall under the Presidential Memorandum titled "Return to In-Person Work" which will require you to go into the office if the exemption is not approved at the next review. Major duties include, but are not limited to, the following: Analyze and abstract patients' health records, and assign alpha-numeric codes for each diagnosis and procedure. To perform this task, they must possess expertise in International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), and the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS). MRT (Coder) may also provide education related to coding and documentation. Serve as experts of current coding conventions and guidelines related to professional and facility coding. Perform audits of encounters to identify areas of non-compliance in coding. They facilitate improved overall quality, completeness, and accuracy of coded data. They provide recommendations on appropriate coding and are responsible for maintaining current knowledge of the various regulatory guidelines and requirements. Complete and accurate diagnostic and procedural coded data are necessary for research, epidemiology, outcomes and statistical analysis, financial and strategic planning, reimbursement, evaluation of quality of care, and communication to support the patient's treatment. Diagnoses and procedures will be coded utilizing the current edition of International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Clinical Modification (CM) and Procedure Coding System (PCS), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), and/or Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS). NOTE: Coders will follow current published ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, CPT Guidelines, as well as other established industry standard coding guidance such as the American Medical Association (AMA) CPT Assistant and the American Hospital Association's (AHA) Coding Clinic. Applies comprehensive knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, disease processes, treatment modalities, diagnostic tests, medications, procedures as well as the principles and practices of health services and the organizational structure to ensure proper code selection. Reviews assigned codes from the current version of several coding systems to include current versions of ICD, CPT, and/or HCPCS. Adheres to accepted coding practices, guidelines and conventions when validating the most appropriate diagnosis, operation, procedure, ancillary, or evaluation and management (E/M) code to ensure ethical, accurate, and complete coding. Applies guidelines specific to certain diagnoses, procedures, and other criteria used to classify patients under the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA) program that categorizes all VA patients into specific classes representing their clinical conditions and resource needs. Monitors ever-changing regulatory and policy requirements affecting coded information for the full spectrum of services provided by the VAMC. Timely compliance with coding changes is crucial to the accuracy of the facility database as well as all cost recovery programs. Assists facility staff with documentation requirements to completely and accurately reflect the patient care provided; provides technical support in the areas of regulations and policy, coding requirements, resident supervision, reimbursement, workload, accepted nomenclature, and proper sequencing. Directly consults with the professional staff for clarification of conflicting or ambiguous clinical data. Work Schedule : Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Mountain Time Telework : Not applicable, this is a remote position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # : 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized