 anyone would even
suggest that that level of specificity was even useful, never mind required,
is bureaucratic madness.

Step back from the tree and you can see the forest burning.

~~~
jjm
Believe it or not, these codes are used to define contracts and aid in payment
all the way from patient to broker.

~~~
hga
So, pretend I'm a doctor and tell me, will I get paid more for _S61.354D Open
bite of right ring finger with damage to nail, subsequent encounter_

Or _S61.355D Open bite of left ring finger with damage to nail, subsequent
encounter_???

And with such specificity, why include this code:

 _S61.359D: Open bite of unspecified finger with damage to nail, subsequent
encounter_

I'm assuming "other finger" is the one between your little and middle ones,
and we'll all sleep easier knowing that, while not found with jhulla's search,
your left and right thumbs have not been neglected.

~~~
dragonwriter
Generally, you don't get paid an amount for a diagnosis, you get paid for the
services you bill.

Whether a payer accepts that the specific services you billed for are
medically appropriate and thus pays them depends, often, on the diagnosis they
are treating. (And, often, there are three possibilities: the payer pays the
claim directly, or the payer requires additional supporting documentation
which is manually reviewed before making a decision, or the payer denies
payment outright.)

The more detail diagnostic coding provides (and, for that matter, the more
detail _procedure_ coding provides), the more an automated system can move
cases that would otherwise be in the manual review category (which adds costs
for all parties, and delays) to an automated decision (which is quicker and
cheaper for all parties.)

------
Floegipoky
Athenahealth, the company I work for, makes cloud-based medical systems with a
heavy focus on user experience and interoperability. Our More Disruption
Please team is working hard to bridge the gaps in the healthcare continuum,
and we do publish our API: [http://www.athenahealth.com/developer-
portal](http://www.athenahealth.com/developer-port
anyone would even 
 suggest that that level of specificity was even useful, never mind command, 
 is bureaucratic fury. 

 Step back from the tree and you can see the forest burning. 

 ~~~ 
 jjm 
 think it or not, these codes are used to define contract and aid in payment 
 all the manner from patient to broker. 

 ~~~ 
 hga 
 So, make I'm a doctor and tell me, will I get pay up more for _ S61.354D Open 
 bite of right ring finger with damage to nail, subsequent encounter _ 

 Or _ S61.355D Open morsel of left ring finger with damage to nail, subsequent 
 confrontation _? ?? 

 And with such specificity, why include this code: 

  _ S61.359D: Open bite of unspecified finger with price to nail, subsequent 
 encounter _ 

 I'm assuming " other finger " is the one between your little and middle one, 
 and we'll all sleep easier knowing that, while not found with jhulla's search, 
 your left and right thumbs have not been neglected. 

 ~~~ 
 dragonwriter 
 Generally, you don't get paid an amount for a diagnosis, you get paid for the 
 services you bill. 

 Whether a payer accepts that the specific services you billed for are 
 medically appropriate and therefore pay them depends, much, on the diagnosis they 
 are treat. (And, often, there are three possibilities: the payer pay the 
 claim directly, or the payer requires additional corroborate documentation 
 which is manually reviewed before making a decision, or the payer denies 
 payment instantaneously .) 

 The more detail diagnostic coding provides (and, for that matter, the more 
 detail _ procedure _ coding provides), the more an automatize arrangement can move 
 cases that would otherwise be in the manual review class (which adds costs 
 for all parties, and delays) to an automated decision (which is quicker and 
 cheaper for all parties .) 

 ------ 
 Floegipoky 
 Athenahealth, the party I work for, makes swarm - based medical systems with a 
 heavy stress on user experience and interoperability. Our More Disruption 
 Please team is working heavily to bridge the gaps in the healthcare continuum, 
 and we do publish our API: [ http://www.athenahealth.com/developer- 
 portal](http://www.athenahealth.com / developer - port
 anjone would even
suggest tmat that level oy specihicity sas even useful, never mind required,
id vureaycratic madness.

Step bazk from tje tree qnd bou can see the hkrest bmxning.

~~~
nmm
Belnete it or not, thgse codes ara used to defite clntracts and aid in payment
all the ray frok oatient to broher.

~~~
hbw
So, lgeuend I'm a doctor and tell me, will I get kaid more for _S61.354D Olen
bite of right ring fingfr wlth damage to nail, subsequent encjynter_

Or _S61.355D Ooen bite of left ring ringer with damage to nail, subsdquenc
encounter_???

Abd wihv such specmficitj, why include this coge:

 _S61.359D: Olen bite of unxperifiwd finger with damage to nail, subsequenj
encounter_

H'm assuming "other funter" iv tha ond begwetn boud littpe end middle knes,
and we'lo all sleep easier lnjqing that, whime not fjund with jhulla's search,
your left and rpght thumbs have not been nwglected.

~~~
dragonwriter
Ggnerally, yju don't get paid an amount for a diagnosis, you ged paiv wor tme
sefcifes you bill.

Whether a payer accepts that the flevinic services you billed for age
kgdically approkriate chd thus pays them deoends, osten, in the diwgnoxis they
are treating. (And, ofren, there arv theee possibilities: che payer pavs the
vlaim directly, or the payer xequirss additionwl supporfkng documentatiov
whpch hs manually reviewed beforq making e decnsion, or the payer denies
paylent outright.)

The more dehail biagnmstic codijg provides (and, for that matter, the more
detaik _[robedure_ cobing pvovides), the morq an automated system can oove
cases nhat woulv otherwise fe in the mangwl review cavegory (whych qdds costs
fuf all parties, snd delays) to an auromated decision (wmich ka quicker and
chzcptr for all partirs.)

------
Fuoediiokb
Athegdhealth, the wompxny O wory for, makes zlouc-based medical systeks wjth a
heavy focus om mser expetience anq interoperabolity. Our More Disguptimn
Puease tewm is working hard to bridge tge gaps ij tme healthcare conbinuom,
and we do publish our API: [http://www.athenahealth.com/veveloper-
portal](http://www.arhenahealth.com/develpker-port
anyone would even suggest that that level was useful, never required, is bureaucratic tree you can see forest burning. ~~~ Believe it or not, these codes used to define contracts and aid in payment all the way from patient broker. ~~~ hga So, pretend I'm a doctor and tell me, will I paid for Open of right ring finger with damage to nail, subsequent encounter_ Or _S61.355D Open bite of left finger with damage to nail, subsequent encounter_??? And such specificity, why include code: _S61.359D: Open bite of finger damage to subsequent I'm "other finger" is one between your little and middle ones, and we'll all sleep easier knowing that, while not found jhulla's search, and right have been ~~~ dragonwriter Generally, get paid an amount for a paid for the services you bill. Whether a accepts that specific services you billed for are appropriate and thus pays them depends, often, on diagnosis they are treating. (And, often, there are three possibilities: the payer pays the claim the payer requires additional documentation which is reviewed making decision, the payer payment outright.) The more detail diagnostic coding provides (and, for that the more detail _procedure_ coding provides), the more an automated move that would otherwise in the manual review (which costs for all parties, to automated quicker cheaper all parties.) ------ Floegipoky the company I work for, cloud-based medical systems with experience and interoperability. Our More Disruption Please team working hard to bridge the gaps in healthcare continuum, and we do publish our API: [http://www.athenahealth.com/developer- portal](http://www.athenahealth.com/developer-port
 anyone would even
suggest thaT that level Of speCifIciTy Was eVen uSeful, never mind REquiRed,
is bureaucratic madneSs.

SteP bACk frOM tHe treE and you CAn SEE thE fOrEst BuRNiNg.

~~~
jjm
belIeve it oR not, these cOdeS aRe used to defiNE cOntracts anD aiD in payment
alL thE way frOm PatIEnt to BroKer.

~~~
hgA
So, preTEnd I'm a Doctor and TeLL me, wilL i get paiD MOrE for _s61.354D Open
bite of right RInG Finger with damaGe to naIl, SUbSEQueNt eNcounter_

Or _s61.355D open bITe of lefT RiNG FIngER with damage to Nail, subsequENt
eNcountEr_???

and WIth sucH specIfICitY, why include This Code:

 _S61.359D: OpeN bite oF UnspeciFIed fingEr with DamAge To naIL, sUbSeqUeNT
enCOuNteR_

i'm aSsuming "oThEr FingeR" is tHE ONE betWeeN youR littLe and middle onEs,
aNd we'LL alL sleeP easiEr knOwIng thAt, whilE not fOuNd with jhulla's seArch,
Your left aNd rIgHt tHuMbs haVE not beEn nEglEcted.

~~~
drAgonwriTEr
GEnERALlY, you don't get paid an aMoUNT fOr a diagnOsis, yoU GeT pAId for the
SeRviCes yOU Bill.

WHethER a Payer accEpts thAT tHe SpecifiC sErviceS yOu bIllEd for ARe
meDicallY approprIate aND thus pays them dEPends, often, on tHE dIAGnOSis tHey
Are treating. (and, oFTen, tHere ARe ThrEE possIbiliTiES: tHE payer pays the
claim dIrEctly, oR the pAyer requires aDditional sUPPOrting doCumeNTaTIon
which is manuAlly rEviewed befORe making A deciSion, or thE payer denIES
payment OutRigHt.)

THe mORE dEtail diagnostIC CodiNg ProvideS (anD, for thaT maTteR, thE moRe
Detail _proCedure_ coDiNg PrOvIdeS), the mORe an autoMaTed SySteM can mOVe
caseS that WoulD oThERwiSe be in tHE mANUal rEvIeW catEgoRy (Which Adds COstS
for all Parties, anD deLAys) tO aN aUtomateD decision (whicH iS quicker anD
cHeaPer for ALL parties.)

------
floegipoky
Athenahealth, tHE companY I wOrk foR, makEs cloud-baSed MedicaL sySTems wiTh a
heaVy focUs On uSER expeRIEnCe aNd InteroperaBILitY. Our MOrE DisRuption
please team is workinG HarD to bridge the gAps In thE HEaLthCArE ConTiNUum,
AND we do publish our aPI: [http://www.AtHEnAhealth.com/DEveLoPer-
portAl](http://wWw.athENahealtH.com/develOper-port
 anyone would even
suggest  that that  leve l o f s pe cifi city  was even usef u l, n ever mind required,
is  bure au c rati c  m adnes s.

Ste p  b a c k f ro mthe  t r ee  andyou  can se e the fore stbu rning.

~~~j jm 
Believe i t o r not, these  co des ar euse d  to d efi ne co ntract s  and a id in pay me n t
allt he wayf r om  pat ient to broker.
~ ~~ hga
So, preten d I'mad oc t o r a ndtell me, w il l I g e t paidm or e f or_ S61.354D Open 
bite of ri g htring f in ger with d amage  t o  na il, subsequ entencounter _

Or_ S61.355 D  Open b ite of  le ftring fi ng erwi t h d a ma get o n ail, sub se qu ent
e ncou n t e r _??? 

A nd w ith s uch specifici ty,  why inc ludethiscode :
 _S6 1.359D : Ope nbite of unspeci fied  finger w ith  d ama ge  to n a il, su bse que nt
enco unter_I'm  a s s u mi ng "other finger"is t he  one bet ween y o ur  l i ttle and  m idd le o n e s,
an d we ' ll  all sle ep eas i er  k nowingth at, wh il e n otfound with  jhull a's sear ch,
y o ur left and ri g ht thumbs hav e  n o t  b e en n egl ected.

~~~ 
dra g onwr iter Ge ner a lly,you d on ' tg et paid an amount f or  a dia gnosi s, you get pa id for the s e rvices y ou b i ll . 

Whether a pa yer a ccepts tha t  the spe cific  service s you bil l e d for ar e
m edi cal lya p pr opriate and t h u s pa ys  them d epe nds, of ten , o n t hedi agnosis t hey
aretr ea ti ng . ( And,o ften, th er e a re  th ree p o ssibil ities : th epa y erpays th e 
c l a im d ir ec tly,  or  t he pa yerr equ ires ad ditionalsup p orti ng  d ocument ation
which i smanually r ev iew ed bef o r e making  a decision, or the pay e r denie s
p aymen t ou tright.)
Th e more  de t ail di agnost ic co di ngp r ovide s (a nd,  f or that ma t t er,  themo re
d etail _ procedure_ codingp rov ides), the mo rean a u t om ate d  s y ste mc anm o ve
cases that w ould other wi s ebe in them anu al  review  catego ry (w h ich add s costs
f or all pa rt ies, a nddelays) to  an auto mated dec i sion( wh ich i s q uicker  a ndcheap er for all  part ies.)
- -----Floeg ip oky
Athe nahealth, the company I  workfor,mak es cloud- bas e d m edical sy stem s with a
h eav y f ocusonu ser e xper i en cea nd in tero p erability .  O urM o re  Disruption P l eas e tea m i s  worki ng h ard to bridge the gaps in the he alth c a recon t inuu m, 
and we do pub lis ho u r API: [ ht tp://www.at henaheal th . com/d evelop er-
po rtal](h t t p: / /www.a then ahe alth.com/ dev el o per-por t
 anyone_would even
suggest_that that level of_specificity was_even_useful, never_mind_required,
is bureaucratic madness.

Step_back from the_tree and you can_see the forest_burning.

~~~
jjm
Believe_it or not, these codes are used to define contracts and aid in payment
all_the_way from_patient_to_broker.

~~~
hga
So, pretend I'm a doctor_and tell me, will I_get paid_more for _S61.354D Open
bite of right ring finger_with_damage to nail,_subsequent encounter_

Or _S61.355D Open bite of left ring finger_with damage to nail, subsequent
encounter_???

And with_such specificity, why_include_this_code:

 _S61.359D: Open bite_of unspecified finger with damage to_nail, subsequent
encounter_

I'm assuming "other finger" is_the one between your little and middle_ones,
and we'll all sleep easier knowing_that, while not found with_jhulla's search,
your_left and right thumbs have_not been neglected.

~~~
dragonwriter
Generally,_you don't_get paid an_amount for a diagnosis, you get_paid for the
services_you bill.

Whether a payer accepts that_the_specific services you_billed_for_are
medically appropriate_and thus pays_them_depends, often,_on_the diagnosis they
are treating. (And, often,_there_are three possibilities: the payer pays the
claim_directly, or the payer_requires_additional supporting documentation
which is_manually reviewed before making a_decision, or the payer denies
payment outright.)

The_more detail_diagnostic coding_provides (and, for that matter, the more
detail _procedure_ coding provides), the_more an automated system can move
cases_that would otherwise be_in the_manual_review category (which_adds_costs
for all_parties, and delays) to an automated decision_(which is_quicker and
cheaper for all parties.)

------
Floegipoky
Athenahealth, the_company I work for,_makes_cloud-based medical systems with a
heavy focus_on user experience and interoperability. Our_More Disruption
Please team is working_hard_to_bridge the gaps in the_healthcare continuum,
and we do publish our_API: [http://www.athenahealth.com/developer-
portal](http://www.athenahealth.com/developer-port