In order to get reimbursement from insurance companies, your practice has to submit specific codes that indicate which procedures were done. Obviously, you'd get a trained medical coder to do this work. But if you need to find someone to code oncology procedures and have a choice between a general medical coder or someone who specializes in oncology coding, go with the specialist. You'll find it's a lot easier to work with an oncology-specific coder when dealing with all the paperwork that goes into coding and billing.

No Confusion Over Similar Codes

The codes that govern insurance reimbursement are many. And, many of those codes are similar with tiny distinctions. When you have an oncology coder work on coding your notes, the coder is going to be much more familiar with the codes needed for your procedures and won't get those confused with similar codes that shouldn't apply. That saves time as they won't have to go back and correct and resubmit paperwork. Your reimbursements stand a better chance of being approved without extra delays due to incorrect codes.

Better Familiarity With Oncology-Specific Terminology

It is essential that the coder be familiar with medical terminology, and it is even better when the coder is very familiar with oncology terminology. That reduces the chances that the coder will misinterpret something, and the coder will understand the nuances in the terminology used for the status of the cancer. Those distinctions can make or break the reimbursement attempt. Coders have to figure out what you did and what the status of the patient is from your notes, and the last thing you need is for the coder to have lots of questions about what you really did.

They May Be Able to Spot Mistakes and Missing Information

After a few years in the field, an oncology coder gets pretty good at knowing what to expect from different procedures. They may be able to spot missing information or mistakes that could make receiving timely payments difficult. If your notes are unclear, the coders can be very good about figuring out what you meant or if they need to have you elaborate.

Medical coding is a complicated field, and you need coders who understand what went on in an appointment if you want the coding and billing to be done accurately and efficiently. Sending your coding work to an oncology coder is the best way to take care of that if you want oncology treatments to be reimbursed quickly. 

To learn more about medical oncology coding, reach out to a professional near you.