payer won't even consider a claim that's eight months old. On the
other hand, if you audit quarterly, you'll likely be well within that
statute of limitations. Another reason to steer clear of annual
audits: It's too much information to take in at one time. Important
issues are bound to get glossed over.
The idea of an audit may make some of your staff a bit standoff-
ish and even uncooperative. Remind these folks that auditors
aren't there to make coders look bad at their jobs. They're there to
make sure your coding and billing procedures are as accurate and
beneficial as possible, so the more open and upfront you are with
your auditing company, the more efficient the process will be.
Remember, an audit isn't personal. It's all about taking corrective
action on your policies, not your people.
OSM
Mr. Lathrop (blathrop@codingnetwork.com), a former education officer for
the Overland Park (Kan.) chapter of the AAPC, is the senior compliance audi-
tor and coder for the Ambulatory Surgery, Outpatient Hospital and
Gastroenterology Division of The Coding Network, a specialty-specific coding
organization headquartered in Beverly Hills, Calif.
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