I coded for over 25 years in the dental field. In THAT profession, in MY state, the dental office had better know what their patients' insurance covers, before they do the work. That actually is someone's JOB in our office (used to be mine) to call their insurance before their appointment, confirm current coverage, and make sure the planned procedure(s) would be paid. It used to be called predetermining. Now it's done by computer, on line, in seconds.
Yes, it IS the responsibility of the doctor ordering the lab tests to make sure they are a covered benefit. If my doctor or his staff resists billing under the correct ICD-9 code, I'm outta there. Hair pins twirling in the air after me, GONE.
Now, if it's not a COVERED BENEFIT, like my vitamin K lab test was, I understand that. But to bill under insufficient ICD-9 codes, and highlight a note on my lab slip that it's MY JOB to ascertain the correctness of their work? That is incompetence at it's finest. Coding correctly is not difficult, just tedious.
A good coder is worth a fortune to their employer. It makes the difference between a happy doctor/patient relationship and losing patients. Of course, if the doctor doesn't recognize this fact, he/she is doomed.
