ASGE members may submit coding inquiries electronically to codingquestions@asge.org. When submitting a question, please allow at least three business days for a response. When submitting inquiries, please include the ASGE member’s name and ID number. Only questions will be accepted and no reports. Below is our featured Coding Question of the Month that could be beneficial to your practice.
Question: Are there guidelines for keeping hard copies of coding books in each practice location? All our coding staff work from home and have current coding materials. I know that you have stated that it is good practice to have them on file at each practice, but I cannot find any federal or payer guidelines to state it is required.
Answer: I'm not sure there is anything published that mandates practices keep copies of current coding books, however, this is definitely a best practice recommendation. I would be sure and add to your compliance plan that because all coders are remote, up-to-date coding books are available in their remote locations.
If the coders don't look at 100% of everything that goes out the door, it still can be considered a compliance risk. If the practice refers to old coding resources, they could be at risk for improper claim submissions.