Coding Clarified

08/24/2026

R41.840 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for attention and concentration deficit. It is used to document isolated difficulty focusing, sustaining attention, or processing information when a more specific diagnosis (such as ADHD or dementia) has not been established.

Clinical Usage & Guidelines
What it covers: Isolated attention issues, difficulty concentrating, and general "brain fog" without a confirmed underlying psychiatric or specific neurodegenerative disorder.
Billable status: Yes, it is accepted for medical reimbursement and insurance claims.
Common symptoms/presentation: Mental cloudiness, fatigue-related poor focus, or cognitive strain.

Exclusions & When NOT to Use
Do not assign R41.840 if a definitive condition better explains the symptoms. It excludes:
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) — use F90.-
Cognitive deficits as sequelae of a stroke or cerebrovascular disease — use I69.- codes
Mild cognitive impairment (when specifically diagnosed as such) — consider G31.84

08/24/2026

HCPCS modifier V7 indicates an arteriovenous fistula only (in use with two needles). It is used in medical billing and coding primarily for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) hemodialysis claims to specify the type of vascular access utilized during the service.

Overview of V7 Modifier
Definition: Arteriovenous fistula only (in use with two needles)
Clinical Context: Reports the specific vascular access type on dialysis-related claims

08/24/2026

Coding Clarified Medical Terminology Word of the Day!

Student Tip

When studying suffixes, remember that the suffix usually tells you what is happening to the root word. For example:

neur + -algia = neuralgia
nerve + pain = nerve pain

For your final A–Z medical terminology resource, I recommend separating true suffixes from combining forms. That will make the study material more accurate and easier for CPC students to learn.

Suffix
-ac

Pronunciation: ak
Meaning: pertaining to
Example: Cardiac — pertaining to the heart
Usage: Used to form adjectives describing a body structure, organ, or condition.

08/24/2026

Want to become a medical coder in 2026 but aren’t sure where to start?

In this video, we break down 10 practical steps to start your medical coding career, from learning what medical coders actually do to choosing training, preparing for certification, gaining experience, and finding your first coding job.

Whether you are completely new to healthcare or considering a career change, understanding the process before you begin can save you time, money, and frustration.

We’ll cover:

What medical coders do
Medical coding education and training options
Learning ICD-10-CM, CPT, and HCPCS Level II
Choosing a medical coding certification
Preparing for the CPC exam
Understanding the CPC-A designation
Ways to gain coding experience
Building a medical coding resume
Searching for your first coding job
Continuing to build your skills after certification

Read the complete guide here:

https://codingclarified.com/how-to-become-a-medical-coder-in-2026-10-steps-to-start-your-career/

If you’re ready to start a career in medical coding, this guide will help you understand the steps and create a clear path forward.

08/24/2026

What is ocrelizumab for MS?
Ocrelizumab is a prescription medicine used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in certain adults and children.

Ocrelizumab is administered 2 times a year (every 6 months), after initial dosing. Ocrelizumab IV infusion (brand name: Ocrevus) is administered over 2 to 3.5 hours, and ocrelizumab and hyaluronidase subcutaneous injection (brand name: Ocrevus Zunovo) is administered under the skin over approximately 10 minutes.The appropriate HCPCS Level II code for ocrelizumab depends on the specific formulation administered: use J2350 for intravenous Ocrevus or J2351 for subcutaneous Ocrevus Zunovo. Both codes are billed in 1 mg increments (1 unit = 1 mg).
HCPCS Codes & Descriptions
J2350: Injection, ocrelizumab, 1 mg ( intravenous formulation)
J2351: Injection, ocrelizumab, 1 mg and hyaluronidase-ocsq (subcutaneous formulation)

Coding & Billing Considerations
Billing Units: Each 1 mg equals 1 billable unit. For example, a standard 600 mg IV maintenance dose requires reporting 600 units of J2350.
Primary Diagnosis: G35 (Multiple Sclerosis) serves as the core accepted ICD-10-CM diagnosis code.
Route & Formulation Check: Verify whether the patient received the IV infusion or the subcutaneous injection with hyaluronidase to prevent mismatched billing between J2350 and J2351.
Administration Codes: Reprt corresponding CPT administration codes alongside the J-code based on the route of delivery and time spent during the infusion or injection procedure.

08/24/2026

For the Week of August 17, 2026

Cardiology
Can you provide the details about how 75625 is performed?

Laboratory
Can codes 88362 (nerve teasing) and 88380 (laser capture microdissection) be reported together for the same specimen on the same date of service?

Radiology
Is a consent form by the patient required for breast cyst aspiration or core biopsy?

Respiratory
When managing a patient with acute airway obstruction, what modification to oxygen therapy can be made to improve oxygen saturation, and how is this service billed?

General
Why can’t we code 95180 (rapid desensitization) and chemotherapy drug administration codes together when we perform carboplatin desensitization?

Read the Answers here:

For the Week of Cardiology Laboratory Radiology Respiratory General To provide you with the most actionable compliance and regulatory questions, we are retiring the pharmacy compliance question of the week to focus on answering more commonly asked questions that safeguard accurate coding and save re...

08/24/2026

Want to become a medical coder in 2026 but aren’t sure where to start?

In this video, we break down 10 practical steps to start your medical coding career, from learning what medical coders actually do to choosing training, preparing for certification, gaining experience, and finding your first coding job.

Whether you are completely new to healthcare or considering a career change, understanding the process before you begin can save you time, money, and frustration.

We’ll cover:

What medical coders do
Medical coding education and training options
Learning ICD-10-CM, CPT, and HCPCS Level II
Choosing a medical coding certification
Preparing for the CPC exam
Understanding the CPC-A designation
Ways to gain coding experience
Building a medical coding resume
Searching for your first coding job
Continuing to build your skills after certification

Read the complete guide here:

https://codingclarified.com/how-to-become-a-medical-coder-in-2026-10-steps-to-start-your-career/

If you’re ready to start a career in medical coding, this guide will help you understand the steps and create a clear path forward.

edicalCoder

08/24/2026

Medical coding from an operative report requires extracting diagnoses and surgical procedures from the text to assign accurate ICD-10-CM and CPT codes. Coders must read the entire body of the report rather than relying solely on the header or title summary.

Steps to Dissect an Operative Report

Review the header: Check the patient info, date, and names of the surgeons.
Identify diagnoses: Use the post-operative diagnosis for ICD-10-CM coding, as it reflects what the surgeon confirmed during the procedure.
Scan the procedure list: Read the planned procedure summary as a roadmap, but do not code directly from it.
Read the body: Verify every surgical step, anatomical site, approach (open, closed, or endoscopic), and size in the main narrative.
Check for modifiers: Look for unexpected complications, abandoned steps, or multiple surgeons that require modifiers.

08/24/2026

Good Morning!

What are you coding today?