Not all medical coding decisions are black and white, most coders understand that there may be a few approaches to reaching the right codes. Here a few helpful resources::
Discussion Boards & Forums
Resources for peer-to-peer discussions about coding and billing.
E/M References
Reference documentation and discussion forums for 1995 & 1997 E/M coding guidelines.
Medical Dictionaries & Guides
Medical dictionaries and reference resources.
- Acronym Finder
- Dictionary.com’s Medical Dictionary
- Medilexicon
- Mediline Plus (NIH Anatomy Reference)
- Mediline Plus (NIH Medical Dictionary)
Professional Organizations
Organizations that have a vested interest in medical coding.
- American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
- American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
Other Societies and Health-Related Organizations
Organizations that provide broad perspectives on healthcare.
Medical News Sites and Journals
Sources for healthcare happenings and advances in medicine.
- Reuters Health News
- Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
- The New England Journal of Medicine
Government Sites
Information on federal regulations and policy.
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Federal Register Online
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Medical Specialty Societies
Specialty-specific medical coding perspectives and information.
- American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- American Academy of Neurology
- American Academy of Ophthalmology
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
- American College of Emergency Physicians
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- American College of Physicians
- American College of Surgeons
- American Gastroenterological Association
- American Society of Abdominal Surgeons
- American Society of Anesthesiologists
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
- American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons
- The American Society of Transplant Surgeons
- Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons
- Society of Interventional Radiology
- Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons
- Society of Thoracic Surgeons