HCPCS book 2015 Question

[coderguy]

Hello,

I have a question concerning the HCPCS book 2015 published by AAPC. Is the book missing instructions and guidelines? After reviewing the CPC Blitz videos of 2015. I noticed that the 2014 book was used, not the 2015, probably because it wasn't published at the time of the recording. When reviewing the blitz videos, I noticed that Laureen was going over instructions at the beginning of each section. Well, in the 2015 publication, there are no instructions/guidelines for each section. I've flipped throughout the book and I don't see anything. I'm trying to figure this out for my CFPC coming up, and in my everyday coding, and I'm having a hard time finding codes. I've even noticed that I cannot always rely on the index to find the codes. Can anyone offer some help?

Thanks

 

[Laureen]

All publishers are different so it appears yours did not include that info. Is it the AAPC version? I know they had some publishing errors with regards to the modifiers for Ambulance being missing and they made an errata regarding that. You are allowed to bring in errata on exam day.

https://www.cco.us/forum/threads/missing-ambulance-modifiers-in-aapc-hcpcs-2015-manual.2790/

If you manual is from the AAPC ask them about the missing guidelines and if they have printed an errata for that. Please come back here and update us on what you find out.

 

[Marcie S]

Is there a publisher you like over another for the HCPCS book? I need to order 2015 and would like to do so before I purchase the Blitz videos so that I will already have it.

 

[Laureen]

I don't know of an alternative that's "best" but for 2015 i would NOT get the AAPC version as they had a few publishing errors like forgetting to include the ambulance modifiers.

Alicia is fond of Elsevier versions of the manuals - I like their ICD but have not reviewed their HCPCS version.

 

[Marcie S]

Okay. Thanks so much for letting me know. I currently have a 2014 HCPCS published by PMIC and just wondered if I should pay more to stick with that publisher or order the Procedural Coding Bundle from AAPC with their HCPCS Expert. I guess I'll just stick with the same publisher --- on to the Blitz!

 

[RobertaP]

Call and email the AAPC for any questions or concerns. I have the AAPC bundle for the upcoming CPC. I am not happy at all with the books. The AAPC's HCPCS book is very bare bone, not even an introduction. I think it may be in the back of the book, but I don't know. I phoned the AAPC for the ambulance modifiers and emailed them over some of the codes being misspelled and worded incoreectly. They emailed me the ambulance modifiers and acknowledge there are errors in HCPCS. I am only using it for the exam as I can not afford to get a different one. If there is a question on the exam that their books do not clarify you need to write it down on your exam so they take that into account, is what I was told.