What's New?
MedLearn introduces database for crosswalking Medi-Cal drug-specific X codes to national codes
ST. PAUL, Minnesota — (BUSINESS WIRE) — October 30, 2008 — Healthcare providers that bill California's Medi-Cal program now have a new, more efficient way to crosswalk Medi-Cal drug-specific X codes to the corresponding National Drug Codes (NDCs), as well as to Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes.
Medical Learning, Inc., (MedLearn), in conjunction with R•J Health Systems International, LLC, announces the launch of a Medi-Cal drug-specific X codes database, first of its kind in the country.
Medi-Cal X codes are the same as Level III HCPCS codes, which were phased out nationally in 2003. Medi-Cal is the only state Medicaid program that has continued to use X codes in conjunction with NDCs and HCPCS/CPT codes. Medi-Cal currently encourages providers to use NDCs accompanied by the corresponding X codes and HCPCS/CPT drug codes. Eventually, Medi-Cal may require the use of NDCs on claim forms.
MedLearn offers access to the new drug-specific X code database on an annual subscription basis. Subscribers receive the information electronically in a spreadsheet; monthly updates include code revisions, additions and deletions. Besides crosswalking NDCs, X codes and HCPCS/CPT codes, the database contains the current Medi-Cal payment rate for each drug-specific X code.
"One of our customers, a hospital system in California, asked us about providing this information in a quick look-up format," explains MedLearn President Mike Rogge. "After checking with the three national drug code databases (First Data Bank, Medi-Span and Red Book), we discovered that no such database existed at the time."
MedLearn then initiated discussions with R•J Health Systems to create a drug-specific X codes crosswalk database. The two companies had previously collaborated in the development of www.MedLearnDrugCodes.com, a highly successful web site that gives hospitals and physician practices a reliable single source for up-to-date drug coding, pricing and reimbursement information.
"Between R•J Health Systems and MedLearn, we have a team whose extensive knowledge in pharmaceuticals and reimbursement enabled us to create a drug-specific X codes database that would be easy to use by healthcare organizations," says R•J Health Systems President John Aforismo, B.Sc.Pharm., R.PH, FASCP. "We also tapped into the California hospital system's experience with Medi-Cal X codes; their insights were very valuable."
More information is available by contacting MedLearn's Suzanne Lappen, Director of Corporate Development at 763-533-4250 or slappen@medlearn.com.
About Medical Learning, Inc. (MedLearn)
Since its founding in 1991, MedLearn (www.medlearn.com)
has become one of the nation's most respected authorities on medical coding,
compliance and reimbursement. MedLearn clients can choose from a variety
of resources, including publications, consulting services, customized learning
and assessments, seminars and online testing and learning. Content for each
of these resources comes directly from MedLearn experts, professionals who
have years, often decades, of real-world experience in the clinical and
business office settings.
About R•J Health Systems International, LLC
Founded in 1983, R•J Health Systems International (www.RJHealthsystems.com)
has emerged as a leader in educational and operational resources designed
to promote the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals. This information is offered
through publications and web sites and used by customers in the U.S. and
internationally. Many organizations recognize R•J Health Systems as
the premier source of coding and billing information for pharmaceuticals
administered by physician offices, hospitals and home healthcare agencies.
The company's staff includes registered pharmacists, certified pharmacy
technicians and registered nurses. R·J Health Systems International
is located in Wethersfield Connecticut.
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MedLearn named partner in new CIRCC™ credentialing program
ST. PAUL, Minnesota — (BUSINESS WIRE) — October 6, 2008 — Medical Learning, Inc. (MedLearn) has been selected to participate in the new Certified Interventional Radiology Cardiovascular Coder™ (CIRCC) national credentialing program offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
CIRCC is the only certification of its kind; it signifies that the individual has achieved a high level of proficiency in interventional radiology and cardiovascular coding.
CIRCC applications must successfully complete a five-and-a-half-hour, 150-question exam which measures real-life coding knowledge. The AAPC began administering the exam October 1 at sites across the country. MedLearn is one of three organizations chosen to supply training and proctors for the exams.
MedLearn offers a variety of interventional radiology and cardiovascular coding resources, including books, live seminars, audio seminars and an "e-zine" of coded case studies, to help applicants prepare for the CIRCC exam.
"For many years, MedLearn has been on the forefront of interventional radiology and cardiovascular coding, compliance and reimbursement. This is reflected in the fact that our customers have ordered more copies of our Interventional Radiology Coder book than any other product since MedLearn's founding,” states MedLearn President Mike Rogge. "We are excited about this opportunity to share our in-depth knowledge with CIRCC applicants."
About Medical Learning, Inc.
Since its founding in 1991, MedLearn (www.medlearn.com)
has become one of the nation's most respected authorities on medical coding,
compliance and reimbursement. MedLearn clients can choose from a variety
of resources, including publications, consulting services, customized learning
and assessments, seminars and online testing and learning. Content for each
of these resources comes directly from MedLearn experts, professionals who
have years, often decades, of real-world experience in the clinical and
business office settings.
About American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
The AAPC (www.aapc.com) is the nation’s
largest medical coding training and certification association for medical
coders, providing nationally recognized gold-standard credentials to medical
coders in physician offices, hospitals and outpatient centers. We provide
a wide variety of benefits to our more than 70,000 worldwide members.
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MedLearn and A-Life Medical Announce Strategic Partnership
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- September 17, 2007 -- Medical Learning, Inc. (MedLearn) and A-Life Medical today announced an agreement under which MedLearn's medical coding and billing expertise will be integrated into A-Life Medical's patented LifeCode® technology.
Since its founding in 1991, MedLearn has become one of the nation's preeminent authorities on medical coding, compliance and reimbursement. The company, headquartered in St. Paul, MN, offers a broad range of products and services, including publications, consulting services, customized learning and assessments, seminars and online testing and learning. MedLearn is staffed by some of the healthcare industry's most experienced consulting experts, many of whom possess 20 or more years on the frontlines of healthcare, both in the clinical and business office setting.
Based in San Diego, CA, A-Life Medical developed LifeCode technology as the foundation for its software products and services. A-Life Medical offers computerized ICD-9 and CPT® coding and the industry's first Windows®-based billing system that integrates document management, coding, billing, collections, denial management and auditing. LifeCode is the healthcare industry's only technology which combines patented Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology and artificial intelligence, helping increase the productivity of coding and billing processes as well as compliance with regulatory requirements.
Under terms of the agreement, MedLearn and A-Life Medical will consolidate their key strengths - MedLearn's expertise and A-Life Medical's LifeCode technology - into a tightly integrated set of products and services, including consulting, certification programs, education programs, publications, computerized coding and billing audits.
"We believe this collaboration is unlike any other relationship in the healthcare industry today," says MedLearn founder and President Mike Rogge. "Two companies, both leaders in their respective fields, give providers an unprecedented advantage in achieving their revenue and compliance objectives. We are excited that the deep knowledge and experience of MedLearn consulting experts can be deployed in such an innovative way."
Adds Tom Bang, President and CEO of A-Life Medical: "Our customers
have consistently recognized the advanced capabilities of A-Life Medical
technology, including our LifeCode engine. Leveraging A-Life Medical's brand
of LifeCode technology and MedLearn's medical coding knowledge into an expanded
portfolio of products and services enables our customers to be the most
efficient, compliant, competitive organizations in the market today."
About Medical Learning, Inc.
Since its founding in 1991, MedLearn (www.medlearn.com) has become one of
the nation's most respected authorities on medical coding, compliance and
reimbursement. MedLearn clients can choose from a variety of resources,
including publications, consulting services, customized learning and assessments,
seminars and online testing and learning. Content for each of these resources
comes directly from MedLearn experts, professionals who have years, often
decades, of real-world experience in the clinical and business office settings.
For more information visit MedLearn's website at www.medlearn.com.
About A-Life Medical, Inc.
A-Life Medical is the leading provider of Natural Language Processing (NLP)
technology based solutions for the healthcare industry. A-Life Medical's
products extract meaning from unstructured free text and automate tedious,
complicated and labor intensive tasks. A-Life Medical's mission is to provide
world-class solutions to streamline and computerize the code to collection
process and to fundamentally advance the way the healthcare industry gathers,
applies and reports on patient information. A-Life Medical is a private
company headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information about
A-Life Medical and its products visit A-Life Medical's website at www.alifemedical.com.