They Know What They Are Talking About ... Or Do They?

The above subject refers to “they”. “They” sure give me a lot to blog about.

This time “they” are medical people.  Medical people are definitely smarter than I am. So I must be wrong...Or am I?

At the present time hospitals and doctors use a system of about 18,000 codes to describe medical services in bills they send to insurers. 18,000 is enough of anything...Or is it?

The Federal Government now thinks that 18,000 codes do not get the job done. Under a new federally mandated Medical-Billing Coding List which stipulates that more detailed coding is a must, the number of codes is about to increase to 140,000.

Still not convinced? Still thinking to yourself that this is about medical stuff and, when it comes to medical stuff, you have to be specific. The Smartfella? is here to tell you, Think Again.

Here are a few of the kinds of specificity you get when you decide that 140,000 is just about the right number:

• Patient was injured in a chicken coop.
• Patient was injured in an opera house.
• Patient was injured in an art gallery.
• Patient was injured on a squash court.
• Patient was injured in nine different locations in and around mobile homes.
• Patient had a bizarre personal appearance.
• Patient walked into a lamppost, initial encounter.
• Patient walked into a lamppost, subsequent encounter.
• Patient was injured while sewing.
• Patient was injured while ironing.
• Patient was injured while playing a brass instrument.
• Patient was injured while crocheting.
• Patient was injured while doing handicrafts.
• Patient was injured while knitting.
• Patient was injured by a water-ski that was on fire.
• Nine codes each for injurious encounters with a duck, a macaw, a parrot, a goose, turkey or a chicken.
• Patient was injured by being bitten by a turtle.
• Patient was injured by being struck by a turtle.
• There used to be a single code for suturing an artery but now there will be 195 codes for suturing arteries.
• There used to be a single code for a badly healed fracture but now there will be 2,595 codes for badly healed fractures.
• Patient was injured as a result of an encounter with an alien.

In the above rundown I poked fun at 2,870 of the 140,000 codes. Due to my reputation for foolishness some of you are saying to yourselves, “Selves, he did it again. He zeroed in on the only 2,870 that could be construed as foolish. The remaining 137,130 are truly serious and important codes that will be of great benefit to the medical and insurance communities here in the Good Ole USofA.”

Everyone is entitled to his own stupid opinion. If that is what you believe then that is what you believe...Or do you?

Would I kid u?