Track: Anesthesia

Preconference Anesthesia: Get Ahead of 2023 Coding, Billing, and Compliance Changes

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.        
Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.        
Rock This Joint: Code Anesthesia for Joint Procedures
Kelly Dennis, MBA, ACS-AN, CANPC, CHCA,CPMA, CPC, CPC-I, President - Perfect Office Solutions, Inc.

Was the joint procedure open, closed, or arthroscopic? Diagnostic or surgical? And does it matter? Did the surgeon replace a joint or revise a joint replacement? These are a few of the questions coders must answer if they want to report anesthesia for joint procedures accurately and secure the correct payment. Learn how to make quick work of coding anesthesia for procedures of the shoulders, hips, and knees.

9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.      
Follow the Clues in the Anesthesia Record to the Correct Code
Doris Branker, CHC, CPC, CIRCC, CPMA, CPC-I, CANPC, CEMC, President - DB Healthcare Consulting and Education

When there’s not enough information in the procedure note to code the anesthesia service, contacting the surgeon’s office is rarely the solution. Don’t waste hours chasing after answers from another practice and don’t give up. This session will show you ways to use clues in the anesthesia record to find the correct code.

10:10 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.   
Networking & Refrehment Break

10:25 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.   
Spine Service Update: Anesthesia for Percutaneous Image-Guided Procedures
Pamela Linton, CPC, CANPC, Corporate Coding Manager, Anesthesia and Pain Management - Zotec Partners

Codes 01935 and 01936, for percutaneous image-guided procedures of the spine or spinal cord, were created in 2008 and represented millions of dollars a year for anesthesia groups. Now those codes have been deleted and replaced with six new codes that are based on the procedure performed and the section of the spine treated. Your team must understand these new codes to prevent snarls in your revenue cycle and an avalanche of denials for these high-dollar, high-utilization services. 

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.   
Lunch-Provided

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.     
2023 Kickoff: CPT and Physician Fee Schedule Update
Julia Kyles, CPC - DecisionHealth

The new year will bring a new round of coding and regulatory updates, followed by a surge of denials for practices that don’t know about the changes. Get an overview of the new codes and Medicare policies that will impact your practice. 

1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m.        
Postoperative Pain Management: Take the Mystery out of Postop Blocks
Kelly Dennis, MBA, ACS-AN, CANPC, CHCA,CPMA, CPC, CPC-I, President - Perfect Office Solutions, Inc.

Postoperative pain blocks are an essential part of patient care, but when a chart contains terms or techniques that don’t match up with an existing code, they can cause confusion, delayed claims, and lost revenue. This session will take the mystery out of blocks such as PECS, IPACK, abductor canal, and plane blocks, and explain how the updates to brachial plexus, sciatic, and femoral nerve blocks and catheters will impact your claims in 2023.

2:40 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.  
Networking and Refreshment Break      

2:55 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.        
Overcome the Challenges of Coding Anesthesia for Interventional Radiology
Doris Branker, CHC, CPC, CIRCC, CPMA, CPC-I, CANPC, CEMC, President - DB Healthcare Consulting and Education

As the complexity of services performed in the interventional radiology suite has increased, so has the need for an anesthesia provider. This session will guide you through the challenges of reporting anesthesia services for common interventional radiology procedures and show you how to select the correct code.

Track: Orthopedics

What’s New in 2023: Get Ahead of Coding, Billing, and Compliance Changes

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. 
Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. 
2023 Coding & Billing Update
Laura Evans, CPC, Senior Content Specialist - DecisionHealth

Find out the key changes in the 2023 CPT Manual and Medicare physician fee schedule that will impact orthopedic practices, including adjustments to your procedure codes, fees, and billing policies. Take a first look at the 2023 E/M guidelines and how Medicare will address them.

9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
E/M Outlook for Orthopedic Practices
Edward Leone, CPC, CPC-P, COSC, CRC, CPMA, Revenue Cycle Manager - Connecticut Orthopaedic Specialists

Clear up lingering concerns about the 2021 office E/M guidelines and prepare for the 2023 changes for facility-based visits in this practical session specific to orthopedic practices. Learn practical steps to ensure your providers’ notes are grounded in medical necessity, review appropriate use of E/M modifiers, and find out how to use bell curve data to gauge compliance risk.

10:10 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.      
Networking & Refreshment Break

10:25 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.      
Clear Up Fracture and Restorative Care Coding Concerns
Jessyka Burke, BSHA, CPC, COSC, CASCC, Coding and Billing Specialist - Cascade Orthopaedics’ MultiCare Cascade Surgical Center

Cement your understanding of the new fracture and restorative coding guidelines, including when casting, strapping, splinting, and imaging may be separately reported. Learn how to overcome common fracture coding errors and to appropriately use global service modifiers.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.      
Lunch—Provided

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.        
Spine Surgery Coding Solutions (Part 1)
Alison Kuley, CPC - National Medical Billing Services

Explore spine anatomy as you learn practical solutions to coding spinal surgeries. Spend the first hour learning the coding process for key musculoskeletal section procedures, including arthrodesis, grafting, and instrumentation.

1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. 
Spine Surgery Coding Solutions (Part 2)A
Alison Kuley, CPC - National Medical Billing Services

In the second hour, examine spinal procedures in the nervous system section of the CPT manual, including laminectomy, laminotomy, facetectomy, and corpectomy and how they are to be reported for spinal and nerve decompression.

2:40 p.m. - 2:55 p.m. 
Networking & Refreshment Break

2:55 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 
Practical Strategies to Bolster the Financial Health of Your Orthopedic Practice
Ginger Avery, CPC, CPMA, CRC, Director of Operations - BCARev

Learn how to reduce denials and compliance risk, address quality reporting gaps, and improve your practice’s revenue stream using practical workflow strategies and data analytics.

Track: Pain Management

What’s New in 2023: Get Ahead of Coding, Billing, and Compliance Changes

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. 
Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. 
Facet Interventions and Epidural Blocks: Get the Latest on Medicare’s Uniform Policies
Amy Turner, RN, BSN, MMHC, CPC, CHC, CHIAP, Director of Advisory Solution - Ventra Health

Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) created uniform local coverage determinations for paravertebral facet interventions and epidurals for chronic pain management. The final policies contain tough new requirements, and MACs made additional changes after the final versions took effect. Learn how to protect your claims from the risks created by these new policies. Bonus: Discover how the March 1 update to CPT guidelines for facet blocks impacts coding.

9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
2023 Kickoff: CPT and Physician Fee Schedule Update
Julia Kyles, CPC - DecisionHealth

The new year will bring a new round of coding and regulatory updates, followed by a surge of denials for practices that don’t know about the changes. Get an overview of the new codes and Medicare policies that will impact your practice.

10:10 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.      
Networking & Refreshment Break

10:25 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.      
Urine Drug Testing: Shut Off the Risk for In-House and Ordered Services
Amy Turner, RN, BSN, MMHC, CPC, CHC, CHIAP, Director of Advisory Solution - Ventra Health

Last year practices that ordered urine drug tests from outside labs or performed the tests in-house had to pay millions of dollars to resolve allegations that the tests violated anti-fraud laws. Take a deep dive into and understand the documentation and coding principles that will keep your revenue flowing and minimize the risk of a negative encounter with an auditor or investigator.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.      
Lunch—Provided

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.        
E/M 2023: Get Ready for the Next Big Update
Doris Branker, CHC, CPC, CIRCC, CPMA, CPC-I, CANPC, CEMC, President - DB Healthcare Consulting and Education

The next E/M update is scheduled for January 2023 and will impact a wide range of E/M codes, including inpatient hospital visits and consults. At the same time, practices still need clarity on coding visits in the office and other outpatient settings. Get the latest guidance for E/M coding and learn how to apply lessons learned from the E/M update of 2021.

1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. 
Understand Your Fraud Risk: Lessons Learned From Recent Enforcement Actions
Kimberly Ross Clayson, Esq., Managing Attorney and Chief of Operations - Maxwell Dunn, PLC

In the past year, anesthesia and pain management practices and providers entered resolution agreements for HIPAA violations, paid multimillion-dollar fraud settlements, or even went to prison for healthcare fraud. Learn how to boost your practice’s compliance efforts by understanding what went wrong and the lessons you should take from these cases.

2:40 p.m. - 2:55 p.m. 
Networking & Refreshment Break

2:55 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 
Sedation for Pain Management Procedures: Catch Up With the Current Guidelines
Amy Turner, RN, BSN, MMHC, CPC, CHC, CHIAP, Director of Advisory Solution - Ventra Health

Medicare and private payers haven’t placed a complete ban on moderate sedation, monitored anesthesia care, and general anesthesia for pain management procedures—but a practice must do its homework and lay the groundwork, or it won’t be able to appeal the inevitable denials. This session will explain the current sedation guidelines, cover how to determine whether a patient is a candidate for sedation, and provide tips on making sure the service’s documentation paints a clear picture of medical necessity.

Track: Anesthesia

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Skin in the Game: Integumentary System Services and Burn Treatments
Kelly Dennis, MBA, ACS-AN, CANPC, CHCA, CPC, CPC-I

Discover how to report anesthesia services for integumentary procedures including plastic surgery and breast reconstruction. You’ll also review the rules for burn excisions and debridement.

9:10 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.
Anesthesia for Interventional Radiology
Doris V. Branker, CHC, CPC, CIRCC, CPMA, CPC-I, CANPC, CEMC

As the complexity of services performed in the interventional radiology suite has increased, so has the need for an anesthesia provider. Back by popular demand and updated to include new procedures, this session will guide you through the challenges of reporting anesthesia services for a number of interventional radiology procedures.

10:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Networking and Refreshments Break

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Stay Ahead of Coding and Billing Rules for OB-GYN and Pediatric Anesthesia Services
Kelly Dennis, MBA, ACS-AN, CANPC, CHCA, CPC, CPC-I

This popular session will review the rules for anesthesia services for labor and delivery, plus information on how to bill services for pediatric patients. Come with your questions for this anesthesia expert and leave with solid answers.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Lunch (provided)

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Anti-Kickback/Stark Physician Self-Referral Update: Are the New Rules Good News for Your Practice?
Kim Clayson

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t halt the release of new compliance laws. CMS and the HHS Office of Inspector General released extensive updates to the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark physician self-referral rules. Practices that fall afoul of these rules face massive fines and penalties. Our expert will provide you with the key details contained in the hundreds of pages of regulations that you need to know and how the changes might benefit your practice.

1:40 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.
Make the Most of the ASA Crosswalk and Relative Value Guide
Pamela Linton, CPC, CANPC

Anesthesia coders have extra reference guides at their disposal to help them accurately code and bill their services. In this session, you’ll learn how to get the most out of these manuals and how to request corrections and succeed.

2:40 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Networking and Refreshments Break

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
ICD-10-CM: Get Caught Up on the 2022 Changes to Protect Your Claims
Jillian Harrington, Ed.D., MHA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-P, CPC-I, CEMC, MHP

Dive into the ICD-10-CM code and guideline changes that took effect October 1, 2021, and rescue your claims from denials. At the end of this session, you will be conversant in the relevant coding and guideline changes, know how to code to the highest degree of specificity, and show clinicians how to make sure their documentation meets the new coding guidelines.

4:10 p.m. – 5:10 p.m.
Q&A With the Experts
Now is your chance to ask all your questions of our expert speakers.

5:10 p.m.
Adjourn Day 1

Track: Orthopedics

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. 
Keynote session: Compliance in Context: Top Trends and Targets for Medical Practices
Scott R. Grubman, JD, Partner - Chilivis Grubman Dalbey & Warner, LLP

A former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Scott Grubman leads attendees through a wide-lens view of federal compliance trends, recapping the big stories from 2022 and highlighting the areas that regulators will be focused on in 2023. From trends in contractor investigations to the latest focuses of the DOJ, Office of Inspector General (OIG), and Office for Civil Rights (OCR), this macro-level session delivers key cautionary advice to help attendees avoid falling afoul of the law or regulators.

9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
Strengthen Shoulder Procedure Coding
Lynn Anderanin, CPC,CPMA,CPPM, CPC-I, COSC, Senior Director of Coding Compliance and Education - Healthcare Information Services

Gain understanding of arthroscopic and open shoulder procedures, including rotator cuff repair, debridement, acromioplasty, tenodesis, and total joint arthroplasty, as well as the latest AMA and Medicare bundling rules.

10:10 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.      
Networking & Refreshment Break

10:25 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.      
Firm Up Elbow and Forearm Surgical Coding
Jessyka Burke, BSHA, CPC, COSC, CASCC, Coding and Billing Specialist - Cascade Orthopaedics’ MultiCare Cascade Surgical Center

Learn appropriate coding for repair of collateral ligaments, cubital tunnel, and epicondylitis, as well as elbow fractures, arthroscopy, and arthroplasty procedures.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.      
Networking Lunch—Provided

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.        
Grasp Wrist, Hand, and Finger Coding
Jessyka Burke, BSHA, CPC, COSC, CASCC, Coding and Billing Specialist - Cascade Orthopaedics’ MultiCare Cascade Surgical Center

Get a feel for proper coding for repair of carpal tunnel syndrome, wrist, hand, and finger fractures and tendon injuries, both acute and chronic. Learn step-by-step solutions to simplify coding of complex hand surgeries.

1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. 
Proper Pelvis and Hip Procedure Coding
Lynn Anderanin, CPC,CPMA,CPPM, CPC-I, COSC, Senior Director of Coding Compliance and Education - Healthcare Information Services

Make sure you are coding pelvis and hip surgeries correctly, including fracture repair, arthroscopic procedures (e.g., for femoral acetabular impingement), joint replacement, and staged-revision arthroplasty, lest you risk claim denials.

2:40 p.m. - 2:55 p.m. 
Networking & Refreshment Break

2:55 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 
Compliant DME Documentation and Coding for Orthopedic Practices
Edward Leone, CPC, CPC-P, COSC, CRC, CPMA, Revenue Cycle Manager - Connecticut Orthopaedic Specialists

Gain best practices for durable medical equipment (DME) documentation, coding, and billing to reduce risk exposure for your practice. Make sure documentation accurately conveys medical necessity, append modifiers appropriately, and stay abreast of the local coverage determinations for these items, as well as “life usage” issues.

Track: Pain Management

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. 
Keynote session: Compliance in Context: Top Trends and Targets for Medical Practices
Scott R. Grubman, JD, Partner - Chilivis Grubman Dalbey & Warner, LLP

A former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Trial Attorney with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Scott Grubman leads attendees through a wide-lens view of federal compliance trends, recapping the big stories from 2022 and highlighting the areas that regulators will be focused on in 2023. From trends in contractor investigations to the latest focuses of the DOJ, Office of Inspector General (OIG), and Office for Civil Rights (OCR), this macro-level session delivers key cautionary advice to help attendees avoid falling afoul of the law or regulators.

9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
Know Your Rights and Responsibilities Under the No Surprises Act
Kimberly Ross Clayson, Esq., Managing Attorney and Chief of Operations - Maxwell Dunn, PLC

Your practice treated an out-of-network patient and there’s a dispute over the bill. A patient wants to pay for a service out of pocket. A health plan terminates your practice’s contract while some of your patients are in the middle of treatment. These are just three scenarios that create rights or responsibilities for medical practices under the No Surprises Act. This session will cut through the mountain of confusing information and explain the portions of this law that you need to understand.

10:10 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.      
Networking & Refreshment Break

10:25 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.      
Who’s The Boss? Take Control of Private Payers That Don’t Meet Their Obligations
Doris Branker, CHC, CPC, CIRCC, CPMA, CPC-I, CANPC, CEMC, President - DB Healthcare Consulting and Education

Practices struggle to meet all the obligations in their contracts with private payers, and getting a private payer to hold up its end of the contract can seem like an impossible task. But practices aren’t doomed to slow claims processing, ignored deadlines, and missed payments. Discover why you shouldn’t just accept what a payer hands out and get real-world examples and best practices to get paid.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.      
Networking Lunch—Provided

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.        
Before You Bill: Make Sure You’re Prepared When You Think the Plan Won’t Pay
Marcy Garuccio, ACS-AN, CANPC, CPMA, CPC, AAPC Fellow, Sole Proprietor - Advanced Medical Practice Management, LLC

A Medicare patient is scheduled for a therapeutic facet block even though the local coverage determination calls for radiofrequency ablation. A private-pay patient insists on a service that is listed as investigational for his condition. Another patient will pay out of pocket for a treatment and wants to know if you offer payment plans. Don’t waste time chasing denials and debt. Learn how to create a plan that will solve these payment problems before the day of the service.

1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. 
Neurostimulators: Take Charge of Your Practice’s Documentation and Coding
Amy Turner, RN, BSN, MMHC, CPC, CHC, CHIAP, Director of Advisory Solution - Ventra Health

The latest HHS Office of Inspector General report on neurostimulator services revealed that pain management doctors frequently failed to document essential portions of the service, such as conservative treatments the patient tried and whether the screening process was complete. Make sure your practice’s documentation and coding for implants, revisions, replacements, and removals will protect your payments for neurostimulator implants.

2:40 p.m. - 2:55 p.m. 
Networking & Refreshment Break

2:55 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 
Diagnosis Coding for Pain Management: Navigate the Musculoskeletal Maze
Jessyka Burke, BSHA, CPC, COSC, CASCC, Coding and Billing Specialist - Cascade Orthopaedics’ MultiCare Cascade Surgical Center

Many of the covered diagnosis codes in local coverage determinations and private payer policies for pain management services are covered in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00–M99). Get specialty-specific guidance on how to quickly make your way through the more than 8,000 musculoskeletal codes and select the most specific code for each visit.

Track: Anesthesia

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. 
Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. 
Before You Bill: What to Do When You Think Insurance Won’t Cover Anesthesia Care
Marcy Garuccio, ACS-AN, CANPC, CPMA, CPC, AAPC Fellow, Sole Proprietor - Advanced Medical Practice Management, LLC

When you believe a patient’s plan won’t cover an anesthesia service, you can bill it and hope for the best, or you can use a proactive plan that is designed to reduce denials and A/R days. This session will demonstrate the steps that your staff should take when a scheduled treatment is for an out-of-network or self-pay patient, when you know insurance doesn’t cover the procedure, or when you suspect a patient’s anesthesia service will be denied.

9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
Mind Your Modifiers: From the Usual to the Unusual
Kelly Dennis, MBA, ACS-AN, CANPC, CHCA,CPMA, CPC, CPC-I, President - Perfect Office Solutions, Inc.

Everything about anesthesia coding is different, even the modifiers you append to each service. The wrong modifiers or the right modifiers in the wrong order can snarl claims and prompt improper payments. Receive top tips on training new coders to apply the modifiers for anesthesia services and training anesthesia providers to create the documentation that coders need to select the correct modifiers.

10:10 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.      
Networking & Refreshment Break

10:25 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.      
Q&A With the Speakers

Now it’s your turn to ask the expert speakers your questions.

11:25 a.m.
Conference Concludes

Track: Orthopedics

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. 
Catch Up on Correct Knee Coding
Lynn Anderanin, CPC,CPMA,CPPM, CPC-I, COSC, Senior Director of Coding Compliance and Education - Healthcare Information Services

Extend your knee coding knowledge to include bundling rules for arthroscopic surgeries, ligament repair, TKA, hemi-to-total knee conversion, revision arthroplasty, subchondroplasty, and regenerative therapies.

9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
Tune Up Tibia, Fibula, and Ankle Procedure Coding
Michael G. Warshaw, DPM, CPC, COCS - Tri-county Podiatry

Clear up uncertainty about malleolar and pilon fracture reduction, ankle arthroscopy fusion, Haglund’s osteotomy, and tendon repairs.

10:10 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.      
Networking & Refreshment Break

10:25 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.      
Ensure Compliant Foot and Toe Coding
Michael G. Warshaw, DPM, CPC, COCS - Tri-county Podiatry

Comprehend the elements of essential toe and foot surgeries—as well as Medicare billing rules—for hammertoes, bunionectomy, midfoot arthrodesis, Lisfranc fractures, and neuromas.

11:25 a.m.
Conference Concludes

Track: Pain Management

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. 
Pain Management Care Teams: Maximize Efficiency, Minimize Risk
Melissa Billman, Director of Billing Services - CE Medical Group

Incident-to rules and split/shared guidelines allow your care team to combine their work in the office and potentially boost revenue. But they also open the door to overpayment demands, investigations, and massive settlements. Get best practices on how to train your team, make sure documentation for incident-to and split/shared encounters will stand up to an audit, and maximize your team’s efficiency.

9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
Improve Your ADR Response System to Protect Against Recoupments
Amy Turner, RN, BSN, MMHC, CPC, CHC, CHIAP, Director of Advisory Solution - Ventra Health

A request for documentation, also known as an additional development request (ADR), can spell recoupment, more audits, and referrals to investigators when a practice doesn’t send all the required information on time. Get real-world examples on how to build an effective ADR system that prevents missed documentation and deadlines.

10:10 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.      
Networking & Refreshment Break

10:25 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.      
Q&A With the Speakers

Now it’s your turn to ask the expert speakers your questions.

11:25 a.m.
Conference Concludes

Lynn M. Anderanin, CPC, CPB, CPMA, CPPM, CPC-I, COSC, is the senior director of coding compliance and education for Healthcare Information Services, a physician billing and consulting service in the Chicago area. She has over 30 years of experience in coding and billing for orthopedic, rheumatology, and hematology/oncology services. Anderanin is the founder of the first local chapter of the AAPC in Chicago, which is now 16 years old. She is also a former member of the AAPC National Advisory Board as well as other AAPC committees.

Ginger Avery, CPC, CPMA, CRC, is the director of operations with BCARev. She has over 26 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including auditing, abstract coding, coding education and training, regulatory compliance, revenue cycle management, EMR/EHR advisement, reimbursement models, and extensive involvement in major third-party HCC projects. She is a national speaker and educator with expertise in a wide range of provider specialties and organizational types, including FQHCs and RHCs. Avery enjoys medical record auditing and provider and coder training. She performs internal audits, provider education, and collaboration to improve the use of electronic medical record programs with practices and organizations across the country.

Melissa Billman is the director of billing services for CE Medical Group. With over 10 years of billing experience, Billman has developed a rare talent to get accounts with extensive account receivables back in order. Clients love her expertise in customer service and effective billing processes. As a team manager, she uses her team’s strengths to efficiently reach goals. Not only can she get a client’s billing into shape, but she can also assist with management consulting and auditing services. Billman speaks nationally, educating providers and billers about billing and coding compliance.

Doris V. Branker, CHC, CPC, CIRCC, CPMA, CPC-I, CANPC, CEMC, is principal consultant and owner of DB Healthcare Consulting & Education. She is a multispecialty coding, reimbursement, practice management, and compliance consultant. Branker’s specialty areas include evaluation and management, anesthesia, pain management, critical care medicine, interventional radiology, and cardiology. She shares free educational content in her specialty areas on her YouTube page Doris Thecoder.

Jessyka Burke, BSHA, CPC, COSC, CASCC, is a coding and billing specialist at Cascade Orthopaedics’ MultiCare Cascade Surgical Center in Auburn, Washington. With 26 years of experience in the business of healthcare reimbursement, Burke worked her way up from being a receptionist at an orthopedic clinic to serving as lead coding and billing specialist/physician and staff educator for a private orthopedic surgery practice. She is also a coding consultant and education assistant for the Ozark Coding Alliance and billing consultant for Rehab PhysioWorks in Kent, Washington. With coding and billing experience in both hospital facilities and physician private practice settings, Burke has experience coding not only orthopedics but also pain management, PM&R, ASC facilities, PT, OT, massage therapy, podiatry, and ENT, among other specialties. She is currently working toward a master’s degree in public health communications and leadership.

Kimberly Ross Clayson, Esq., is the managing attorney and chief of operations at Maxwell Dunn, PLC, a boutique law firm that serves small businesses and entrepreneurs, including healthcare businesses and physician practices. Clayson has been practicing law for 15 years working on the business aspects of healthcare businesses and physician practices and collaborating on healthcare compliance issues. She graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and earned a book award for legal research and writing. Clayson is an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and has written on a variety of legal subjects for the Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education.

Kelly Dennis, MBA, ACS-AN, CANPC, CHCA, CPMA, CPC, CPC-I, has owned her own consulting company, Perfect Office Solutions, Inc., since November 2001. She has over 39 years of experience in anesthesia coding and billing and speaks about anesthesia issues nationally. She is a certified coder and instructor with special qualifications in anesthesia and served as lead advisor for the anesthesia Board of Medical Specialty Coding. Dennis is a certified healthcare auditor and is currently studying for AAPC’s Certified Professional Medical Auditor (CPMA) examination.

Laura Evans, CPC, senior content specialist at DecisionHealth, has spent the past 24 years focused on physician coding and billing, contributing to a variety of print and online products, including the Specialty Coder’s Pink Sheets, SelectCoder, CPT Coding Essentials, and Part B News. In particular, Evans has spent 13 years researching and writing about orthopedic surgery coding and is the editor of the Orthopedic Coder’s Pink Sheet and the Orthopedic Coding & Documentation Trainer book.

Marcy Garuccio, ACS-AN, CANPC, CPMA, CPC, owner of AMPM LLC, has a 30+ year career that is built on a strong anesthesia foundation. She uses her years of experience in both the clinical and consulting arenas to explain the complexities of coding, billing, documentation, and compliance regulations such as HIPAA to clinicians and coders. Her medical consulting company provides a full suite of services, with a concentration in auditing and quality, and extends to practice management review and office policy creation. She is an AAPC Fellow and has written articles and presented webinars for AAPC. She also is a speaker for DecisionHealth webinars and annual conferences.

Scott R. Grubman, JD, a partner with the law firm of Chilivis Grubman in Atlanta, Georgia, is a former Assistant United States Attorney and Department of Justice Trial Attorney who represents businesses and individuals across a wide variety of industries in connection with government and internal investigations, False Claims Act litigation, and white-collar criminal defense. Although Grubman represents clients across industries, a substantial portion of his practice involves representing healthcare providers of all types and sizes in connection with high-stakes government investigations—both criminal and civil—by agencies such as the U.S. Department of Justice, HHS-OIG, the FBI, and state Medicaid Fraud Control Units. Grubman also has extensive experience representing healthcare providers in connection with administrative proceedings, payer audits, and general healthcare regulatory matters, particularly those related to the False Claims Act (including qui tam whistleblower actions), Stark Law, and Anti-Kickback Statute. He has represented healthcare clients ranging from multihospital health systems to individual physicians, ancillary providers, and every type and size in between.

Alison Kuley, CPC, is on staff at National Medical Billing Services, where she works closely with her clients to make sure they understand what is needed to code cases accurately. Prior to that, she managed the revenue cycle staff at Litchfield Hills (Connecticut) Orthopedics. She has been a certified professional coder for more than a decade and is a noted expert in the field of spine coding. A member of the North American Spine Society Coding Committee, she is a regular speaker at conferences around the country. With her extensive experience, Kuley is an expert in process, procedures, and reimbursement methodologies for the complex and ever-changing specialty of orthopedics and spine.

Julia Kyles, CPC, is a content specialist at DecisionHealth in Brentwood, Tennessee. Since joining the DecisionHealth editorial team in 2000, she has written a wide range of articles and books including the Anesthesia & Pain Coder’s Pink Sheet and Pain Management Coding Answers. She also develops the agendas for the annual anesthesia and pain management conferences. To improve her coding knowledge and better understand her readers, Kyles joined the AAPC and received her CPC certification in 2015.

Pamela Linton, CPC, CANPC, is the corporate coding manager for the anesthesia and pain management division in the compliance department of Zotec Partners, a national revenue cycle management company. She has been in the coding profession since 1980 and has worked exclusively in anesthesia and pain management for the past 23 years. Much of Linton’s work is centered on training. She gives new clients feedback on how they can improve their documentation, creates education materials for coders and physicians, provides in-person training to physicians, and responds to questions from coders, managers, and providers on a daily basis.

Amy Turner, RN, BSN, MMHC, CPC, CHC, CHIAP, is the director of advisory solutions for Ventra Health. She is responsible for proposing, budgeting, staffing, leading, and conducting various consulting engagements covering a wide spectrum of healthcare-related needs. Turner has a widespread background in clinical operations, revenue cycle, internal audits, risk management, and healthcare administration. She has 22 years of pain management experience and uses her unique blend of clinical training, coding education, and revenue cycle knowledge with an overlay of regulatory compliance expertise to offer insights that speak to both clinicians and executives. Turner’s experience includes working in large and small private practices, at academic facilities, and with hospital-based physicians.