The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) held its highly anticipated national conference, HEALTHCON 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee, May 22-24. The event attracted a wide range of professionals from the healthcare industry. Applied Policy’s April Gutmann and Meghan Basler, attended the conference to gain valuable insights into billing and coding practices across different payment systems and healthcare provider types.
The AAPC stands as the world’s largest training and credentialing organization dedicated to the business of healthcare. Its members encompass a diverse array of roles such as medical coding, billing, auditing, compliance, clinical documentation improvement, revenue cycle management, and practice management. With a focus on knowledge enhancement and professional development, the four-day HEALTHCON conference featured numerous informative sessions tailored to various care settings and medical specialties.
One of the highlights of the conference was the thought-provoking keynote address delivered by Paul Keckley, a renowned healthcare policy analyst and industry expert with over four decades of experience. Keckley shared his expertise and insights on the current state of healthcare and how the industry can forge a path towards a brighter future. Emphasizing the importance of collective contribution, he urged healthcare professionals to actively shape the unfolding future, asserting that it would not merely be a repetition of the past. Keckley’s comprehensive discussion covered a wide range of topics, including the relationship between payers and providers, the interdependence of various sectors within the healthcare system, the role of artificial intelligence and technology, the integration of mind-body approaches in patient treatment, and the significance of human services.
In addition to the keynote address, the conference offered a diverse selection of breakout sessions designed to cater to the specific interests and professional development goals of attendees. These sessions covered a wide range of topics, including inpatient coding fundamentals, panel discussions on evaluation and management codes, an exploration of Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs), an overview of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs), insights into regulatory and compliance challenges in Medicare risk adjustment, an in-depth examination of the global package, guidance on navigating the appeal process from denial to completion, strategies for effective reporting under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), understanding and utilizing National Coverage Determinations (NCDs), Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs), and payer guidelines, leveraging Medicare coding resources for physician billing, and unraveling the complexities of arthroscopic procedures on the shoulder, hip, and knee.
Overall, the AAPC’s HEALTHCON 2023 conference provided an invaluable platform for professionals in the healthcare industry to expand their knowledge, exchange ideas, and enhance their skills in medical coding, billing, compliance, and practice management. With a focus on staying ahead of the evolving landscape of healthcare, this conference undoubtedly left attendees equipped with valuable insights and practical strategies to thrive in their respective roles.