FREE self-help sites and reviews for Medical Coding Exams
It seems these days every HIM staffing agency wants new hires to take a Pre-Employment exam. There are several websites out there that offer Medical Coding help. Our newest Codebusters staff member, Mike Booth, took the time to check out a few and put together this great review!
A note to coders: free coding resource sites should not be utilized as primary sources for any active medical coding. Unless and until verified, all codes from free sites should be suspect.
www.ICD10data.com
Probably the best known of the coding reference sites, ICD-10 Data is an exhaustive database. Featuring Google-powered searches, built-in GEM crosswalk, built-in DRGs, and all manner of flags, ICD10 Data is probably the go-to resource for anyone needing a code. The code ladder in particular is quite helpful when you’re trying to find that one code (repeat prescription!) you know is hidden somewhere in vast acres of paper, yet can’t locate. Also noteworthy are the GEMs, the translation between ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes, at the bottom of each code listing. The site also has a PCS function, permitting users to build codes with a click. It is entirely free to use.
http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2016/en
An online version of WHO’s latest ICD-10CM edit, presented in a very simple and easy-to-use fashion. Users can enter keywords, or utilize the left-hand ladder to locate the section or code they need. This is probably the most visually clean ICD-10CM resource out there, offering little in the way of clutter and a display any Encoder user should instantly recognize. It is not, however, an all-inclusive resource. DRGs, GEMs, and many of the flags on other sites are not present here. For someone needing a quick code check, or a student trying to learn diagnostic coding, this a great tool. Another free resource every coder should have bookmarked.
http://imedicalcode.com/coding/
An incredibly powerful coding resource combining ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, HCPCS II, and DRG codes, all of which are searchable by keyword. ICD-10CM, ICD-10 PCS, and the DRG are also searchable by index. Nearly everything said about ICD10Data can be said about iMedicalCode, for they are both extensive databases. iMedicalCode requires an account and is free for 30 days, after which users must pay for access.
www.findacode.com
Find a Code is another pay-to-use site intended for use by individuals clear up to facilities. This is quite a powerful tool for anyone to wield. Every coding language is present and searchable at will: ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS II. Users can build a list of their most commonly-used codes, view current NCCI edits, pull NPI look-ups at will, check IOMs, even load multiple fee schedules and cross-reference them against each other. Facilities gain additional tools like DRG payment calculators and groupers, UB04 guidelines and codes, RVUs, NCCI edits, and an NCCI validator tool for comparing codes. This is a pay site well worth the charge. The level of subscription dictates the tools a user can access. Monthly, the fees are: $5 for individuals, $30 for professionals, and $90 per user for facilities. Users can also pay by the year.
https://ocm.ama-assn.org/OCM/CPTRelativeValueSearch.do
The AMA’s CPT look-up tool. Users can input keywords or a single CPT code. Keyword users will get a list of applicable codes and the respective RVU information. Those who input a single CPT code will see the definition and RVU displayed. A handy look-up for anyone needing a quick check of a CPT code definition, or the RVU values for a given CPT code. Another tool that is entirely free.