An introduction to orthopaedic coding and billing.

Coding is the process of identifying descriptive terms and codes for diagnoses and medical services, which result from patient interactions with physicians and other healthcare providers. This information is organized in alpha and/or numeric fashion and may be used for charge submission, performance measurement, and data collection for emerging technology, services, and procedures. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, The Department of Health and Human Services designated the International classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology as the national standard code sets for healthcare professional services and procedures. The purpose of this article is to summarize the most important aspects of the billing and coding process.