Which of the following community resources should a medical assistant recommend to a patient who is struggling with a new medical diagnosis?

A. Right to change insurance companies during treatment: This is not part of the Patient's Bill of Rights. Changing insurance companies is subject to policy terms and regulations, not patient rights.
B. Right to refuse treatment: This is correct. The Patient’s Bill of Rights includes the right for patients to refuse treatment, even if that treatment is recommended by their healthcare provider.
C. Right to a timely visit: While timeliness is important, the Patient’s Bill of Rights does not specifically guarantee a timely visit.
D. Right to a specialist outside their network at no cost: This is not guaranteed under the Patient's Bill of Rights. Specialist visits, especially out-of-network, are typically governed by insurance coverage rules.

A. Choose procedure codes based on the encounter form. The encounter form, also known as a superbill, lists the procedures and services provided during the visit. The correct procedure codes (CPT codes) should be selected from this form to ensure accurate billing.
B. Upcode for greater reimbursement. Upcoding, or selecting a higher-level code than justified, is illegal and unethical as it constitutes fraud. This should never be done.
C. Refer to ICD-9 for diagnostic codes. ICD-9 codes have been replaced by ICD-10 codes, which are now the standard for diagnostic coding in the United States. Referring to ICD-9 codes would result in incorrect or outdated billing.
D. Enter all data using lowercase letters. Data entry in all lowercase letters is not a standard practice in medical billing and would not affect the accuracy of the codes. Proper case usage is typically recommended for clarity.