Frequently Asked Questions

 
What is CodeManager®?

CodeManager® is comprehensive medical coding reference software. It uses a full-text, high performance search engine that allows you to get answers to your coding questions quickly and easily.

 
What information is contained in CodeManager®?

CodeManager® contains

  • the entire text of the CPT® Professional Edition
  • ICD-9-CM volumes 1, 2 and 3
  • HCPCS Level II, index and table of drugs
  • AMA exclusive clinical vignettes
  • Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs) and their associated Major Diagnostic Categories (MDCs)
  • Medicare payment rules for the Physician Fee Schedule, including assistant at surgery, co-surgeons, etc.
  • RBRVS information including RVUs, conversion factors, facility and non-facility RVU totals and unadjusted fees
  • RBRVS Payment Calculator to calculate the exact reimbursement from Medicare for your locality
  • Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) codes, their status, relative weights, and rates, and CPT code mappings
  • Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) groups
  • the latest four quarters of the National Correct Coding Policy, including narrative text, comprehensive and component code groupings, mutually exclusive codes, and the GB modifier indicator
  • Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 30th Edition

 
What RBRVS information is in CodeManager®?

CodeManager® contains the national RVUs assigned by the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule to each CPT and HCPCS Level 2 code (including Physician Work, Facility Practice Expense, Non-facility Practice Expense, and Malpractice); the conversion factor for each code; the payment formulas and unadjusted payment amounts for facility and non-facility settings for each code; whether the RVUs are used for Medicare payment; and whether the payment amount is adjusted.

 
Does CodeManager® have the National Correct Coding Policy?

Yes. CodeManager® includes the entire text of the National Correct Coding Policy for the latest four quarters, including narrative text, comprehensive and component code groupings, mutually exclusive codes, and the GB modifier indicator for each code pair.

 
When is the information in CodeManager® updated?

The information in CodeManager® is updated quarterly. Each update contains the latest available information at the time of publication. Our publication schedule and download options give you the most timely information possible. You can update CodeManager by downloading the update or running the update from the CD. The download is available about two weeks before the CD. CodeManager subscribers automatically receive all quarterly updates on CD, whether or not they have downloaded the update.

 
Does CodeManager® contain Medicare fee schedules?

CodeManager® includes the RBRVS Payment Calculator, National Version. This program is very capable and will show you actual reimbursement amounts for any locality under the Physician Fee Schedule, Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, and the DMEPOS Fee Schedule. You can also create your own RBRVS-based fee schedules based on conversion factors you supply. All the information can exported for use in your spreadsheet or database programs. This is a great value!

 
Does CodeManager® have ICD-9-CM to CPT mapping?

No. The American Medical Association recognizes that only health care providers and coders have the training and information necessary to accurately code an encounter. Rather than make decisions for the health care professional, CodeManager® gives the person coding the encounter the information necessary to create the most accurate and complete claim possible using their own judgement about the individual circumstances of each encounter.

 
Can I use CodeManager® to update my databases? Can I export information from CodeManager®?

CodeManager® is a medical coding reference. It is not meant to update other systems or export the information it contains. The American Medical Association provides ASCII data files for CPT, ICD-9-CM Volume 1, and HCPCS Level II on CD-ROM for this purpose. The ASCII Data Files provide accurate and timely data solutions to import into your billing and claims reporting system. Call 800-621-8335 for more information and for pricing or visit www.amabookstore.com. Medicare data, including RBRVS data and more, is available at: www.cms.gov/providers.

 
Can I print the information in CodeManager®?

Yes. For easy documentation, print hard copies of any screen for audits, reference or for sharing with your colleagues. Remember that information in CodeManager® is subject to applicable copyright laws.

 
Will CodeManager® handle my billing and claims tracking?

No. CodeManager® is not meant to track billing or claim information. It is for reference.

 
Will CodeManager® interact with my billing system?

Yes. CodeManager® can cut and paste information into any billing system that will accept input from the Windows® clipboard.

 
Is there a network version of CodeManager®?

Yes. CodeManager® can accommodate as many users as you need.

 
How is the network version of CodeManager® licensed?

CodeManager® may be used only internally at a single entity within the United States, only by you, your employees, or agents, and only by the number of users for which you have paid. The AMA licenses this product on an individual per-unique-user basis. A user is defined as an individual who has access to the software. If the software will be used by more than 10 users you must enter into an executed Agreement and the terms and conditions of the executed Agreement will govern your use of the software. Pricing for up to 10 users can be found here. For further details and pricing on 11+ multi-user pricing, contact Rosa Karbowiak at rosa.karbowiak@ama-assn.org.

 
Do I need to buy a network license to put CodeManager® on my network for a single user?

No. As long as only a single person uses the software it doesn't matter if the data is on a stand-alone computer or a network.

 
Can I put a single user version of CodeManager® on more than one computer, such as at home and at work?

Yes. As long as only one, unique person uses the software it can be installed wherever necessary.

 
What are the minimum system requirements for CodeManager®?

  • Microsoft XP sp2 or higher, 2003 sp2, Vista 32-bit or 64-bit, Windows 7
  • Minimum 512 MB
  • 2 GB hard drive space
  • 2x or higher CD-ROM drive
  • Internet Explorer 7 or later

 
Are there specialty specific versions of CodeManager®?

No. Because you can use the search capabilities to create your own specialty specific versions on the fly, there is no need for specialty specific versions of CodeManager®.



If you cannot find the answer to your question in the responses listed above, you can contact Technical Support for CodeManager® by calling:

1-800-383-2553

or by email

or by on-line form



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CPT © 2009 American Medical Association. CPT and CodeManager are registered trademarks of the American Medical Association.