Dawn Cook Archives

Managing Mental Health Medical Codes

When developing or rebutting a life care plan or writing a bill review, life care planners must be aware of medical billing codes and corresponding definitions that can be utilized specific to the diagnosis and treatment of mental health. This article will review the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes as ...

Technology – Supporting Home Neurological Rehabilitation

Neurological rehabilitation requires the support of either or a combination of occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy, typically delivered in an outpatient or inpatient rehab setting. These types of therapies often provide patients with a home exercise program to help supplement their rehabilitation in addition to session attendance. Home ...

Dawn published in Healthcare Business Monthly Magazine

Understanding the costs associated with surgery upfront is important for patients and payers.

A surgical letter includes a surgeon’s expected costs for a specific surgery. The letter aims to provide a budget for preoperative care, costs on the day of surgery, and postoperative care. The letter may be created for ...

Dawn reviews the Coder’s Specialty Guide for Pain Management

Dawn Cook, RN, CLCP, CLNC, recently published “Coder’s Specialty Guide for Pain Management Review” in the Winter 2023 release of the AANLCP Journal of Nurse Life Care Planning.

To view Dawn’s full review, click here Cook, D. L. (2023) “Coder’s Specialty Guide for Pain Management Review” Journal of Nurse Life ...

Medical Coding and Deciphering the Bills for Pain Injection and Radiofrequency Ablation

Pain injections and Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) are common medical procedures in litigation. Each procedure has a five-digit CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) code, as designed by the American Medical Association[1]. When reviewing a past medical bill, there should be clear dates of service and a code for the service. ...

Products to Make a Home More Accessible

A key component of life care planning is implementing technology that allows for the most independence, safety, and accessibility for a person in their home. Advancing technology is making it easier to control many aspects of a home from a smartphone, tablet, or with voice through products like Google Home ...

Dawn publishes “What to Bring to a Deposition” article

Dawn Cook, RN, CLCP, CLNC publish an article titled “What to Bring to a Deposition” in the Summer 2022 release of the AANLCP Journal of Nurse Life Care Planning.

Readers of the article can find information and suggestions preparing for:

Notice of Deposition
Attorney consultation
Producing your entire file
Your

Spinal Cord Stimulators and LCP Considerations

A spinal cord stimulator is a device that sends a low level of electricity into the spinal cord to relieve pain and can be one of two types: an implanted pulse generator where the battery is placed in the spine or a rechargeable battery.

Good candidates for spinal cord stimulators ...

Dawn receives the Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners

The American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners (AANLCP) is a professional member organization for nurses working in the field of life care planning. The AANLCP promotes education, collegiality, collaboration, research, and standards as they relate to the practice of Nurse Life Care Planning.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes an ...

Pain Procedures and Codes

Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI) and Radio Frequency Ablations (RFA) are standard medical procedures in personal injury, especially for motor vehicle crashes and slip-and-fall cases. Each procedure has a five-digit Common Procedural Terminology (CPT) code designated by the American Medical Association[1].

When you look at a past medical bill, ...