Sources We Monitor
Source transparency is central to MedicalCodingUpdates.com. These are the primary sources we monitor and cite. Listing a source does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by it.
Federal agencies
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (opens in a new tab)
- Payment rules, Medicare policy, ICD-10 files, HCPCS, NCCI, coverage, MLN publications and transmittals.
- CDC — National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (opens in a new tab)
- ICD-10-CM maintenance, Coordination and Maintenance Committee proposals and files.
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) (opens in a new tab)
- Department-level policy, HIPAA privacy and security guidance.
- HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) (opens in a new tab)
- Audits, evaluations, enforcement actions, Work Plan items and compliance guidance.
- Federal Register (opens in a new tab)
- Official publication of proposed and final rules, notices and corrections.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (opens in a new tab)
- Drug and device approvals relevant to HCPCS and PCS coding; AI-enabled device guidance.
- HealthIT.gov (ASTP/ONC) (opens in a new tab)
- Health IT certification, interoperability and information-blocking rules.
- Medicaid.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Medicaid policy and state program guidance.
Medicare contractors and coverage
- Medicare Coverage Database (NCDs, LCDs, articles) (opens in a new tab)
- National and local coverage determinations and billing and coding articles.
- Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) (opens in a new tab)
- Jurisdiction-specific bulletins, LCDs and claim processing updates.
Code set and standards owners
- American Medical Association (AMA) — CPT (opens in a new tab)
- CPT code set releases, Editorial Panel actions and Category III codes.
- World Health Organization (WHO) — ICD-11 (opens in a new tab)
- ICD-11 releases, browser updates and implementation material.
- X12 (opens in a new tab)
- Claim Adjustment Reason Codes (CARC), Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC) and transaction standards.
Professional associations
- AHIMA (opens in a new tab)
- Health information and coding practice guidance, query practice briefs.
- AAPC (opens in a new tab)
- Professional coding and certification news.
- ACDIS (opens in a new tab)
- Clinical documentation integrity practice and query guidance.
Major payers (payer-specific policy)
- UnitedHealthcare provider resources (opens in a new tab)
- Reimbursement and medical policies — applies to UnitedHealthcare plans only.
- Aetna — Health care professionals (opens in a new tab)
- Aetna payment and clinical policy bulletins.
- Cigna — Health care providers (opens in a new tab)
- Cigna reimbursement and coverage policies.
- Humana — Providers (opens in a new tab)
- Humana claims payment and coverage policies.
- Elevance Health (opens in a new tab)
- Elevance / Anthem plan policy announcements.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (opens in a new tab)
- Independent BCBS company policies vary by plan and state.
Secondary media may be cited for context, but never in place of a primary source when the original is available. See our editorial policy.