2013 CPT Coding Manual

[Carolyn Heath]

For those of you who have not received the 2013 CPT Coding Manual, one change has been made in the format of the manual. I just received mine last week and this is the one change that I have found. The 2013 CPT coding book does not have thumb-indexes, but it does provide you with labels with the the same section colors. The labels are located in the front of the book.

 

[Sylvia Ann Wiegand]

For those of you who have not received the 2013 CPT Coding Manual, one change has been made in the format of the manual. I just received mine last week and this is the one change that I have found. The 2013 CPT coding book does not have thumb-indexes, but it does provide you with labels with the the same section colors. The labels are located in the front of the book.

Aww no thumb-indexes, but yay to the lables....I am to get mine tomorrow hopefully.

 

[Ruth Sheets]

Not sure I'm going to use my labels (which are really tabs). I think they might just get in my way when flipping around in the book. I tabbed my 2012 book from the top only in four places: Medicine section, and three places in the index just to get me roughly to the right letter, choosing to tab Destruction, Incision and Repair. I used the thumb indexes a lot. I miss them already! I wonder who "they" consulted on this decision -- or was it done only because it costs less to produce.

 

[Sylvia Ann Wiegand]

 

[Carolyn Heath]

I have not figured out how I am going to use the tabs in my book, but I am pretty sure that I will use one in Appendix L which is Vascular Families. I have heard that you should put a tab on this one.

 

[Sylvia Ann Wiegand]

I have not figured out how I am going to use the tabs in my book, but I am pretty sure that I will use one in Appendix L which is Vascular Families. I have heard that you should put a tab on this one.

Open to suggestions here too.

 

[Laureen]

Someone commented on one of the blog posts that they put their tabs on the bottom of the book and it makes them much faster and doesn't get in the way of regular flipping on the side. I'm going to do that for my 2013.

 

[Carolyn Heath]

How about putting the tabs at the top of the book? That should work, too!

 

[Laureen]

True - but I can see it being faster on the bottom. I'm not quite sure how to describe it but when you have the book on a table and you need to see the tabs on the top it is more awkward to see and use them than if they were on the bottom. We'll have to do a poll and see who votes for on top, on the bottom on the side vs. none ;-)

 

[Carolyn Heath]

There are blank pages throughout the CPT book called Notes. What do you put on these pages? I never could figure this out. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Linda Charlwood]

I put notes that I learn from things like the Blitz and other course books that help me in deciphering certain coding issues.

I think I am going to like the tabs a lot - I always have to work at those little thumb index's!

 

[Carolyn Heath]

Thanks for the suggestion, Linda!

 

[Linda Charlwood]

 

[Michele]

I will tab my 2013 books on the bottom this time also. I found it very inconvenient during my mocks and exam to see the top of my books when they were open on the table and time was critical.
On a related subject: I have only received one of my 2013 books so far, ICD-9 CM - I was suprised and disappointed because the pages are as thin as tissue paper now. Too fragile for a reference book!

 

[Carolyn Heath]

Michele, who is the publisher of your ICD-9-CM book? I am guessing that your ICD-9-CM book came from Contexo and the pages in their books are always flimsy. Mine was published by AAPC and the pages are not flimsly. When you order your new coding books next year for 2014, try AAPC. They also have a special discount if you order early.

 

[Michele]

Hi Carolyn! My 2012 books were purchased in August from AAPC because I was sitting for my CPC board exam in November. However I noticed that other employees and people in my study group had more illustrations and colored graphs in their books, which were by Contexo. For that reason when my company put our 2013 book order together I requested books from Contexo - did not realize the difference in the paper weight! Valuable lesson - it will be interesting to see how my books hold up with heavy use over the next year.