[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 75 (Tuesday, June 13, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5812-S5813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 509--DESIGNATING JUNE 21, 2006, AS ``NATIONAL 
   PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CODER DAY'', IN HONOR OF THE DEDICATION AND 
     CONTINUED SERVICE OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CODERS TO THE NATION

  Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. Bennett, and Mr. Burr) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 509

       Whereas professional medical coders are the sentries of our 
     national health;
       Whereas medical coders regularly communicate with 
     physicians and other health care professionals to clarify 
     diagnoses or to obtain additional information in the 
     assignment of alpha-numeric codes;
       Whereas medical coders stand as the front line against 
     potential medicare fraud and abuse while assuring that the 
     physician, hospital, and clinic receive the fairest 
     compensation for the services provided;
       Whereas medical coders are knowledgeable of medical 
     terminology, anatomy, physiology, and the code sets necessary 
     to serve

[[Page S5813]]

     effectively in their professional role within the health care 
     community;
       Whereas medical coders are team players committed to 
     ethical and sound medical documentation and reimbursement 
     practices;
       Whereas medical coders work in a variety of health care 
     environments;
       Whereas nearly 40 percent of all medical coders in the 
     United States work in hospitals;
       Whereas medical coders also work in the offices of 
     physicians, nursing care facilities, outpatient care centers, 
     and home health care providers;
       Whereas insurance firms that offer health plans employ 
     professional medical coders to tabulate and analyze health 
     information;
       Whereas medical coders in public health departments 
     supervise data collection from health care institutions and 
     assist in research;
       Whereas Department of Defense policy requires accurate and 
     prompt documentation and coding of medical encounters within 
     the military health care system to assist military treatment 
     facility operations;
       Whereas employment of professional medical coders is 
     expected to grow through 2012, due to the increasing number 
     of medical tests, treatments and procedures, and the 
     consequent responsibility to provide the best quality health 
     care in a market-driven economy; and
       Whereas on National Professional Medical Coder Day we honor 
     these sentries of our medical community and may each be held 
     to the highest standard in the interest of national health 
     and prosperity: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates June 21, 2006, as ``National Professional 
     Medical Coder Day'';
       (2) commends professional medical coders for their 
     outstanding contributions to this great Nation;
       (3) salutes professional medical coders for their 
     unyielding dedication; and
       (4) encourages all Americans to commemorate this occasion 
     with appropriate programs and activities paying tribute to 
     medical coders and honoring all those who protect the 
     Nation's health.

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I am pleased to submit today, along with my 
colleagues Senator Bob Bennett and Senator Richard Burr, the National 
Professional Medical Coder Day resolution.
  By passing this resolution, Congress will recognize June 21, 2006, as 
National Professional Medical Coder Day, which will help to raise 
awareness about the important work that medical coders perform and 
their dedication to their profession.
  There are about 80,000 professional medical coders employed in the 
United States, and that number is expected to continue to grow due to 
the increasing number of medical tests, treatments and procedures, and 
the consequent scrutiny to provide the best quality health care in a 
market driven economy. Medical coders are a diverse group of women and 
men dedicated to ``running the numbers'' of health care. They translate 
the information that a physician documents during a patient visit into 
numerical codes that are used for both payment and statistical 
purposes.
  Medical coders are sentries of our Nation's health. They communicate 
regularly with physicians and other health care professionals to 
clarify diagnoses or to obtain additional information in the assignment 
of alphanumeric codes. They are knowledgeable of medical terminology, 
anatomy, physiology, and the code sets necessary to serve effectively 
in their professional role within the health care community. They are 
team players committed to ethical and sound medical documentation and 
reimbursement practices.
  Medical coders work in a variety of health care environments. Nearly 
40 percent of all coding jobs are in hospitals. Others work in the 
offices of physicians, nursing care facilities, outpatient care 
centers, and home health care services. Insurance firms that offer 
health plans employ coders to tabulate and analyze health information. 
Medical coders in public health departments supervise data collection 
from health care institutions and assist in research. The Department of 
Defense policy requires accurate and prompt documentation of and coding 
of medical encounters within the Military Health System to assist 
Military Treatment Facility operations. The compliance plan for third-
party payers of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of 
the Inspector General acknowledges the specialized training of medical 
coders required due to the greater legal exposure related to coding 
medical services. Coders also stand as the front line against the 
potential fraud and abuse of the Medicare and Medicaid Programs while 
assuring that the physicians, hospitals, and clinics receive accurate 
compensation for the services provided.
  The abilities coders possess to collect data about diagnoses and 
procedures figure prominently within my own interests for quality 
health care. Medical coders also provide us with the data we need for 
making tough choices in health care.
  This resolution stems from positive citizen actions. The quest for a 
national day of recognition began as a grassroots campaign. Over the 
past 4 years, medical coders from around the country have gathered 
support through a national petition and State proclamations crediting 
the work of their coders. The Secretary of the Department of Health and 
Human Services Michael Leavitt made Utah the very first State to honor 
coders when, as Governor, he signed on April 15, 2003, a proclamation 
declaring a day of honor for coders in Utah. Since then, 28 other 
States have signed similar proclamations. The State of Florida was the 
most recent addition to their campaign, and medical coders continue 
their efforts in achieving recognition at the State level. Let us now 
recognize their efforts as a nation.
  It is my hope that this resolution will help advance the recognition 
of professional medical coders; and, therefore, the attention given to 
their commendable work. It recognizes contributions to the national 
health care system and it reminds us of medical coders' dedication to 
the value of hard work in the interest of a national priority--quality 
health care for everyone. I applaud that contribution and am hopeful 
that the Senate will pass this resolution marking June 21, 2006, as 
National Medical Coder Day.

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