Why did you want to become an optometrist?
I wanted to become a health care provider, but I was looking for a specialty that did not require 24/7/365 availability for patients—at least in 1974. I happened to read an article about optometry in a newspaper, and, after doing some personal research, I decided that it was an appealing health care field.
After 40 years in clinical practice, what was your main motivation for becoming a certified professional coder and offering expert consulting advice to your optometry and ophthalmology colleagues?
During my clinical career, I always prided myself on keeping up with current trends in billing and coding for optometry, and I often provided help to colleagues. After I sold my practice, I had several optometrists reach out asking me to consult on billing and coding matters. I decided if I was going to do that, and charge people for my services, I should know what I was talking about.
When I began taking my course to become a Certified Professional Coder, I quickly realized that I did not know as much as I thought I did, and much of what I knew was incorrect. I also realized that many of the “optometry coding gurus” whose lectures I had attended for many years were providing optometrists with incorrect information. Several of those speakers were teaching optometrists how to bill and code in a way to get paid, whereas I wanted to teach ODs how to bill and code properly in order to be paid properly.
Dr. Cheezum visiting a Hindu temple in Bali, Indonesia.
What interests you most about medical billing and coding?
The guidelines are constantly changing. Between new coding systems and new definitions of codes, there is always something new to learn. I belong to a local group of medical billers and coders, who work with several different specialties, and we learn a lot from each other during our monthly meetings.
I work hard to encourage my colleagues to learn how to bill and code properly so that they are paid properly. Unfortunately, I have found that many of them are unwilling to expend the time and money to understand how to bill and code properly on their own. Too many rely on what someone down the street tells them, instead of utilizing accurate resources—even something as simple as purchasing updated, accurate code books every year.
Before you started consulting, on a scale of 1 to 10, how proficient at billing and coding would you say you were?
Before I became certified, I thought I was an 8, when in reality I was a 4 or a 5. Now, since becoming certified, I feel that I’m an 8 or a 9.
Do you miss providing patient care?
Although I don’t see patients in clinic anymore, I do 1-day postoperative telehealth calls for a large OD/OMD referral center, speaking with patients who have had cataract surgery. I enjoy speaking with the patients about their surgeries, and they appreciate not having to return to the office the day after surgery. Of course, this would not be possible unless the practice had a group of excellent surgeons.
What’s the best piece of billing and coding or general professional advice you would offer the younger generation of optometrists?
Don’t let the vision care plans dominate your patient base, and provide as much medical eye care for your patients as possible in your office. Develop a specialty care area in your practice, such as vision therapy or low vision. If you’re going to practice medical eye care properly, spend the time and money to learn how to bill and code correctly to be paid properly. You must do this continuously. Don’t be afraid to use a consultant to audit your records and coding practices.
What hobbies do you participate in outside of work?
I enjoy golfing and reading books by authors such as Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, and David Baldacci. My wife and I also enjoy going on cruises.
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