Which term describes the fraudulent action of reporting services not documented?

The term that describes the fraudulent action of reporting services not documented is assumption coding. This practice involves assigning codes based on the assumption of what services were rendered rather than relying on actual, documented evidence from the patient's medical record. Assumption coding can significantly misrepresent the services provided, potentially leading to incorrect billing and compliance issues. It is considered fraudulent because it violates the principle of accurate and truthful reporting in medical coding.

In contrast, an error in the coding process typically refers to mistakes made in accurately coding services due to oversight or misunderstanding, which does not inherently involve fraud. Truncated coding refers to incomplete coding, where necessary information is omitted but does not imply intention to deceive. Diagnosis coding simply involves coding for the patient's diagnosis based on documented evidence, without the fraudulent implications associated with assumption coding. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for accurate medical billing and coding practices.