# icd 9 help



## mabauer1 (Dec 29, 2011)

If a patient fractured their ulna on 12/22 and was placed in a cast then fell on 12/27 on that arm and returned to the ER with increased pain would it be appropriate to code just the fracture?  The physician is listing the fracture as the dx.


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## srinivas r sajja (Dec 29, 2011)

I'd go with aftercare.


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## mabauer1 (Dec 30, 2011)

that is what I was thinking.  Thanks!


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## kak6 (Jan 2, 2012)

If the physician did not perform FX care he cannot charge for it (xrays, splint, pain meds ect) also did he refer pt to ortho for treatment? I try to aviod using V codes in ER if possible. I would go with coding the FX code followed by 338.11 you can code the FX again as a DX w/o using a CPT for care.


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## mitchellde (Jan 2, 2012)

kak6 said:


> If the physician did not perform FX care he cannot charge for it (xrays, splint, pain meds ect) also did he refer pt to ortho for treatment? I try to aviod using V codes in ER if possible. I would go with coding the FX code followed by 338.11 you can code the FX again as a DX w/o using a CPT for care.



You can not code the fx again as there is not a new acute fx documented the patient has a healing fx by definition and documentation you cannot code acute pain (338.1x) unless the provider specifically states acute pain in the documentation.    Howver if the exam states the patient was examined for the possibility of a new fx and this is not the case the you can use the V71.x  code wth the e code and V code for the healing fx.


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