# Osteoarthritis knee (not specified as primary, secondary, etc)



## LynnS.321 (Sep 8, 2009)

If our doctors just use dx: osteoarthritis and do not say anything else, or end stage osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis is 715.96 the appropriate code?  
I am just trying to determine if you use 715.96 when you do not know if it is localized or generalized?  My thinking was if my doctor is performing a steroid injection into the knee joint is it localized so I can use 715.36 because I do not know if it is primary or secondary?  Does anyone have any thoughts on this?  Thanks for any help in advance. 
Lynn Spille, CPC


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## mbort (Sep 8, 2009)

I would also use the 715.36


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## Lisa Bledsoe (Sep 9, 2009)

I agree.  715.36.


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## LynnS.321 (Sep 9, 2009)

Thank you so much for your input.  
I appreciate all the help.
Lynn Spille, CPC


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## mitchellde (Jun 14, 2013)

mdunn said:


> 715.36 is "localized" meaning it is found in both knees. If all you have is documentation of one knee you wouldn't have enough to support localized. If only osteoarthitis of the knee is documented you would have to code 715.96 because you don't know if that condition is in both knees. Localized means that it is bilateral sites.



Could you please supply supporting documentation for this?


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## mitchellde (Jun 22, 2013)

One knee IS a single site.  There is no medical literature to support your definition of localized site being bilateral.  This one reason ICD-10 allows us to code left knee OR right knee OR bilateral knee.


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## mitchellde (Jun 25, 2013)

Please post the AHA response as I would be most interested.  The verbage you quote states _includes_ which is not that same as exclusively bilateral. The right knee is a single site.


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## mitchellde (Jun 27, 2013)

What my book shows as alternate terminology for 715.96 is osteoarthritis of knees, bilateral


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