# Calculating BMI



## lauramstorrs (Jul 21, 2010)

At National Convention the speaker hinted that coders can calculate BMI based on height and weight and code it when documented by a nurse or nutritionist AS LONG AS THE PROVIDER HAS DOCUMENTED THE EXISTANCE OF OBESITY.  Does anyone have any further documentation/proof of this?  I know guidelines states we can code BMI when documented by another provider but I don't see where it states we can "calculate" it...?


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## gost (Jul 21, 2010)

A speaker at a conference I attended in 2008 said the opposite, that the coder should never calculate the BMI.  However, this speaker didn't provide any documentation or references to back that up.


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## lauramstorrs (Jul 21, 2010)

Thanks!  I did find a good article on this from hcPro at:
http://www.hcpro.com/HIM-206032-5707/QA-Coding-BMI-from-a-dieticians-note.html
Which states the coder should NEVER calculate BMI...


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## mitchellde (Jul 21, 2010)

The coder cannot under any circumstance calculate the BMI, however in the coding guidelines it will tell you that the coder may obtain the documentation of the BMI from any qualified medical person and it does not have to come from the physician , so a nurse or PT, or nutitionist is fine.  The physician must document the level of obesity, ie obese, overweight, morbid obese.  The BMI must then be consistent with the level of obesity documented.


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