# Bowen's coding



## lkoch829 (Aug 7, 2008)

My doctor would like to code a "bowenoid actinic keratosis" as malignant lesion due to is being "pre-cancer"? Is that correct?  Appreciate any thoughts...

Thanks!


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## FTessaBartels (Aug 7, 2008)

*Code from path report*

I would only code malignancy from a path report that was definitive.
Remember that you are recording something in a patient's medical record that will follow that patient forever!  People have been denied life insurance or other medical coverage based on erroneous diagnoses in their records. Even if you go back to the carrier later and say "oh, sorry, we made a mistake" they frequently will not change it. 

Do not give a patient a disease or condition s/he doesn't have.

If the path report states "pre-cancer" then do not give it a malignancy dx code. 

F Tessa Bartels, CPC


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## elenax (Aug 8, 2008)

I agree with Bartels; with the pathology report in hand, you can determine if the lesion is benign or malignant.


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## Treetoad (Aug 8, 2008)

I wouldn't label it a malignancy unless it was definitely a malignancy.


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## Lisa Bledsoe (Aug 8, 2008)

I agree with everyone above.  You cannot code malignancy for a pre-cancerous lesion...


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## feliciathomas (Aug 9, 2008)

I also agree... Never report a definitive diagnosis that is not substainiated with either a pathology or radiology report.


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## lkoch829 (Aug 11, 2008)

Thanks for your help.  I absolutely agree and am glad to have fellow coder support when it comes to my opinon versus the physician's.


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