Question: Our specialty doesn't focus on "accidents" per se, but patients do sometimes claim that their condition, such as thyroid cancer or early menopause, was caused by an outside factor, such as working in a chemical plant or taking other medications. Should we be using E codes when we code these patients? Will it make any difference in reimbursement or claim efficiency?
Michigan Subscriber
Answer: You should use ICD-9's E codes in addition to a primary diagnosis code to identify any external causes of injury or illness. E codes won't improve your reimbursement or speed claim processing, but they will help to paint a more complete picture of a patient's condition to the carrier, possibly helping to justify a higher level of service.
Although coders most often use these codes to identify accidents, E codes also describe many other conditions, such as adverse drug effects or exposure to harmful elements. Feel free to append an E code if it will further clarify the patient's condition. For example, you could report E926.x (Exposure to radiation) along with a primary diagnosis of thyroid cancer (193) if the physician indicates that exposure to radiation contributed to the patient's diagnosis.
