Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: The provider diagnosed the patient with “migraine w/ prodrome, w/ status migrainosus.” What is migraine with prodrome, and how do I code this encounter?

AAPC Forum Member

Answer: The term “prodrome” could throw you, but it is merely a synonym for aura. So, on your claim, you should report G43.101 (Migraine with aura, not intractable, with status migrainosus).

“Migraine with aura” is a name for the less common type of migraine headache. Aura refers to feelings and symptoms the patient notices shortly before the headache begins. Symptoms of aura might include:

• Blind spots (scotomas)
• Blindness in half of the visual field in one or both eyes (hemianopsia)
• Seeing zigzag patterns (fortification spectra)
• Seeing flashing lights (scintilla)
• Feeling prickling skin (paresthesia)
• Weakness
• Seeing things that aren’t really there (hallucinations)

Don’t miss: ICD-10-CM includes the following list of synonyms with G43.1- (Migraine with aura):

• Basilar migraine
• Classical migraine
• Migraine equivalents
• Migraine preceded or accompanied by transient focal neurological phenomena
• Migraine-triggered seizures
• Migraine with acute-onset aura
• Migraine with aura without headache (migraine equivalents)
• Migraine with prolonged aura
• Migraine with typical aura
• Retinal migraine