Cardiology Coding Alert

Tip: A diagnosis that falls under an ICD-9 'other' code may have its own ICD-10 code.Under ICD-9, when the manual doesn't offer a code specific to your diagnosis, you usually choose one of the catch-all "other specified" codes available, such as 425.4 (Other primary cardiomyopathies). When you start applying ICD-10 codes in October 2013, you may find that your catch-all code has been divided into more specific options. Here's how the ICD-10 counterparts for 425.4 will look.ICD-9 coding rules: Cardiomyopathy literally means disease of the heart muscle and can refer to many types of heart disease. ICD-9 offers one code for "other" primary cardiomyopathies: 425.4. It's appropriate for cardiomyopathy NOS, congestive, constrictive, familial, hypertrophic, idiopathic, nonobstructive, obstructive (but see 425.1 for hypertrophic obstructive), and restrictive. Code 425.4 is also appropriate for cardiovascular collagenosis.ICD-10 changes: ICD-10 divides your options for "other" cardiomyopathy among three codes:I42.2, Other hypertrophic cardiomyopathyI42.5, Other restrictive cardiomyopathyI42.8, [...]