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Cardiology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Use Coumadin Therapy to Support Test

Published on Wed Nov 05, 2003

Question: Patients often come in for a Protime test with a diagnosis of "Coumadin therapy." Which ICD-9 code should I use to report this? I've been told that I need to code the reason that the patient is on Coumadin therapy.

Washington Subscriber
 
Answer: Medicare's National Coverage Determination for Prothrombin time lists V58.61 (Long-term [current] use of anticoagulant) as a payable diagnosis for 85610. You may also code the underlying condition as a secondary diagnosis if it's provided by the ordering physician, although it is not absolutely necessary. For example, if the physician order states that the patient has atrial fibrillation, you can report 427.31 (Atrial fibrillation) as the secondary diagnosis.
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