Question:
Can someone tell me what diagnosis code would be appropriate for COPD with bronchitis?Nebraska Subscriber
Answer:
The correct code choice will de driven by the precise diagnostic information available. If the chart documentation does not state acute bronchitis, the code would be 491.20 (
Obstructive chronic bronchitis; without exacerbation). Other possibilities are 491.21 (
Obstructive chronic bronchitis; with [acute] exacerbation) or 491.22 (
Obstructive chronic bronchitis; with acute bronchitis) if the chart provides that level of detail. As we transition to ICD-10 these code choices will become more difficult because of the significantly increased granularity of diagnostic codes available.