Gastroenterology Coding Alert
Size Up These 7 Gastroenterology Changes Planned for ICD-10-CM 2017
Get ready for more specific pancreatitis codes.
The CDC has posted a preliminary list of ICD-10-CM changes for October 1 (aka ICD-10-CM 2017), and just in case you don’t want to sort through about 2,000 new codes, we’ve narrowed down the list to seven main areas gastroenterology coders need to know.
Be warned: The list is not yet final. “The code lists that have been posted on the CMS and CDC websites are NOT the final list. The Addenda to be published in June is the complete, final list of code changes going into effect this October,” says Sue Bowman, MJ, RHIA, CCS, FAHIMA, Senior Director of Coding Policy and Compliance at AHIMA.
Resource: To review the complete list, head to ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/Publications/ICD10CM/2017/NewICD10CMCodes_FY2017.txt.
1. Read Up on These New/Revised GI Tumors Diagnoses
You’ve got new options for GI tumors.
Stromal tumor: “You’ve got some great additions, especially the stromal tumor codes,” rejoices Jan Rasmussen, CPC, PCS, ACS-GI, ACS-OB, owner/consultant of Professional Coding Solutions, Holcombe, Wisc. They are:
Malignant carcinoid tumor: You have some revisions to note for malignant carcinoid tumors. They are:
Benign carcinoid tumor: You’ll also have similar revisions to these benign carcinoid tumor diagnoses:
2. For Colonoscopies, Highlight These Updates
You will need to implement both a revision and additions affecting colonoscopies. “These are useful for post colonoscopy complications,” says Michael Weinstein, MD, former representative of the AMA’s CPT® Advisory Panel.
You should revise D78.22 (Postprocedural hemorrhage and hematoma of the spleen following other procedure) to (Postprocedural hemorrhage of the spleen following other procedure).
You will also add these two codes:
3. Check Out These New Enteritis/Colitis Codes
As of October 1, you will delete K52.2 (Allergic and dietetic gastroenteritis and colitis) and add:
Additionally, you’ll add these colitis codes:
4. Investigate These Intestinal Vascular Issue Diagnoses
On October 1, you will delete K55.0 (Acute vascular disorders of intestine) and instead, add the following options:
5. Capture These Enterocolitis Changes
You’ve got new codes that will deal with intestinal infectious and vascular issues. You’ll add:
6. Add These IBS/Constipation Dx
You’ll add these IBS and constipation codes:
Then you’ll delete K59.3 (Megacolon, not elsewhere classified), and then add K59.31 (Toxic megacolon) and K59.39 (Other megacolon).
“While many of [these] new codes give great detail to a condition, it has been my experience physician’s very rarely give the coder that much detail either in their clinic notes or their operative reports. Most often we get ischemia bowel or IBS with none of the detail,” Rasmussen says.
7. Finally, Pick Apart These Pancreatitis Codes
“ICD-10-CM will add granularity to pancreatitis codes,” Weinstein says. You will be denoting whether the patient exhibits necrosis or infection.
First, you’ll delete K850 (Idiopathic acute pancreatitis), and then add:
You’ll also delete K85.1 (Biliary acute pancreatitis) and then add:
You should also delete K85.2 (Alcohol induced acute pancreatitis) and add:
You will also delete K85.3 (Drug induced acute pancreatitis), and then add:
Similarly, delete K85.8 (Other acute pancreatitis) and add:
Finally, you will strike through K85.9 (Acute pancreatitis, unspecified) and add:
You’ll also have these pancreatic changes:
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