Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert

Get a jump on the 2012 ICD-9 update with these highlights.

October 1 might sound far away, but the new diagnoses you'll be welcoming at that point are already being developed. The ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee met on March 10 to discuss potential new diagnosis codes that are being considered for inclusion in this year's ICD-9 manual, and although none have been finalized, we've got a peek at what's being considered.

Pneumonia: Sue Bowman, RHIA, CCS, from the American Health Information Management Association, expressed the need for more clarification in ICD-9 on the terms pneumonitis and pneumonia citing that the terms are used interchangeably. Another suggestion was to add an entry for "AIP" or Acute interstitial pneumonia for viral pneumonia.

Malnutrition: Several associations supported the inclusion of malnutrition as part of the ICD-9 code set.

Partial rotator cuff tear: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons "reviewed and supported the proposal" for this new code, the ICD-9-CM meeting minutes indicate.

Severely calcified coronary lesions: Members of the ICD-9 committee debated over whether the term "severe" was essential to this new potential code.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Attendees indicated "general support" for the proposal of a code for this condition.

Pneumothorax and air leak: Committee members suggested that "it may be reasonable" to introduce a new code for chronic pneumothorax.

To read the entire list of proposed diagnoses and the committees' comments, visit www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/icd9/TopicpacketforMarch2011_HA1.pdf.