Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert

Question: How do I code correctly for patients with cardiac pacemakers? 
  
Answer: If the patient has a new pacemaker, code V58.73 (Aftercare following surgery of the circulatory system, NEC) for the aftercare and V45.01 (Cardiac device in situ, cardiac pacemaker) for pacemaker status. You may also use the status code to indicate your patient has a pacemaker even if you are not providing aftercare. 

Do not use the status code if there is a complication with the pacemaker.

If there is a complication use:

• 996.61 (Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal prosthetic device, implant and graft, due to cardiac device, implant and graft) for infection/inflammation;
 
• 996.72 (Other complications of internal [biological] [synthetic] prosthetic device, implant and graft, due to other cardiac device, implant and graft) for complications such as thrombus, pain and hemorrhage; or 

• 996.01 (Mechanical complication of cardiac device, implant, and graft, due to cardiac pacemaker [electrode]) if there is a mechanical complication of the device itself. 

Use V53.31 (Fitting and adjustment of other device, cardiac device, cardiac pacemaker) only if reprogramming the device. Some agencies participate in reprogramming the pacemaker over the telephone.