Internal Medicine Coding Alert
Obtain Specific Diagnosis Before Coding Tissue Infection
Question:
Maine Subscriber
Answer:
The correct choice depends on the type of infection " and ICD-9 includes a number of specific options. If the physician described cellulitis to the skin on the finger, you should report one of the following codes: 681.00 (Cellulitis and abscess of finger and toe; finger; cellulitis and abscess, unspecified), 681.01 (... felon), 681.02 (... Onychia and paronychia of finger).If the physician treated an infection to a soft tissue other than the skin, you could report 728.89 (Other disorders of muscle, ligament, and fascia; other).
If the infection is bacterial in nature, you should use a code from the 041.xx series (Bacterial infection in conditions classified elsewhere and of unspecified site) as a secondary diagnosis to indicate the nature of the infection.
And, if the infection is of unknown origin or cannot be classified into these categories, you might consider 686.9 (Unspecified local infection of skin and subcutaneous tissue).
If the documentation does not reveal the type of infection or how deep it was, you should ask your physician for more details.
Internal Medicine Coding Alert
- Case Study:
Affected Systems Tell When to Code Anaphylaxis Vs Allergic Reaction
Tip: Count the number of body systems involved to make the right choice.Summertime is here, [...] - Knee Injections:
When Coding Trigger Points, Count Muscles, Instead of Injections
Here's your guide to success with TPI versus other knee injections.All knee injections -- and coding [...] - E/M:
Refrain Getting Caught in These 3 Common Evaluation& Management Traps
Incident to, critical care must meet certain criteria.As a coder, you're accustomed to reporting office/outpatient [...] - ICD-10:
Make Ready for Extra Code Reporting for Foreign Body Removal
Once ICD-10 goes into effect, check the type of retained body.Choosing your primary diagnosis code [...] - You Be the Coder:
Picking Correct ICD-9 Code for Multiple Burns
Question: An established patient reports to our physician with firstand second-degree burns to his abdominal [...] - Reader Question:
See Beyond Obesity for Primary Diagnosis
Question: Some of our insurers refuse to pay for obesity as a primary or secondary [...] - Reader Question:
Select Between Codes 782.9 and 705.89 for Body Odor
Question: A mother brought her 6-year-old daughter to our office because she was concerned about [...] - Reader Question:
Maintain Your ABN for U/A Screening Tests
Question: Is a urinalysis (screening) included in or bundled with a patient's initial preventive physical [...] - Reader Question:
Coding Procedure for Simple Repair with Dermabond
Question: An established patient visited our office because of severe hyperkeratosis affecting both feet. The [...] - Reader Question:
Disregard Preventive Exam Codes for Skin Cancer Screening
Question: My physician saw a patient for a skin cancer screening. Should I use the [...] - Reader Question:
Obtain Specific Diagnosis Before Coding Tissue Infection
Question: Our physician treated a soft-tissue infection on a patient's finger. Which diagnosis code should [...] - Reader Question:
Payer Tactics Outweigh Coding Guidelines
Question: Our Medicaid carrier refuses to accept the new vaccination codes, but we know it's [...]
