Internal Medicine Coding Alert
Reader Question:
Select 079.99 or 079.89 for Diagnosis "Viral Syndrome"
Published on Mon Jul 18, 2011 
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PDF
Question:
Arizona Subscriber
Answer:
The most accurate choice is 079.99 (Unspecified viral and chlamydial infections; unspecified viral infection). Another option when you have more details could be 079.89 (Other specified viral and chlamydial infections; other specified viral infection). As you noted, these diagnoses can apply to a range of symptoms that your physician determines are related to a viral illness but doesn't document as single viral condition.Other Articles in this issue of
Internal Medicine Coding Alert
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