Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Diagnosis codes differ for early vs. late onset of symptoms.When reporting Alzheimer's disease, keep one thing in mind for guiding your diagnosis choice under ICD-10: the patient's age at the onset of symptoms, not just the severity of symptoms. Prepare now to help your physician document the necessary information to keep your coding on track. Distinguish the Early and Late Onset of SymptomsWith ICD-9, you have a single diagnosis code -- 331.0 (Alzheimer's disease) -- for Alzheimer's disease. Under ICD-10, however, you'll have three choices based on when the patient's symptoms begin. When Alzheimer's sets in before 65 years of age, you report ICD-10 code G30.0 (Alzheimer's disease with early onset). On the other hand, if your physician documents the onset of symptoms in a patient who is above 65 years in age, you report ICD-10 code G30.1 (Alzheimer's disease with late onset). If your physician fails to document the time of [...]