Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: Which ICD-10 code should we report if the physician did not specify the bacteria that caused the patient’s meningitis?

South Carolina Subscriber

Answer: When your physician does not specify the type of bacteria that caused the meningitis, you should report either G00.9 (Bacterial meningitis, unspecified) or G04.2 (Bacterial meningoencephalitis and meningomyelitis, not elsewhere classified).

You should report ICD-10 code G00.9 for meningitis and code G04.2 for meningoencephalitis and meningomyelitis.

Don’t miss: Code G00.9includes the following conditions:

• Meningitis due to gram-negative bacteria, unspecified
• Purulent meningitis NOS
• Pyogenic meningitis NOS
• Suppurative meningitis NOS.