Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Question: I have a pregnant patient with nonalcoholic liver disorder. Can I use ICD-9 code 571.8 as a primary code and add the pregnancy code as a  secondary diagnosis?

Colorado Subscriber  
Answer: The pregnancy code must always be primary on the claim. In this case bill 648.9x (other current conditions in the mother classifiable elsewhere, but complicating pregnancy ...) with a secondary code of 571.8 (other chronic nonalcoholic liver disease). But you would not need to code for this condition at all unless it was complicating the pregnancy. If the patient had this condition in the past but now does not have it, report V23.9 (unspecified high-risk pregnancy), assuming that the physician is following the patient should she develop the problem.
 
 -- Answers to You be the Coder and Reader Questions  provided by Melanie Witt, RN, CPC, MA, an independent coding educator and ob/gyn coding expert based in Fredericksburg, Va.